2009 GIAA Festival of
Short Films and Videos
October 2 - 4, 2009
New York City
Background and General Information
This 3rd annual festival is sponsored by the Guild of Italian American Actors (GIAA, see our web site at www.giaa.us) in conjunction with Italian Cultural Heritage Month. But we welcome submissions on any subject from anyone. Submissions are welcome either via WithoutABox or by completing the submission form here.
The Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 3 and 4, in Manhattan.
Awards will be presented for the best movie in each category (see below), and to the best actor and the best actress. GIAA's Audience Favorite Award will be presented to the movie that receives the most votes at each screening.
Awards will be presented to the best short screenplay and the best full-length screenplay.
We will once again present the Italian-American Heritage Award to the movie or screenplay that best exemplifies the Italian immigrant experience.
Movies can be submitted in the following categories:
Very short fiction (15 minutes or less)
Short fiction (16-30 minutes)
Very short documentary (15 minutes or less)
Short documentary (16-30 minutes)
Very short animation (15 minutes or less)
Short animation (16-30 minutes)
Music video (15 minutes or less)
Screenplays may be submitted in in the following categories:
Short (60 pages or less)
Full-length (more than 60 pages)
They must be submitted in proper screenplay format. All screenplays must be unproduced, unsold, and unoptioned.
Important note: if you pay the student fee, you MUST provide a copy of your current student ID
Early bird Deadline: March 2, 2009
Very short movies: $20 (student: $10)
Short movies: $30 (student: $20)
Music videos: $20 (student: $10)
Short screenplays: $25 (student: $15)
Full-length screenplays: $35 (student: $25)
Regular Deadline: June 15, 2009
Very short movies: $30 (student: $20)
Short movies: $40 (student: $30)
Music videos: $30 (student: $20)
Short screenplays: $30 (student: $20)
Full-length screenplays: $45 (student: $35)
Late Deadline: July 15, 2009
Very short movies: $40 (student: $30)
Short movies: $50 (student: $40)
Music videos: $40 (student: $30)
Short screenplays: $35 (student: $25)
Full-length screenplays: $55 (student: $45)
Mail entry form (see page “Submission form”), fee, and dvd or screenplay to:
GIAA Festival of Short Films and Videos
Mara Lesemann, Festival Director
277 Fourth Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT SEND BY ANY DELIVERY METHOD THAT REQUIRES A SIGNATURE!
For more information, e-mail: filmfest@giaa.us
Actor and writer Fred Weller with GIAA President Carlo Fiorletta at last year’s festival
2008 Best Actress winner Maria Lara
***WithoutABox Extended Deadline: August 1****
****Official Selections Announced: September 1****
This year’s festival will again take place on Friday October 2 through Sunday October 4 in the beautiful Maya Deren Theatre at Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan.
The festival is composed of both a short movie competition (up to 30 minutes total running time) and
a screenplay competition. The screenplay competition is open to both short and full-length screenplays.
We welcome submissions in all genres, including dark and/or experimental works.
We are pleased to welcome 2 new sponsors of our screenplay competition this year:
Ink Tip is one of the top on-line resources for putting screenwriters and producers together.
Grand Prize and Best in Genre Winners can place their winning scripts on InkTip's password-protected
website marketplace for 6 months free (a $60 value). To redeem this prize, winners must at least place their winning title, logline and synopsis, and can opt to place their script and/or treatment.
All winning titles and loglines that are listed with InkTip will also be featured in one of InkTip's weekly newsletters emailed to entertainment professionals (a service not for sale).
Final Draft is the industry standard for writing films, tv shows, and stage plays. The top full-length
screenplay and the top short screenplay will each receive a copy of Final Draft.
The Grand Prize winner will also receive a free title and logline listing in the InkTip Magazine mailed to
nearly 4500 entertainment professionals and e-mailed to thousands more (a $40 value). *The winning title, logline
and synopsis (at least) must be listed with InkTip.
GIAA is pleased to welcome Delicious Italian Gifts as a sponsor of our Audience Favorite Award! The
winner of this award at each of our three screenings will receive a basket of terrific Italian goodies.
All winners will also receive medals - see photo at left.
