Tauri Film Festival Website Launched.

The first T Tauri Film Festival will be held July 27-30 in Batesville on the campuses of the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville and Lyon College, with additional events and programs in Heber Springs and Mountain View. The festival, a division of Ozark Foothills FilmFest, Inc., is intended to encourage, facilitate, and showcase the work of young filmmakers. It draws its name from the astronomer’s term for a young star. The event will include three major components:

Hands on workshops for young people interested in learning about digital filmmaking. Workshops will be organized by age and will be open to youth from grades 4 through high school senior.

Screenings of films made by young people working with other youth-oriented groups around the country designed to demonstrate the creative potential of young filmmakers.

A regional film competition for filmmakers age 18 and under. Entries will be divided into age groups and will be judged by peer panels of interested area youth. All of the winning entries and all entries from area youth will be screened at a gala awards ceremony on the final evening of the festival.

A new website (www.ttauri.org) has been launched with preliminary information about the festival, including a Call for Entries and official Entry Form. Interested area youth can also learn more about becoming festival judges, participating in digital filmmaking workshops, and attending the various public programs scheduled during the festival. The site includes a valuable links section with information for young and aspiring filmmakers and a number of short films made by young filmmakers working at Light House media education center in Charlottesville, Virginia. It will also feature a monthly Youth Media Profile showcasing youth media organizations and festivals around the country.

Ozark Foothills FilmFest is a non-profit educational corporation founded in 2001. Presenting sponsors for the T Tauri Film Festival are First Community Bank of Batesville and Searcy, the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, Lyon College, and WRD Entertainment. Additional support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional information is available by calling 870-251-1189.