Reel Islington Screenings has opened submissions for its 2009 summer film festival, hosted by London’s Holloway Odeon. Short films, documentary shorts and music videos from all over the world are invited. A selection will be made with an emphasis on the following
criteria:
- Excellence
- Films and filmmakers with a connection to Islington or North London
- Films produced by young filmmakers and community groups
- Films likely to draw a young audience

Please send your film on a DVD along with your contact details to Guy King, Reel Islington Screenings, 1st Floor, Grafton House, 379 Euston Road, London NW1 3AU. Entry is free and the deadline is 28 February 2009. Films of up to 30 minutes in length will be considered but due to time constraints shorter films are preferred. All entries will receive a response from the organisers before 20 March. The film festival takes place on Sunday 28 June and Saturday 4 July 2009.

For more information email guyking5@gmail.com. Reel Islington Screenings is brought to you in association with the Holloway Arts Festival (www.hollowayartsfestival.co.uk).

***Two-Minute Film Competition***
As well as welcoming general submissions, Reel Islington Screenings is inviting entries to the Reel Islington Two-Minute Film Competition.

The theme for this year’s competition is ‘2′ and filmmakers are encouraged to interpret the theme as broadly as they like: The Power of 2, Back2Skool, 2’s A Crowd, 2Morrow, 2Young2Die, My Pink 2Tu, etc.

The length of the film, whether it is documentary or fictional film, should be two minutes or less, shot on mobile phone or video camera, and emailed to guyking5@gmail.com or submitted on DVD to Guy King, Two-Minute Film Competition, 1st Floor, Grafton House, 379 Euston Road, London NW1 3AU. Please include your contact details and note that DVDs cannot be returned. Early deadline is 28 February 2009.

Winning entries will be shown at London’s Holloway Odeon on Sunday 28 June.

2009 includes additional out-of-competition programmes highlighting work from abroad along with numerous guest programmes showcasing amazing work produced in the UK and overseas. The 10 day event will also see a large range of seminars, lectures, networking events, receptions, Bar-B-Q’s, boat parties and live music performances.

“We’ve been very lucky to have such great support over the last decade and we’re very excited by the possibilities presenting themselves for the coming year and the years ahead. We’re planning the usual guest programmes, lunchtime seminars and late afternoon panels for 2009, if anyone is interested in getting involved it’d be great to hear from them” commented Joe Bateman, Festival Director.

The festival provides many programmes and events for free, intending to encourage, inspire and promote talented filmmakers to the public and the huge number of production companies and creative organisations in and around London and the UK.

In 2008, post festival, the finalist’s films and selections of work from the festival shortlist were screened not only to Ad agencies, festivals and film organisations in London but also at events in Denmark, Australia, USA, Turkey, and Jersey (to name a few).

It’s free to enter, just send in your film on DVD along with an entry form to:
Rushes Soho Shorts, 66 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4UH, UK.

Films can be submitted up until 23rd April with the shortlisted films being announced early June and the full programme available from 1st July. The festival will open on Wednesday 23rd July and will culminate, as is tradition, with the Rushes Awards hosted by Terry Christian on Thursday 30th July 2009.

Further Information and an Application Form can be found at www.sohoshorts.com.