Comedy fest seeks films

The Montreal Comedy Festival has opened applications for its short film event Eat My Shorts!

The festival has proved an important launching pad for talent. Previous entrants have included Matt Stone and Trey Parker, whose debut animation The Spirit of Christmas was to become the basis for South Park, and the film True, which was developed into the Budweiser Whassup? adverts.

And last year's event, entitled Eat My Shorts!, featured For The Birds, which is currently being screened in cinemas alongside Monsters, Inc.

A spokesman said: "Eat My Shorts! features the best of the best of funny films, from satire to slapstick, animation to live action, silent comedies to subtitled films."

The event, which runs from July 11 to 21, is divided into two programmes: Eat My Shorts! and the edgier Eat My Twisted Shorts!, as well as a French-language component.

Film-makers wanting their work considered to for entry into the festival, should send DVDs or VHS tapes in either the British PAL format or America's NTSC, to the organisers by April 30.

Tapes should be labelled with the running time, ideally under ten minutes) and contact information, but will not be returned. The festival does not charge any registration fees, and there is no application form to fill out.

Submit films to Jean Guerin, Just For Laughs, 2101 St. Laurent, Montreal, QC, Canada, H2X 2T5

Published: 14 Feb 2002