Editor

DepicT! - the short film competition, which challenges budding filmmakers from around the world to make mini-masterpieces of under 90 seconds – has whittled down a record number of 320 entries to a short list of ten films. All of which are now live on: http://www.depict.org

Maddy Probst, DepicT! Organizer comments: “A staggering variety of entries were received, from filmmakers as far afield as Germany, Canada, Hungary, India and Brazil. The variety of styles, subjects and ideas expressed in these, the shortest of shorts, was once again mind-boggling. The wit, originality and verve of the entries will make the job of this year’s judges a tough one.”

The winning film will be screened at Brief Encounters, the 11th Bristol International Short Film Festival, (23-27 November) – the UK’s largest short film festival – on Saturday 26th November (http://www.brief-encounters.org.uk)

The winner will receive a cash prize of £3000, and worldwide online exposure through the DepicT! web site, the Orange World portal and LOVEFiLM.COM, as well as a full distribution deal with the Dazzle Short Film Label. PLUS, a free marketing and website package from digital media and design company Emak Mafu.

As well as the DepicT! Award there is also a special audience prize – the Orange DepicT! 2005 Audience Award – which is voted for by the public. The winner of the Orange DepicT! 2005 Audience Award will take home a top of the range mobile handset, other Orange prizes and a free 6 months membership to LOVEFiLM.COM. To vote, simply text the appropriate code (obtained via the DepicT! Website) to 2472 (restricted to Orange customers only) or head for http://www.lovefilm.com from Mon 17 October where you can vote online. The winner of the Orange DepicT! 2004 Audience Award will be announced at Brief Encounters alongside the main DepicT! Award.

Says Simon Ashberry, Film Production Manager, Orange Multimedia Operations: “Orange is delighted to be associated once more with DepicT! DepicT! 2005 is a valuable addition to Orange's range of film services. Its format of micro-movies under 90 seconds gives Orange customers the chance to watch complete films on their phone wherever they are - and vote for their favourite”.

Last year’s DepicT! co-winner Oliver Manzi, director of winning film Non-Fat, explains: “Winning the jury prize at DepicT! was both great and unexpected. The win led to distribution deals with Interfilm Berlin and Dazzle UK, and both Canal+ and Studio Universal bought the rights to broadcast my short. I also received funds from the British Council to finance a 35mm print which was screened at the Curzon Soho Cinema in London alongside the feature Old Boy. It was short-listed for a number of film festivals worldwide, won the Audience Award at Clermont Ferrand, and was released as part of the Experience[s] 01 DVD distributed by Reperages in France.”

Stephen Scott Hayward and Alex Kirkland, co-directors of Le Cheval: 2.1, which won in 2003 agree: “Winning the competition was fantastic as was the response following it. We have got a distribution deal with Dazzle films, the film has been broadcast on BBC3 and we appeared at Aspen shorts fest. There was something wonderfully surreal about being flown to America to show our 90-second short alongside the cream of the short film world, bizarre!”

DepicT! 2005 is a Watershed project as part of Brief Encounters 11th Bristol International Short Film Festival

The 2005 DepicT! shortlist is as follows:

A Picture Can Say A Thousand Words (Dir: Tom Mansfield UK/SW)
A typist gets artistic.

Ascension (Dir: Myriam Thyes Germany)
The glass elevator at the luxurious hotel Marriott Marquis in New York brings you to "heaven’.

Beef (Dir: John Inch UK)
A series of encounters on the city streets leads to a violent confrontation.

Leap of Faith (Dir: Steve Smith UK)
In an apocalyptic city a small Robot jumps from a bridge and loses his head.

Reception (Dir: Joe Magee UK)
Reception considers the significance of an abundance of national flags flying on an English housing estate.

Margaliola Watching (Dir: Helen Graham UK)
In rural Mallorca a community gathers to spend the day killing a pig - closely watched by a young girl, Margalida, who thinks her own thoughts.

Monsieur Ballon (Dirs: Jonathan Walllace UK)
A bored Frenchman attempts to lighten the atmosphere in a dreary cafe...

Screen Kiss (Steven Sander UK)
What goes on behind a movie snog?

Stealth Lunch (Dir: Layla Atkinson UK)
A group of foxes on the hunt...

The Last Obsession of Émilie (Dir: Ianic Mathieu Canada)
A playful tale of how one’s desire can be overwhelming.