Date:
3/31/2008
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 575.562.2253
PORTALES—New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has been added as a judge for Eastern New Mexico University's High Plains Film Festival. As a result, the postmark deadline for submitting entries has been extended to April 9.
The screening of winning entries is set for May 4 in the University Theatre Center.
Filmmakers are competing in animated, dramatic and documentary/experimental works that are no longer than 10 minutes. The contest includes a pre-college division for students through 12th grade and a college-plus division for all others. A total of six $500 prizes will be awarded in the respective categories.
Gov. Richardson joins a judging panel of award-winning actors, directors and screenwriters.
Judges include actress Joan Leslie, who appeared with Humphrey Bogart in "High Sierra," with James Cagney in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and with Gary Cooper in "Sergeant York."
Another panelist is screenwriter Diana Ossana, who collaborated with Larry McMurtry on "Brokeback Mountain," which won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay in 2005.
Appearing in person at the screening will be judge Jack Sholder, an Emmy and Grand Prix award-winning editor and director who leads the Motion Picture and Television Program at Western Carolina University.
Entry fees are $20 in the pre-college division and $30 for the college-plus division. Submit four DVD copies of each entry, playable on a standard DVD player, to High Plains Film Festival, College of Fine Arts, ENMU Station 16, Music Building, Room 113, 1500 S. Avenue K, Portales, NM, 88130.
The film festival celebrates ENMU's Digital Cinema Arts program, established in 2006, and New Mexico's growing film industry, said Michael Sitton, dean of ENMU's College of Fine Arts.
For more information, check the festival Web site at www.enmu.edu/filmfest or call 575.562.2373.