Mark your calendars! This year’s Project Twenty1 will be on Saturday, October 4th and Sunday, October 5th, 2008! The festival will occur at the newly-renovated International House theater, located at 3701 Chestnut Street. Better yet, we will be presenting our well-received Film-A-Thon, AND the return of the 21-Day Filmmaking Competition which made us famous.

Several changes have been made to both portions of the festival this time around, while keeping intact all the stuff that you loved and that made our previous festivals so successful. Whether you have a finished film to submit or short you’ve been dying to make, here is the info:

THE 2008 21-DAY FILMMAKING COMPETITION

–You don’t need to come to Philadelphia to participate (but we would love for you to visit!). Simultaneous to the Launch Event, the Secret Element will be announced on our website and newsletter list. You may submit your films in whatever way possible until the time of the Drop Event. You can also overnight or upload the file to your FTP by the deadline. Remember, we are not responsible for upload errors or misdirected mail, so if you can get here, the safest bet is the Drop Event. Both the Launch and Drop Events will take place in Philadelphia (venue TBA).

–The Screenings, Awards Ceremony and Wrap Party will all take place the same weekend. Our judges will have previewed the films and cast their ballots for the 21-Day Competition. The Audience will vote on the Film-A-Thon films the same weekend.

–Only the top films will make the cut for the worldwide DVD release.

Starting RIGHT NOW, you can submit your film to the 2008 Project Twenty1 Film-A-Thon! What does the Film-A-Thon look for in a film, you ask? Anything goes, as long as you hold the copyright and it does not include hardcore pornography. Beyond that, we are only picky in regards to quality, both of story and production value, but NOT theme, content, genre, or length. Got a film you think is awesome? Click here to submit. Remember, the discounted early submission deadline is April 30th!

Not a filmmaker or animator but want to be involved in something truly original and creative? Become a sponsor of Project Twenty1! Individual sponsorships start at $50 and can get you free passes to Project Twenty1 events and screenings, free DVDs, your name on our website and in our programs, and marketing to a vast and diverse audience of filmmakers and movie buffs nationwide! Better yet, your donation or sponsorship will be 100% tax-deductible thanks to our partnership with International House, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and our of Philadelphia’s leading venues showcasing the arts and independent film. Contact us for more information on how to get involved and the opportunities available to you if you do.

Still reading? What part did you miss? Why haven’t you signed up yet? Early Entry for both the Competition and Film-A-Thon expires at the end of April, so hop to it. We are very excited about 2008 and the many surprises it still has to come, and we’re sure you won’t be disappointed. And to those of you entering the Competition… good luck, and we’ll see you this summer!

www.projecttwenty1.com