Editor

9am GMT on Wednesday 21st November will see content from this year’s Encounters film festival available to anyone in the world with a PC and a broadband connection. Babelgum, the next generation global internet TV network, is bringing a selection of the world’s talent in short film to your home, hotel room, or wherever you are with access to the internet through a dedicated Encounters channel on the platform.

Encounters is the leading UK Short Film Festival and will be showing 187 films from the best new and established talent from across the globe at this year’s event, a collection of which will be available on Babelgum from tomorrow. Traditionally, film festivals have been limited by the amount of material they are physically able to show but now there is an innovative solution that opens the doors to a huge audience to the benefit of all involved.

Babelgum, with the potential to reach of 300m users worldwide, is at the centre of the emerging multi-format (internet, Video on Demand, streaming) and global broadcast market that allows consumers to view media in their own time, wherever in the world they may be.

In choosing the finalists for Encounters 2007, the selectors have picked 187 films that tell very different stories - funny, tragic, scary, dramatic, shocking - and in a broad mix of styles, from live action thrillers to charming animation. Each of which engages attention. However, the entries appear to provide a barometer to the mood and preoccupations of the world today. Despite the number of entries seen, and the huge diversity of countries, cultures and styles represented, there is a thread of darkness running through many of films. Loss, the threat of violence, anxiety about change and the things that may go bump in the night are themes that occur again and again. Often, even the comedies have a hint of black humour about them.

The short films available on the Encounters channel include works by upcoming film-makers such as Shon Lim, who was shortlisted for the Akira Kurosawa Memorial Short Film Competition 2006, upcoming Brits Tom Williams, and writer and director Adam Laity.

Babelgum is ideal for those with a passion. Whether it’s film, sport, or documentaries there’s something on Babelgum to satisfy every interest and using it couldn’t be easier. You can sign up at www.babelgum.com to quickly and easily download the application onto your PC so you can start to enjoy masses of programming that suits you.