The Anaheim International Film Festival in conjunction with the Orange County Department of Education has launched the AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge the first-ever countywide effort to encourage student filmmaking at the middle and high school levels. Working under the guidance of teachers and parents students will be invited to create produce and direct a one-minute short film for submission to AIFF. Selected films will be screened at the AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge Showcase Series during the festival and filmmakers cast and crew will be invited to walk the red carpet on opening night in October 13. The OCDE will distribute AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge details and guidelines to all Orange County middle and high schools in the coming weeks. William M. Habermehl Orange County Superintendent of Schools says “I am delighted to see AIFF’s One-Minute Film Challenge offered to our students. The Challenge will engage the minds of young people around the county as they seek new ways to tell their stories. Skills needed for today’s workforce require more than just reading and math. Our graduates will need the ability to communicate creatively using technology. I know that there are many exciting things going on in film-making and animation in Orange County schools and I am really looking forward to seeing the great work our kids will produce.” “The need for programs that use film as a teaching tool has never been greater ” says Jo Moulton executive director Anaheim International Film Festival. “Funding for arts education continues to decline yet today’s young people are growing up in a globalized media-saturated world that requires both visual literacy and cross-cultural open-mindedness. The AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge offers an invaluable opportunity for the students of Orange County. “It’s the experience of a lifetime to have their creative cinematic talent showcased to an international audience of film industry professionals.” Entries are open to all middle and high school students in Orange County. The submission deadline is July 30. There is an entry fee of $1.00 and all entries must be submitted on high quality DVD. A variety of subjects will be accepted (comedy drama animation music video commercial etc.). Final selection of films will be made be a screening committee headed by Derek Horne AIFF shorts programmer and Chapman University’s festival coordinator. Acceptance notices will be sent on August 8. The AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge official guidelines entry and release forms are available on www.anaheimfilm.org.
