Welcome to Tropfest NY 2012! The world’s largest short film festival is turning 20 and to celebrate we’re bringing Tropfest to New York’s Bryant Park on June 23, 2012. Tropfest is inviting filmmakers of all backgrounds and levels of experience to get out there and start making short films for submission to Tropfest NY.
Films must be no longer than 7 minutes, must be premieres, and can be about anything but must include the annual Tropfest Signature Item (“TSI”), which for 2012 is ‘BAGEL’. Filmmakers can include the TSI in any way they choose.
There are no budget restrictions for Tropfest, either maximum or minimum. And films are judged solely on the strength of the idea, rather than productions value.
Tropfest is the premiere global platform for launching filmmakers’ careers. We want YOU to show thousands of people in New York’s spectacular Bryant Park what story YOU can tell – whether it’s on a 70mm film camera or a mobile phone!
From the submitted entries, Tropfest will select up to 16 Finalists that will screen at the Tropfest NY main event on June 23, 2012. All Finalists will be awarded $US 500 for being selected, and the overall winner will be awarded an additional Grand Prize of $US 20,000 and a trip to Los Angeles for a series of meetings with film executives, agents and others, as well as a chance for your film to be screened multiple times nationally on our official broadcast partner, Starz Cinema.
An industry and celebrity panel will judge the Finalists live, in front of thousands of independent film-lovers, under the stars at Bryant Park. Tropfest is renowned for getting some of the biggest names in the international film industry to support our event by showing up and judging the films for us. Our US official Ambassodors include: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schrebier, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Geoffrey Rush, Anthony Lapaglia and Charles Randolph.
On Festival Night, just a few minutes after the last film screens, our panel will announce one overall winner as well as present awards for Best Actor, Best Actress and a People’s Choice award.
Tropfest was established to encourage production, not just exhibition. Our event is not just about ‘showing’ films – it’s about ‘making’ them, and getting better at making them. But even after Tropfest NY is over, we aim to provide you with the opportunity to showcase your work to as wide a global audience as possible, not only with the exciting premiere your film will receive if selected for Tropfest NY 2012, but also across a variety of distribution outlets following the festival – including Starz.
Download the full set of GUIDELINES for everything you need to know. If you have any questions, please refer to our FAQ’S or email us at nyinfo@tropfest.com
