Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 4, 2006. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The Bitfilm Festival for digital film has changed its concept: from now on, filmmakers can submit their works by uploading them over the Internet. All films can be seen online. The audience can vote on them and recommend them to others. This made the Bitfilm Festival the first film festival worldwide to be based on the principle of the “virus movie,” the organizers explain. The film that excites the most surfers and gets them to forward it wins the Bitfilm Award in the respective category.
The new Grand Prix TV Digital competition section has been added to the 3D Space, FX Mix, Flash, Machinima, Demo and Micromovie categories already known from earlier Bitfilm Festivals. It is intended for feature-length, digitally animated theatrical films – although they will only be seen as trailers on the Internet.
Submissions are possible on the festival website until June 1, 2006. The prizes are endowed with a total of 10,000 euros. In addition, the winner of each category receives a Bitfilm robot statue. Valuable non-cash prizes will be raffled among participants in the vote. According to the organizers, the more actively a person has participated in the “viral” distribution of the films, the higher their chances of winning. “If everything goes as we wish, the films from our festival will be buzzing around the entire Internet from June to September,” explains festival director Aaron Koenig. “The decision is completely democratic. That was already the case in recent years, but only the Hamburg audience could vote on the films – now the whole world is called upon to do so.”
The award ceremony will take place in Hamburg on September 7, 2006. It will be supplemented by film screenings, lectures, workshops and parties.
Further Links:
- Bitfilm Festival
