15-08-2013

Prague Hosts Third 48 Hour Film Project

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    Fall will see indie film crews scrambling in the city streets as the Czech capital commences its third edition of the 48 Hour Film Project 4-6 October. The event, billed as is the world's largest timed filmmaking competition, tests what filmmakers can do in two days to create a short based on a given prop, character and line of dialogue.

    Judges for the work of international teams will include Czech director David Ondříček (In the Shadow, www.luckymanfilms.com), along with Nora Dolanská, director of the Prague Welcome (praguewelcome.com) tourism information site, and Julio Wallovits, executive creative director Lowe and Partners ad firm, and Jana Kubíčková, local acquisitions manager for TV Nova (tv.nova.cz/‎).

    Registration, open to all, is now running via the popular event's web site and the competed films will screen 11-12 October Kino Lucerna (www.lucerna.cz/kino.php‎), with award ceremony to follow. Winning films also screen on TV channel Nova Cinema,  and on TV Nova's VOD platform Voyo.cz (voyo.cz/‎). Sponsor Fénix will also award a yearly supply of beer to the winner.

    Some 31 teams comprising over 400 filmmakeres competed last year and more are expected for 2013 because "the competition has become much better known in the Czech Republic after the success of our filmmakers and the great coverage in the media," according to project producer Petra Ratner. Accompanying events will include workshops, evenings with film mentors such as Star Wars producer Rick McCallum and Ondříček as well as parties.

    Since the event's launch in 2001 by American Mark Ruppert over 300,000 people have participated in 100 cities around the world, including New York, Ho Chi Minh City, Johannesburg, Paris, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Shanghai and Mumbai. Prague's winners will compete at US. Filmapalooza 2014 in New Orleans.