Shorts Shorts Deadline

Bord Scannán na hÉireann / The Irish Film Board has announced a call for submissions for the next round of the Short Shorts scheme. The new deadline for the scheme is Friday May 7th.

The Short Shorts scheme has funding for up to seven, 3-5 minute films and aims to encourage the making of very short films that are innovative, provocative or in some way risky and rule-breaking. A unique feature of the scheme is that the films must now conform to a particular genre or theme chosen for each year. In 2008, Short Shorts had to be musicals; in 2009, they had to be films with no dialogue.

This year's Short Shorts, whether live action or animated, must adhere to and explore a theme, which is: Ireland, I Love You or Grá mo chroí í Eire.

Short Shorts generally have better access than longer shorts to commercial distribution. Equally, if this year's crop is especially rich, the common theme may allow BSÉ/IFB to package the films together for screening in a wider choice of situations so that their international exposure is enhanced. The portmanteau films Paris, je t'aime and New York, I Love You have proved to be festival favourites.

We hope the collection of films made under this year's Short Shorts scheme will run the gamut of love in contemporary Ireland - and love for Ireland. Love declared, love unrequited, love lost, love reawakened, love misunderstood, love tormented, love ecstatic. Love of someone, or something, or somewhere.

Films may be made in Irish or English with Irish applications being actively encouraged.

Information on the application process is on the web site.