Sundance TV announces the IV edition of its short film contest

Sundance Tv Shorts Competition rewards the most brilliant international short films. The piece that won the Grand Jury Prize will be broadcast internationally on the channel and at the Sundance Film Festival in London.

SundanceTV presenta, por cuarto año consecutivo, el concurso SundanceTV Shorts Competition 2017, un certamen que premia los cortometrajes más brillantes a nivel internacional. Las candidaturas optarán al Gran Premio del Jurado y el Premio Vimeo de la Audiencia. Como novedad en esta edición, el certamen inaugura la categoría Mejor Webserie, una sección exclusiva para España, que premiará la mejor ficción realizada para Internet y en la que los concursantes tendrán que presentar el episodio piloto de su serie digital. Un año más, Movistar+, Fotogramas y el Sindicato de Guionistas ALMA se unen a SundanceTV como colaboradores del concurso.

From March 13 to April 14, short films and 'websodes' can be presented at the web of the contest. The works must be sent directly by the producer or the director, who must be residents in Spain. Nominations, both short films and pilot episodes of web series, may not exceed 15 minutes in length and must be in English or with English subtitles. All the characteristics and details of the contest, as well as the technical requirements, are available on the official website of the contest.

The Grand Jury Prize and Best Web Series categories will value creativity, entertainment, originality of the story and production. The jury, which will be chaired by Mike Plante of the Sundance Institute, includes the participation of Harold Gronenthal, of SundanceTV Global, and Ramón Verdet, Head of Creative Services of AMC Networks International Iberia. In addition, Sonia Salas, Head of Premium Series at Movistar+, will also participate; Pere Vall of Fotogramas; the director and screenwriter Borja Cobeaga on behalf of the ALMA Screenwriters Union; and Jeff Hurlow from Vimeo. Likewise, the Best Web Series category will have the screenwriter and comedian David Suárez as the sole jury.

The winner of the Grand Jury Prize will travel to the Sundance Film Festival: London in June along with a companion to attend the screening of their short film. In addition, the winning short film will be broadcast internationally on SundanceTV at the end of the year and exhibited in a master class of which more details will be given soon. Likewise, the winner of Best Web Series of the contest will receive a prize valued at 4,000 euros to continue the production of their digital fiction.

On the other hand, from April 24 to May 1, the votes of independent film fans, carried out online through the official website of the contest, will decide the winner of the Vimeo Audience Award. The entry with the most votes will win a high-end digital camera as well as a year-long Vimeo® Pro account.

Mike Plante, Senior Programmer at the Sundance Film Festival, maintains that "SundanceTV Shorts Competition does a wonderful job shedding light on this type of artistic expression that is short films and supports and recognizes new talent. I am looking forward to seeing the stories that the directors have decided to tell this year."

Geraud Alazard, vice president of marketing at SundanceTV Global, said: "The SundanceTV Shorts Competition is the perfect representation of the channel's spirit and ambitions, providing a unique platform to showcase and support emerging talent in the film community. We are very excited to have the Sundance Institute present the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival: London in June and to collaborate with Vimeo to give audiences the opportunity to vote for their favorite short, which will receive the Vimeo Prize of the audience. We are also very happy that Movistar+, Fotogramas and the ALMA Screenwriters Union support the contest.”

The winners of the 2017 SundanceTV Shorts Grand Jury Prize, Vimeo Audience Award and Best Web Series will be announced in May.