SHNIT INTERNATIONAL SHORTFILM FESTIVAL DEBUTS IN LAGOS

The 10th edition of shnit International Short film festival is a feat of cinematic treats. Nearly

300 carefully selected short films will be enjoyed from October 4th to 7th, 2012 in Bern (CH), Cape Town (ZA), Cologne (DE) and Vienna, Singapore, San Jose (Costa Rica) and for the first time this year, Lagos (Nigeria), San Francisco (USA) and Cairo (Egypt), Auckland (New Zealand). Da Rocque Koncept is in collaboration with the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) in the realization of this international Film Festival.

BACKGROUND (www.shnit.org)

Shnit International Shortfilm festival was founded in 2003 in Bern, (CH) and is now rapidly expanding across the world as a multi-day, multi-city short film festival. Cologne (DE) joined in 2009, later joined by Cape Town (ZA), Vienna (AT), San Jose (CR) and Singapore (SG).

Today the festival is a premier venue for the exhibition and promotion of short film. The festival is an exceptional event with a unique concept – a transnational film festival simultaneously taking place in ten PLAYGROUND cities on five continents worldwide. The international competition includes five award categories with cash prizes of CHF 100,000 (~ €85,000 ~ $110,000) – more than ever before.

Shnit International Shortfilm festival operates as a non-profit organization. The annual festival is created and centrally coordinated by the shnit FOUNDATION (Artistic directorship) in cooperation with our playground executives (Festival management). The shnit FOUNDATION is an international not for profit registered foundation based in Switzerland.

The organisation is built on principles of excellence and professionalism, rendering the global expansion of the festival possible. This requires active cooperation between playground executives which, in return, strengthens the transnational network of «shortfilmmakers» and the growing community of «shortfilmlovers». The festival delivers a high quality programme of new and established international short films. We therefore also have the unique opportunity to share the best in short filmmaking with a worldwide audience.

Our objective is to become a transnational and transcultural short film festival, that bridges creative talents and audiences by happening simultaneously in different cities across the globe. Each country runs its edition (which we call a “playground”) with available local resources: box- office revenue, sponsorship, partnerships, grants for Arts and Cultural projects, etc.

We thank you in advance for your interest in our festival. May be you too, have a passion in short films, or share our vision. If so, we would be glad to count you among our financial or media partner, sponsor, grant donor or irreplaceable team member.

THE FESTIVAL (www.shnit.org)

Each year the festival serves an outstanding menu of short masterpieces. Only thrilling, entertaining and high-quality short films find their way into the Shnit program. The genre of the selected works is trivial and the only criteria: that a film is contemporary, cutting edge and stands-out in terms of quality!

There truly is something for everyone in our comprehensive and cutting-edge programmes. Selected from over 6000 entries from all corners of the globe, Shnit’s 300-odd film programme comprises of the following:

• A number of curated film programmes including animated Shnit, Shnit experiments, peeping Shnit, feel good Shnit, and more

• The Shnit-OPEN International competition is one where 63 films compete.

• Specialised local programmes in each host country. In Nigeria, this takes the form of the MADE IN West Africa programme, a showcase of the best out-of-competition offerings from NIGERIA as well as films by students or filmmakers that show great promise in years to come.

• Three international jury awards, an international audience award and individual awards for each host country are presented each year, for prize money totaling over $110,000 (#17,600,000)

In addition, Shnit would not be shnit without a world beyond the popcorn and the silver screen. The cinematic experience is a doorway into Shnit EXPANDED, a playground in front of, beside and behind the screen, incorporating music, art, collaboration, discussion and expression.

Daily Shnit-TV videos shared among the host cities and live-crossings between countries make it a global exchange of culture – not a collection of individual festivals but one festival in many cities. Shnit’s worldwide fan base is growing at an incredible rate. In Berne alone over 20,000 visitors attend each year. Each host city is growing yearly.

The SHNIT FOUNDATION who has rights to the award is based in Bern, Switzerland but Da Rocque Koncept is an entertainment company based here in Nigeria. “The SHNIT INTERNATIONAL SHORTFILMFESTIVAL will take place in Lagos, Nigeria from the 4th OCTOBER to the 7th of OCTOBER 2012 at two venues:

1. ROYALROOTS STUDIOS

6, OBASA CLOSE, BY FORTE OIL FILLING STATION

OFF OBA AKRAN, IKEJA

LAGOS.

2. THE FREEDOM PARK,

OLD PRISON GROUND BROAD STREET

LAGOS ISLAND

LAGOS.

THE VISION

 It‘s our aim to actively increase the perception of short film making around the globe. Therefore we passionately promote short film as an independent art form in the field of audiovisual media and cinema; Shnit regards itself as a unique international platform for filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and cinephiles. We embrace diversity, originality and exchange between creators and a growing audience across the globe and we are dedicated to grow in a sustainable manner: a transnational film festival simultaneously taking place in various cities.

WHY LAGOS?

It has been noticed and observed with great care and attention that the city of Lagos is famous and well known for its music and film industry. This sector is booming up and rolling up with full energy and excitement. Individuals and tourists out there might also have noticed that Lagos has given a new life to this industry.

Coming up with new and exciting styles like Hip-hop, Highlife, Juju, Fuji and Afro beat. All of the mentioned Nigerian styles grab the attention the individuals in a second. The entire movie industry has been located and situated in the city of Lagos. It is the 3rd largest Film Industry and we all call it by the name Nollywood! Lagos is the Entertainment hub of Nigeria, West Africa and the rest of Africa. It is therefore referred to as the Entertainment Headquarters of Africa.

The city of Lagos is now becoming a global city. Large numbers of attractions are there for the tourists as well as for the visitors. The historical places, restaurants, pubs and hotels, islands and other recreational sites are ready to make the individual stick to these ravishing places. It is gradually becoming a major tourist destination, being one of the largest cities in Africa and in the world Lagos is a film-hungry city, and already has a strong history of festivals and Movie Awards, such as the world-renown, African Movie Academy Award, African International Film Festival, Lagos Black Heritage Festival, Lagos International Film Festival and lots more. Each festival has a shorts contingent, but a dedicated short film festival is the one medium that the city hasn’t featured. Not until Shnit’s arrival, that is!

Around the world, short film festivals are one of the most common and best-attended festival forms. The short film as a medium is an excellent form of experimentation and exposure for filmmakers, and high-profile shorts have launched many feature-filmmakers’ careers, an example being Neill Blomkamp, whose District 9 was the result of his short Alive in Johannesburg.

Short films are currently an incredibly fast-growing medium around the world, and it’s great to be able to offer local and global audiences and filmmakers alike a taste of what the industry and film schools here are putting out, as well as offer the local industry a taste of what filmmakers from all around the world are creating in all fields of short film. At its least it is merely inspiring, but our festival is also a practical tool as a platform for local filmmakers to interact with a global network, prompting collaboration and conversation, continuing to raise the standards and profile of Nigerian film.

We see Shnit as a growing attraction that will eventually draw visitors from all around Africa and beyond, in the same way Durban International Film Festival and African Movie Academy Award do. It’s yet another way to draw filmmakers and the eyes of the media to Lagos, Nigeria, great for both the city and for all of the brands that operate within it. It also occurs pre-tourist season, continuing a run of activities that can only continue to up the city’s cultural profile, and its audience profile, proving that Lagos audiences are among the most film-literate, appreciative and diverse the world has to offer.

THE COMPETITON (www.shnit.org)

The section IN COMPETITION is the core of the festival. In addition to competition entries, thematic programs are shown giving insights into various thematic areas, film genres and techniques at the current pulse of short filmmaking. We divide our program between four sections showing a selection of the best short films produced internationally and locally: IN COMPETITION, A REAL TREAT, OUT OF CURIOSITY, and FOR SPECIAL INTEREST.

Shnit-OPEN is the spotlight of the festival because it’s a widely acclaimed international competition with cash prizes. More than 5000 short films from 109 different countries have been submitted to last year’s competition. Around 80 have finally flickered over the screens. This year’s selection process closed in JULY.

In order to reflect the diversity of short films, we have created several awards. The members of the international festival jury grant three awards. The audience grants one award. Depending on the playground Shnit comprises national competitions. Local productions participate in Shnit-OPEN and gain an additional platform within the national competition. The price money is normalized to each country’s GDP (gross domestic product) according to the CIA World Fact book.

PRIZE (www.shnit.org)

The following prizes will be awarded in the international competition Shnit-OPEN 2012: 

Jury Awards:

Category up to 5 Minutes* CHF 20,000 (~ € 16,000 ~ $ 22,000)

Category up to10 Minutes* CHF 20,000 (~ € 16,000 ~ $ 22,000)

Category up to 20 Minutes* CHF 20,000 (~ € 16,000 ~ $ 22,000)

Category up to 40 Minutes* CHF 20,000 (~ € 16,000 ~ $ 22,000)

AUDIENCE AWARD: all films of «Shnit OPEN 2012» CHF 20,000 (16,000 ~ $ 22,000)

*(Including credits), all cash prizes

FESTIVAL CONTACT (www.shnit.org)

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR	OMEWIRI-PIUS PETER C.	07085074696 08034135000	peterpiusomewiri@yahoo.com	26FE87D1
CO-DIRECTOR & FESTIVAL CO-ORDINATOR	TITILAYO O. AKINMOYO	08037880286	jivatmaree@yahoo.com	29368EE9
CO-DIRECTOR	BEN CHIADIKA	08023383655	ben@benchiadika.com	219F8575
MEDIA & PR CO-ORDINATOR	OLAMIJU ORETOLA	08033455688	angelwyzz@yahoo.com	30FBE43C
INTERNATIONAL JURY	VICTOR OKHAI	08023015604
NANTAP PRESIDENT	GREG ODUTAYO	08032263030	president@nantapng.org

We thank you in advance for your interest in our festival. We hope that you share our vision. If so, we would be glad to count on your support as a media partner. Please Endeavour to visit www.shnit.org