0 By. GETTY IMAGES
The Paradise48 Film Festival competition, which gives local and foreign filmmakers a chance "to showcase their stamina and craftsmanship" will be held in the U.S. Virgin Islands for the first time, according to a recently issued release.
Presented by XR Entertainment in partnership with the USVI Film Office, the Economic Development Authority, and the BVI Film Commission, the event will take place on June 17-19 in St. Thomas. It will be followed by a festival-style premiere on June 25. The festival premiere is open to the community to attend and view the works of local creatives.
Competitors must gather their teams (directors, writers, actors, editors, etc.), and register to create a short film in just 48 hours. There are no limits to who can participate on a team as both amateurs and professionals are welcomed to enter the competition.
The release states that Paradise48 Film Festival challenges participants to create an original short film of four to seven minutes in length. Additionally, each film must incorporate specific elements that the festival organizers will provide at the kickoff event on Friday, June 17, just before the competition countdown begins. Teams will randomly select their genre, while organizers will provide the four required elements: a character, a prop, a line of dialogue, and a famous landmark.
The clock started ticking on Friday, and teams must race against the clock to get their films completed and submitted by Sunday, June 19th at 8:00 p.m. There will be two rounds of judging. Festival managers will create a shortlist from the teams who submitted their films by the deadline. No more than 10 teams will make it to the final round and be screened at the festival premiere. From those films, the judges will decide the winners of the competition.
There are 8 categories in which participants can win awards: Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Paradise 48 Fan Fave, and the grand prize winner, Best Picture, according to the release.
Prizes include trophies for the different categories. Best Picture and Paradise48 fan fave receives cash prizes, while other prizes will be announced once finalized. Cash amounts haven't been finalized.
The audience (in person and virtual) will receive a chance to vote on their favorite film, according to the release. The film with the most votes at the end of casting will win the distinction of being the Paradise 48 Fan Fave!
In the weeks leading up to the festival, Paradise48 organizers will arrange a series of workshops to teach different aspects of filmmaking. The workshops will be perfect for filmmakers ranging from first-time to professionals who may want to brush up on their filmmaking skills and/or learn new ones.
Interested persons can find more information on the festival by visiting www.paradise48.com.
