The iMF festival (www.independencemoviefest.com) will host all submitted movies online – from shorts to full features - in their entirety and in DVD quality. The site aims to be a global, online viewing venue where all filmmakers have the opportunity to have their work seen and recognized. iMF also hosts an online community where fans can participate in the judging process along with a panel of distinguished judges.
“At Kaneva, our mission is to empower filmmakers to connect directly with their audience,” explains Christopher W. Klaus, founder and CEO of Kaneva, Inc. “Kaneva provides the technological expertise that makes it possible for filmmakers to easily upload their work and immediately have a global audience. We are thrilled to be launching Independence MovieFest with our partners, Ideas United.”
Filmmakers will be able to distribute their films online through Kaneva’s digital entertainment marketplace (www.kaneva.com) once the iMF concludes. The company’s open-acceptance policy, competitive royalty structure, global market reach, and non-exclusive representation make it an attractive option for independent filmmakers and producers of a variety of video content.
“For filmmakers, iMF provides a remarkable opportunity for visibility, community, and artistic growth,” says David Roemer, CEO of Ideas United, LLC. “For film fans, iMF offers access to potentially thousands of films they would normally not be able to see. Viewers also have a voice - they can influence which films rise to the top and ultimately win awards at the festival.”
The festival is currently seeking submissions in six categories: drama, comedy, and documentary features (over 30 minutes) and drama, comedy and documentary shorts (under 30 minutes). The online viewing audience rates the films, and the top 25 in each category are judged by a panel to determine winners. In addition, a “Best of iMF” Award will be determined by the festival’s judges and an “Audience Choice” Award will be chosen solely by the iMF online community.
The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2006. The festival concludes, and winners will be announced, on July 4, 2006. Information about entrant and viewer fees and other contest details are available at independencemoviefest.com, as well as at kaneva.com and campusmoviefest.com.