CONTEST PRESS RELEASE

Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival Announces

New Short Film Contest for Aspiring Filmmakers

Tampa, FL - The 14th Annual Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival announces its new Short Film Contest for aspiring filmmakers in the Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties. The contest has been made possible by the Louis Orloff family.

Middle and high school students, as well as adults ages 18 and older, are invited to participate in the contest. The contest is open to the entire community, and filmmakers do not need to be Jewish to participate.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in each age category and their films will be shown during the 14th Annual Jewish Film Festival in March 2010. 1st place winners will each receive $750; 2nd place winners - $500; 3rd place winners - $250.

The schools of the 1st place winners in the Middle and High School categories will also each win $250.

Videos may be up to five minutes long focusing on one of the two topic choices: 1) Judaism, the Jewish people, or being Jewish or 2) interfaith issues and opportunities.

Filmmakers are invited to attend a special pre-production workshop conducted by area industry professionals on Sunday, October 25th at 5pm at the Tampa JCC, located at 13009 Community Campus Drive in Tampa. The workshop will provide an overview of this year’s theme, and provide tips on pre-production elements such as casting, locations, shoot schedules, production and post-production techniques. Everyone is welcome to attend the workshop, including camera, sound and other crew members. Participation in this workshop is optional.

"We are so excited to bring this new piece to the Film Festival which will allow our community to be hands-on and show its creativity," said Dan Sultan, director of the Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival. "We can't wait to see the hidden talent that's out there and know it will truly enhance our Film Festival."

The Tampa Bay Jewish Film Festival is produced by the Tampa Jewish Community Center, the Suncoast Jewish Community Center.

Review of films will begin on September 15, and films will be accepted until December 31, 2009. They will be reviewed by a panel of judges and the winners will be announced and their films screened at the Film Festival in March 2010. For more information or to register, visit www.tbjff.org or contact Pamela Behar, Film Contest Coordinator, at pamela.behar@jewishtampa.com or 813.769.4703.