LAFF student film competition

LEWISTON — The Lewiston Auburn Film Festival (LAFF) is proud to announce this year’s festival will kick off early with a series of student film competitions leading to the finals, which will be held on April 6 as part of the third installment of the annual festival.

Any person under 18 as of December 31, or any person under the age of 22 still enrolled in a post-secondary school is eligible to compete in one of three categories: Short film (10-45 minutes), Micro Short (0-10 minutes) or Public Service Announcement (under three minutes).

A panel of judges will determine the best films in each category to be presented at two semifinal competitions to be held at the University of Southern Maine Lewiston Auburn College on January 12 and February 9, 2013.

The top 12 finishers will be shown at the Lewiston Auburn Film Festival, with the five films that scored the best during the semifinals vying for “Best Student Film in Festival.” That award will be given by a special panel of judges viewing the films for the first time on April 6, including at least one celebrity judge, whose identity will be revealed at a press conference in November.

“In receiving almost 500 films to judge for the film festival last year, there were a few amazing films made by high school and college students that made the cut into the 80 that were shown in the festival, but there were also many that were ‘on the bubble’ and just missed making it.

"We felt now was the time to create a separate competition as part of the festival to encourage young filmmakers and to somewhat level the playing field,” said LAFF chairperson Sandra Marquis.

Interested student filmmakers, or those who wish to submit on behalf of a student filmmaker, are urged to visit the LAFF website at www.lewistonauburnfilmfestival.org and get the form needed to apply. Films received by December 31 will be considered for both semifinal rounds. Late films received by January 18, 2013, will only be considered for the second semifinal round.