On-line Competition for Tribeca Film Fest
 by Barry Owens

A short film could mean a big break for filmmakers seeking an audience at the Tribeca Film Festival. But first they will have to win over audiences online.

Amazon.Com CEO Jeff Bezos, actor Robert De Niro and American Express marketing chief John Hays at announcement of film shorts competition. Photo: Stephanie Keith

Organizers with the festival announced March 3 that Amazon.com is accepting short-film submissions for entry into a competition that will let online viewers be the first judge of the films. The top five films, based on a five-star rating, will be screened at the festival. The highest rated film will earn the filmmaker $50,000 from American Express, the festival’s main sponsor.

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, said the partnership with the festival seemed a natural for the online retailer.

“The site was started as a way to help people find things and for things to find people,” he said during a press conference at Tribeca Cinemas. “Now I’m very excited to help these films find an audience.”

Online viewers can go to the site and view the shorts, between two and seven minutes long, and rate them.

Viewers will not be able to select the films they wish to review as to prevent “an army of the filmmakers friends” visiting and giving them high marks, Bezos said. .
The site is accepting film submissions now through April 13. The winner will be announced in June. Contest rules and submission guidelines can be found at www.amazon.com/shortfilms.

“There are certain difficulties all filmmakers must face—how to get a movie made and how to get it seen” said Jane Rosenthal, a festival founder along with Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff.

She said aside from creating an outlet for talent, the contest would enable the festival to broaden its reach by “discovering new films, new filmmakers and new audiences.”

De Niro said the short film has “value in and of itself” and is often a first time filmmakers best shot at finding and audience.

“First of all, it doesn’t cost a lot to make,” he said.

Asked if he thought further corporate partnership could cool the cache of the festival and ultimately the quality of work submitted, De Niro said he did not believe that sponsorship played an influence.

“And I don’t know how else we would do it,” he said. “I would love to have the money to have it be totally independent of everybody, but that is impossible.

This year’s festival will take place April 19 through May 1