Christmas comes early for short filmmakers!

Short of ideas for the 2009 Movie Extra Tropfest? Aspiring filmmakers can stop fretting with Movie Extra Tropfest announcing that the entry deadline has been extended to 15 January 2009. The extra week is a great opportunity for filmmakers to put the extra ‘spring’ into their Tropfest entry. With the competition for prizes – valued at more than $100, 000 – incredibly high this year, it will be a much needed week for some!

16 films, selected from around 700 entries, will battle it out for the First Prize. However the opportunity to have your film screened in front of a live audience of over 150, 000 people at the event on Sunday 22 February 2009, as well a live television broadcast on the Movie Extra channel, part of the Movie Network, is prize enough for some aspiring filmmakers.

“Tropfest is an incredible opportunity for creative people to get involved in the craft of filmmaking and have their work screened in front of audiences nationwide and around the world. Each year, filmmakers are scrambling to get their films in on time without compromising their vision. This year, we’re giving them an extra week to help out,” said John Polson, Director and Founder of Tropfest.

Movie Extra Tropfest 2009 entry forms and filmmaker info guides are now available to download from the Tropfest website www.tropfest.com. You can also find festival details, screening venues and regular updates on all things Trop.

Movie Extra Tropfest 2009 Festival Sites – Sunday 22 February 2009

Sydney:
The Domain, Sydney
Presented by Movie Extra Tropfest

Melbourne:
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Presented by Movie Tropfest and the City Of Melbourne

Canberra:
Stage 88 Commonwealth Park, Canberra
Presented by the National Capital Authority

Brisbane:
Suncorp Piazza, Brisbane
Presented by QPIX

Perth:
Princess May Park, Fremantle
Presented by the Film and Television Institute

Hobart:
Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart
Presented by the Salamanca Arts Centre and Wide Angle Tasmania

Adelaide:
Rundle Park, Adelaide
Presented by the Media Resource Centre and Mercury Cinema

About Tropfest:
Tropfest was founded by filmmaker John Polson at Sydney's Tropicana Cafe in 1993. What began as a small screening for friends and family is now regarded as the largest short film festival in the world. Tropfest is a free, public event that takes place nationally in February via simultaneous satellite broadcast in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra, Brisbane, and Perth – collectively attracting an audience of more than 150,000 people on a single night. Thousands more attend Tropfest in New York City each year in July, as well as other smaller screenings in cities around the world. Films must be less than 7 minutes and contain the Tropfest Signature Item (TSI) which changes each year. The Tropfest Australia 2009 TSI is “Spring”.

About Movie Network Channels:
Movie Network Channels is the premium entertainment destination on subscription television, offering four distinct channels: MOVIE ONE and MOVIE TWO shine bright with blockbuster hits; MOVIE GREATS offers classics and library favorites; and MOVIE EXTRA delivers viewers a unique alternative to the Hollywood formula, including special events and original and exclusive series such as Mad Men, The Henry Rollins Show and Chandon Pictures. MNC is a joint venture company owned and operated by studio partners Warner Bros., MGM, Disney, and Village Roadshow, distributed via subscription TV platforms FOXTEL, AUSTAR, OPTUS, SelecTV, TransTV and Neighbourhood Cable.


For media enquiries relating to Movie Extra Tropfest please contact:

Francesca Millena / Valentina Zarew
Spin Communications
P) 02 9360 3377
M) 0424 070 056 / 0400 277 117
E) f.millena@spin.com.au / v.zarew@spin.com.au

For media enquiries relating to Movie Extra or Movie Network Channels, please contact:

Philippa Harris
NIX Co.
P) 02 9211 6650
E) philippa@nixco.com.au