RT @Keldof NEWSWIRE :: NBCUNIVERSAL Introduces Eight New Filmmakers at its 8th annual NBCU SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

HOLLYWOOD (October 28, 2013) – NBCUniversal announced the winners among the finalists at its Eighth Annual NBCU Short Cuts Festival grand finale on October 23 at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Craig Robinson (top left with festival finalists) with presenters from Marlon Wayans to Dave Chappelle (bottom left).

Established in 2006, the NBCU Short Film Festival is a nationwide search for new talent both in front of & behind the camera. The bicoastal festival hosts a variety of acclaimed panels (middle left) as well as semi-finalist short film screening in NYC and red carpet finale in Hollywood, showcasing up & coming directors, actors, producers and writers to the top tastemakers, talent & executives in the industry.

The 2013 #NBCUshortcuts winners include: BEST SHORT – “Made in Chinatown” by Kevin Lau; BEST ACTOR– Tim Chiou for “Made in Chinatown” and Dayton Sinkia for “Goldtooth”; BEST WRITING– by Kevin Lau and Nyssa Chow for “Made in Chinatown”; AUDIENCE AWARD– “A Different Tree” from director Steven Caple Jr., and, BEST DIRECTOR(plus Winner of CHILLER Networks’ Chilling Visions Award) – Zao Wang for “Honeymoon Suite”. Other festival finalists include “Mi Corazon” by director Marielle Woods; “Commuters” by director Dave Rowe, “Goldtooth” by writer/director Lauren Brinkman, “Plan B” by writer/director John Lopez and “Pilot Season” by director Aristotle Athiras.

Award highlights include: A one-year NBC Talent holding deal for Best Actors, Chiou and Sinkia. A camera package valued at $60,000 under Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program; and a finalist slot in NBC’s Director Fellowship Program for Best Director, Wang. An Avid Editing Suite, and pitch meetings with NBCUniversal and Hulu for Best Short winner, Kevin Lau. As winner of the first Chilling Visions Award presented by Chiller, Wang will have the opportunity to produce and direct a short film to be included in the 2014 Chilling Visions anthology.

This year's Festival Semi-Finalists received Movie Magic Budgeting & Scheduling from Entertainment Partners, while all finalists received Pro Tools 11 Software from AVID; Movie Magic Screenwriter courtesy of Write Brothers, Inc; universal external charger from PowerRocks & a one-year subscription to Variety. In addition, all winners and finalists will be announced in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

This year also marks the launch of NBCU Short Cuts Channel on HULU, featuring past winners from the festival. For more information and pictures from this year’s festival, visit facebook.com/NBCUshortsfest.

This year’s corporate sponsors and partners included NBC, Panavision, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Bravo, Syfy, Chiller TV, Hulu, Telemundo, Esquire Network, USA Networks, mun2, Focus Features, Keldof Marketing, Universal Pictures, E!, Here Media, Write Brothers, Entertainment Partners, Converse & AVID.

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