PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa
Contact: Kevin Ledgewood
pr@tuscarts.org
205-758-5195
MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL WILL SCREEN AT TUSCALOOSA’S BAMA THEATRE
(Tuscaloosa, Ala.) Movie fans in Tuscaloosa will unite with others from around the world on Oct. 1, 2015 with the local screening of the 18th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival at the Bama Theatre. The one night festival begins at 7:30 p.m. and admission will be $8 general, $7 students and seniors and $6 for members of The Arts Council.
This year’s Manhattan Short received a record breaking 678 short film entries from 52 countries. The 10 finalists hail from eight countries, with short films from Turkey and Kosovo representing their respective countries for the first time.These films will not only entertain a global audience but will be judged by them as well. Cinema-goers will become instant film critics as they are handed a ballot upon entry that allows them to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor.
Manhattan Short is not a touring Festival. It is a celebration that occurs simultaneously across the globe, bringing great films to venues and allowing the audiences to select their favorites. If the film festival experience truly is about getting great works in front of as many eyes as possible, Manhattan Short offers the ultimate platform, one that sees its films screened in such cities as Sydney, Mumbai, Moscow, Kathmandu, Vienna and Cape Town to cinemas in all 50 states in the U.S.
With screenings taking place worldwide from Sept. 25-Oct. 4, 2015, Manhattan Short is the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors and actors. Votes from all venues will be tallied with the winner announced at ManhattanShort.com on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 at 10 a.m. (EST).
This year’s festival highlights the continued importance of women in film. Half of the selections feature actresses ranging in age from children to senior citizens. Audiences from last year’s screenings also will be pleased to see rising star Marleen Lohse once again in “Forever Over”, making her the first actor, male or female, to appear in consecutive years in Manhattan Short. Two other films, “Bear Story” and “Patch”,are sophisticated animations, as support continues for this important art form. As always, Manhattan Short offers short films set in a wide range of locales, from the beaches in Turkey and the mountains of the Balkans to the streets of Berlin and the backroads of America’s West Coast.
“In our 18 years of programming Manhattan Short, this is by far the strongest show we have ever had. From the first scene to the last, these films will command every second of the audience’s attention. It’s anyone’s guess who will win the Gold Medal,” said Founding Director Nicholas Mason.
For more information about the festival, visit manhattanshort.com.
The Bama Theatre is located at 600 Greensboro Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should LIKE the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” and follow tuscarts on Twitter. Call 205-758-5195 or visit bamatheatre.org for further information.
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