RUSHES SOHO SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

Something cutting edge about the Rushes Soho Short Film Festival in London always makes it seem new. Yet the records suggest that this year’s event will be the 10th. A full decade of staging ground breaking screenings around London aiming to help link independent film makers with their more flush commercial neighbours.

Yet in a way Rushes is as new as it sounds since every year it comes up with new twists, this year extending to 10 full days (from Wednesday, July 23 to Friday, August 1) and including wrinkles like a Bar-B-Que, boat parties an, possibly a drive in movie!

On a more conventional note, The delegate centre and main venue will be Curzon Soho, with further screenings in cinemas and bars across the West End and London.

Here Rushes will have 12 guest programmes showcasing the best work from the UK and abroad, seminars and lectures.

But first of all Rushes needs films and the door is now open for free entries – until Friday, April 25rh – with details available on the site www.sohoshorts.com.

The basic Entry Criteria are: Films must be no more than 12 minutes long; completed after January 1, 2007 and submitted on DVD with the entry form.

It is undoubtedly worth the effort since, In addition to getting exposure for your celluloid masterpiece, you can be in the running for a Best Director award in any one of six categories: Short Film, Animation, Documentary, Music Video, Newcomer and Broadcast Design,

The 2007 Awards were presented by some very estimable names, including Charles Dance, Rita Tushingham, Miranda Richardson, giving all involved a chance to mingle with British acting royalty.

Festival Director Joe Bateman notes: Rushes provides most of its programme and events for free, intending to encourage, inspire and promote talented filmmakers to the whole range of commercial production companies and organisations in and around London.

Someone needs to do it and there is no doubt that Rushes dynamic approach makes a good job of it each year, every year, and this year undoubtedly as well.

Filed March 5, 2008.