Editor

The Anaheim International Film Festival, in conjunction with the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), today launched the AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge, the first ever countywide effort to encourage student filmmaking at the middle and high school levels. Working under the guidance of teachers and parents, students will be invited to create, produce and direct a one-minute short film for submission to AIFF. Selected films will be screened at the AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge Showcase Series during the festival, and filmmakers, cast and crew will be invited to walk the red carpet on opening night October 13. The OCDE will distribute AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge details and guidelines to all Orange County middle and high schools in the coming weeks.

The One-Minute Film Challenge creates a vital connection between the Anaheim International Film Festival and local youth, giving students the opportunity to fully participate in the festival experience.
It is part of the AIFF Youth Education Program, whose primary objective is to provide a mentoring, supportive and professional environment for area students. The One-Minute Film Challenge will encourage and champion the work of youth media makers and youth media organizations from the Anaheim/Orange County area and bring a refreshingly youthful point of view to a variety of subjects.

William M. Habermehl, Orange County Superintendent of Schools, stated, “I am delighted to see AIFF’s One-Minute Film Challenge offered to our students. The Challenge will engage the minds of young people around the county as they seek new ways to tell their stories. Skills needed for today’s workforce require more than just reading and math. Our graduates will need the ability to communicate creatively using technology. I know that there are many exciting things going on in film-making and animation in Orange County schools, and I am really looking forward to seeing the great work our kids will produce.”

“The need for programs that use film as a teaching tool has never been greater,” said Jo Moulton, executive director, Anaheim International Film Festival. “Funding for arts education continues to decline, yet today’s young people are growing up in a globalized, media-saturated world that requires both visual literacy and cross-cultural open-mindedness. The AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge offers an invaluable opportunity for the students of Orange County. “It’s the experience of a lifetime to have their creative cinematic talent showcased to an international audience of film industry professionals.”

Entries are open to all middle and high school students in Orange County beginning May 1. The submission deadline is July 30. There is an entry fee of $1.00, and all entries must be submitted on high quality DVD. A variety of subjects will be accepted (comedy, drama, animation, music video, commercial, etc.). Final selection of films will be made be a screening committee headed by Derek Horne, AIFF shorts programmer and Chapman University’s festival coordinator. Acceptance notices will be sent on August 8. The AIFF One-Minute Film Challenge official guidelines, entry and release forms are available on www.anaheimfilm.org.

The inaugural Anaheim International Film Festival runs Oct. 13-17, 2010 at the Anaheim GardenWalk. Thousands of attendees are expected to visit the five-day festival and participate in film screenings, master classes and workshops taught by industry professionals, and star-studded gala events. Tickets will be available to the general public beginning September 15, 2010. For more information, please call (714) 991-9110 or visit www.anaheimfilm.org.

About the Orange County Department of Education
The Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) serves as the center for educational leadership and coordination, providing broad services for over 500,000 children and young adults in the schools of Orange County. We are responsible for interpretation and enforcement of state laws as directed by the legislature, the State Board of Education, and the California Department of Education.

About AIFF
The inaugural Anaheim International Film Festival is produced by the Anaheim Film Society, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. The 2010 AIFF marks the addition of a world-class cultural event to the city of Anaheim, Orange County and the international film festival circuit. AIFF’s mission is to create an environment that inspires, nurtures and showcases the work of emerging independent film talent and pay tribute to accomplished film artists. For more information, visit www.anaheimfilm.org.