TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Future Shorts offers local filmmakers global opportunity
A growing community: A poster for short film The Answer, presented at Future Shorts
Change Size
A
span class="inline inline-left">A growing community: A poster for short film The Answer, presented at Future Shorts. Courtesy of Future Shorts With networks in more than 12 countries and 50 cities, the Future Shorts Festival has finally come to Indonesia, presenting local makers of short films with the opportunity to gain a reputation worldwide.
The UK-based short film outfit has been selecting short movies from around the world to be screened simultaneously to millions of viewers in numerous countries once a month.
And now, the festival, which is recognized by global filmmakers and international media as a cutting-edge short film label, is here in Indonesia.
The vibrancy of the Indonesian film industry resulted in the country being selected as one of venues in Southeast Asia, along with Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia, director of Future Shorts Indonesia Dave E. Arnold told The Jakarta Post recently.
Future Shorts Indonesia held a soft launch for the event in Jakarta last week. The one-night program was aimed at introducing the event to local filmmakers and inviting them to submit their work for next month’s screening.
“We will pick one or two movies to be included in Southeast Asian Program,” Dave said.
On the opening night, the organizing committee screened 10 short films, with three in the Southeast Asian Program category. All three were from Vietnam.
Directors whose movies are selected will have the chance to not only connect with audiences around the world but also enter the international film industry.
A number of selected short films in the competition have received prestigious international awards.
Among them are Please Say Something by David Oreilly as the Golden Bear Winner in 2009 Berlinale Film Festival and The Making of Parts by Daniel Elliott, which was named the Best European Short Film in the Venice Film Festival in 2006.
The institution has also been working with advertising agencies and film companies worldwide to spot the hottest new talents in the film industry.
With the use of multimedia and online connections, the festival is perceived as an alternative to traditional film festivals because filmmakers have the chance to get their work seen all over the world in just one submission without involving registration fees or specific criteria.
“It’s random. As you can see [from the screening], participants can use any media. One thing is for sure: It has to be cool,” Dave said.
The selected films will be published online not only on the Future Shorts website but also on YouTube and Facebook, as well as screened almost simultaneously in one-night public viewings in 12 countries.
Dave said any Indonesian directors interested in submitting their work could check Future Shorts — Indonesia on Facebook for further information.
The winners will have the chance to be screened in next month’s event, which will be held in Plaza Indonesia, Central Jakarta, on Dec. 15.
In the future, the festival will reach other cities in Indonesia like Yogyakarta and Bali.
The event plans to also present live music performances and art installations to create an attractive atmosphere in which the public can appreciate short films.
According to its website, Future Shorts has cooperated with international music festivals like Glastonbury, Big Chill in the UK and Benicassim in Spain to become a must-attend event.
For further information, visit www.futureshorts.com and Future Shorts – Indonesia on Facebook for further information.
