The European Independent Film Festival

The European Independent Film Festival 3 Annual March 14, 2008 to March 16, 2008 European Dramatic Feature

Open to all European feature films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

European Dramatic Short

Open to all European short films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging. Running time cannot exceed 30 minutes.

European Documentary Feature

Open to all European documentaries over 30 mins. made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language but French or English subtitles are required.

European Documentary Short

Open to all European documentaries with a running time less than 30 minutes and made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are highly recommended to ensure the best judging.

European Animated Film

Open to all European animated work in the moving image field (can include web pages) made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

European Experimental Film

Open to all European work in the moving image field that can be deemed experimental. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

Student Film - Worldwide submissions accepted

Open to all (European and non-European) student films. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging. NOTE: Entrants in this category will ONLY be eligible for the Best Student Film Award.

News and Current Affairs Reportage - Worldwide submissions accepted

Open to all (European and non-European) News and Current Affairs professionals. This category is designed to show the very best of 'Reportage' from around the world. News organizations, reporters, producers, cameramen and editors can submit.

Non-European Dramatic Feature

Open to all non-European feature films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

Non-European Dramatic Short

Open to all non-European short films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging. Running time cannot exceed 30 minutes.

Non-European Documentary

Open to all non-European documentaries made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are required to ensure the best judging.

Much More than a Script Competition

We at ÉCU understand that for many talented writers - especially those without representation - it is difficult getting scripts read by the people that matter: directors, producers and heads of development. We also passionately believe in the powerful experience, for both a writer and an audience, of witnessing scripts being read live by professional actors. That’s why we have decided to launch ÉCU 2008’s Much More than a Script Competition. We will read scripts in English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian before making an official selection of the very best which will be showcased live at ÉCU 2008. The selected scripts will have a short dramatic sequence read live by professional actors in front of an audience of industry professionals, indie filmmakers and the general public, at the prestigious Bibliotheque Nationale de Francois Mitterrand in Paris, France. Two overall winners will receive an additional prize and the coveted title of Best Feature Script / Best Short Script 2008 – a title we are certain will help emerging writers overcome the obstacle of “representation” and get their scripts read by the right people.

MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The European Independent Film Festival screens eleven categories of independent films to an eager audience of independent filmmakers, film industry professionals and the general public who crave the energy and free spiritedness of creative independent films. The festival has very quickly become known as Europe's answer to Sundance.

The festival is dedicated to showing independent films from European filmmakers but also has several categories for overseas filmmakers from the USA, Asia and Africa.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Held in the prestigious Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris, France in March 2008, the European Independent Film Festival (known as the ECU Film Festival) showcases the very best independent filmmaking talent from around the world and offers filmmakers the opportunity to have their films screened in a highly esteemed competition. During the festival filmmakers have the opportunity to attend editing workshops and screenwriting labs, to discuss their projects with fellow independent filmmakers and network with producers, talent spotters and agents.

The European Independent Film Festival is being hailed as a saviour to the often overlooked European independent filmmakers. Since its inception in 2006 the festival has screened films from more then 60 countries (filmmakers from as diverse places as Romania, England, France, Spain, Estonia, Portugual and Greece). The non-European categories gave the European filmmakers the chance to gauge their work against American, African and Asian filmmakers.

One of the judges, award-winning film editor Franco Pistillo, says:

"Every year the Sundance Film Festival brings worldwide attention to American independent filmmakers. The ECU Film Festival gives the same opportunities to the hundreds of independent European filmmakers who make incredible films, but fly way below the radar of festivals like Cannes, Venice or Berlin."

Prizes from AVID, SCRIPTSHARK, FUJI, and FINAL DRAFT will be presented to the award-winning films and filmmakers.

Venue
La Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Quai Francois-Mauriac in the 13th arrondissement, Paris, France. Metro station: Bibliotheque Francois Mitterand.

Entry and times
Entry is FREE and the festival schedule will be posted in February 2008.

To obtain tickets, contact: info@ecufilmfestival.com

Opportunity for buyers
The festival is an attractive prospect for film buyers, producers and talent spotters who will be in attendance - all looking for the latest filmmaking talent.

"It is a fact that European independent filmmakers rarely get attention outside of their respective countries. The ECU Film Festival gives European independent filmmakers, all of whom are hungry to tell their stories, an arena where they can project their films, interact with their fellow European filmmakers and show audiences - who are getting tired of formulaic cinema - that `Old Europe' makes great independent films." Said the festival's President Scott Hillier, himself an award-winning filmmaker.

For more information on ECU please contact press@ecufilmfestival.com or visit www.ecufilmfestival.com

ORGANIZERS:
Scott Hillier (Festival President)

GENERAL RULES
Open to all independent films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. The film can be in any language, but subtitles in either English or French are highly recommended to ensure the best judging.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Excerpts of all submitted films can be used in The European Independent Film Festivals publicity on the Internet, print, radio and television medias. All rights, including music, have been obtained and cleared by the filmmakers.