George Town, Penang, Malaysia, 23 December 2020: In its efforts to celebrate the endless imagination and possibilities a short film can bring about, George Town Festival 2021 is currently seeking submissions for its upcoming short film festival entitled ‘G-Short.’ Themed ‘Reimagine: A New Way of Seeing’, with the tagline ‘Short Yet Powerful,’ the Festival aims to encourage the local and international film communities to create short-form and original films, unleashing their creativity and innovation to tell stories in new ways. It as well serves as an easily accessible platform for the up-and-coming filmmaking talents to get noticed and to refine their styles. Billed as GTF 2021’s ‘festival within a festival’, the ‘G-Short’ Short Film Festival also features director talks, film screenings, workshops and more.

Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE) YB Yeoh Soon Hin said, “I once read a quote that goes, “If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the lovers waiting to meet. If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the bus. If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident. And if you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal in the Olympics.”

“I find this quote extremely profound, one that demonstrates how time can either feel like an instant or an eternity. At the same time, it got me thinking about the things that can happen in slightly over a minute. In the age of smartphones, many film enthusiasts such as YouTubers, TikTokkers, and vloggers have found success in informing viewers and influencing change and people’s decision-making processes in a short amount of time. It shows that sometimes, less is more.

“Whether you are a filmmaker, film lover, or layperson, it’s time to flex your creative muscles and transform your big ideas into a short yet powerful 90-second short film! We look forward to receiving your entries by 11 April 2021.”

Open Call for Entries

Filmmakers must be above 18 years old to qualify. Each short film must not longer than 90 seconds, including the title and credits. Any subject matter, genre, style, or language is acceptable. For non-English language films, English subtitles would be required. Filmmakers can submit their entries online form available at bit.ly/3gMb2pL. No entry fee is required per entry.

Submissions will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges, and announcement of finalists will be made in May 2021. Winners will be announced during the award ceremony. A total amount of Ringgit Malaysia Twenty Thousand (RM 20,000) cash and prizes will be awarded to the winner(s). The number of winner(s) and the awarded sum to each winner shall be decided by the organiser at its sole and absolute discretion.

For more information, please visit georgetownfestival.com or follow George Town Festival on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.