As part of the competition, local MPs judge entries from their constituents and put recommendations forward to the leading lights of the industry. Prizes include work experience at Sky, mentoring from Lord David Puttnam, advice from screenwriters, a day on a film set, and a screening for the winning film.
Daniel Zeichner said: ‘Film the House presents a brilliant opportunity especially for our city’s younger filmmakers to showcase their work. Cambridge is internationally renowned for its creative community and I am sure we will see some of the best short films in the country emerging here as part of the competition.’
Lord Puttnam, who produced Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields, added: ‘The UK has always been a hotbed of cinematic talent, which is why it’s crucial to constantly remind legislators of the importance of protecting and supporting this rich cultural economy. Film the House is an imaginative Parliamentary competition which manages to be fun whilst giving young creatives an opportunity to engage with their MPs, win fantastic prizes and all the while promote the importance of intellectual property rights. Those rights are the seed corn of your future – that being the case, I can only urge every would-be film-maker to give it a go!’
Dates for the competition are:
- 31 July: closing date for entries to MPs’ offices
- 30 August: closing date for MPs to announce their constituency nominations and submit their shortlists to the final judging panel
- 24 October: awarding ceremony with a screening at the House of Commons
There are two categories: Best Film and Best Script.
More information about the competition can be found here: www.filmthehouse.co.uk
Potential applicants should contact Daniel Zeichner’s office for more information about the competition: Daniel Zeichner (07767 253060) or Dan Julian in his office (07919 458407).
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