THE TUCSONFILM.COM SHORTFEST
"Short Films. Big Ideas."
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Because of your support for our previous free monthly Micro-Cinema screenings at Hotel Congress, we are proud to announce the new TucsonFilm.com ShortFest, a full-day event with all-day screenings and film seminars. We are delighted to add a major new partner for the ShortFests — Tucson's premiere film venue, The Loft Cinema. The first ShortFest will be Saturday, April 15, 2006 at The Loft, in both the upstairs and main downstairs theaters. (The Loft Cinema is a nonprofit 502(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the home of the Tucson Film Society.)

The TucsonFilm.com ShortFest will differ from the previous monthly screenings in one major way: Significant prizes are now being accumulated for the festival's winning filmmakers.

"Tucson needs a truly independent showcase for the best local filmmakers," says festival creator and director Timothy Gassen. "I want to give other locals a professional venue and event where they and their films are treated with ultimate respect."

Continuing as a partner for the festival is the Tucson entertainment Web site AZNightBuzz.com — where free streaming videos of films featured in the screenings are already available. "We'll add a slew of new, original short films — and more — to AZNightBuzz in advance of the festival," Gassen notes. "It's another filmmaker feature that makes the TucsonFilm.com ShortFest unique. We want to keep the films and filmmakers first — that's why we've created this festival."
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ABOUT THE TUCSONFILM.COM MICRO-CINEMA

Created by filmmaker Timothy Gassen for Purple Cactus Media Productions, the TucsonFilm.com Micro-Cinema screens independent short film and video, with an emphasis on Arizona talent. Dramatic, documentary, artistic and experimental film and video are all welcome and encouraged.

(For a FAQ and Submission Form, go HERE. )

"The micro-cinema movement gives truly independent filmmakers the opportunity to be seen," Gassen says. "Our grassroots screenings hope to bring a wide variety of exciting, new ideas in film to Tucson that wouldn't be seen together anywhere else. Now we need local filmmakers to step forward and submit their films!"

"We're working to create a professional, friendly environment where all kinds of media makers come to share their films, ideas and also network to create more local films," Gassen continues. "We have filmmaker interviews and Q&A sessions, along with the screenings, and stay after as long as Tucsonans want to talk film."

CONTACT: Micro-Cinema director Timothy Gassen at tgassen@purple-cactus.tv
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Streaming Film Clips: www.aznightbuzz.com/tucsonfilm
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A snapshot of director Timothy Gassen introducing
the OctoberTucsonFilm.com Micro-Cinema program.
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Some of the filmmakers featured by the TucsonFilm.com Micro-Cinema have included:

Shipherd Reed, Tucson
Rob Tyler, Portland
Joel Vietch, UK
Elizabeth Anne, Orlando
David Aispuro, Tucson
Timothy Gassen, Tucson
Hugo Perez & Chuck Ross
Carl Russo, San Francisco
Josh Dragotta, Los Angeles
Peter John Ross, Columbus (OH)
Micha Wald, Belgium
Benjamin Lobato, Los Angeles
Jesse Nelson, Tucson
Marc Schmalzel, Tucson
Mike Rom, Tucson
James Lowe, Los Angeles
Gus Kyriakis, Tucson
Jaz Garewal, Tucson
Andy Bobrow, Los Angeles
Robert Ryang, NYC
Kim Braun, Tucson
Chris Clennon, Tucson
Henry Greenberg, Tucson