FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
 
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL FILM COMPETITION ANNOUNCES 4TH ANNUAL CALL FOR ENTRIES
 
Austin, TX. The Austin Film Festival is now accepting entries in its 4th Annual
Film Competition. The Competition accepts entries in three categories:
 
         - Feature Film
         - Short Film
         - Student Short Film
 
Awards include: cash prizes, round-trip airfare to Austin, hotel accomodations,
VlP passes to the Austin Film Festival, and the Austin Film Festival Bronze
Award.
 
To be eligible for the '97 competition, entries must be postmarked by August 15,
1997. The winners will be announced on October 3, at the Austin Film
Festival Awards Luncheon. The entry fee is $35.
 
Competition films will be judged by industry professionals. Past judges have
included representatives from Bravo, HBO, ICM, Tri-Mark, The Independent Feature
Channel, and Columbia Pictures.
 
The '97 Austin Film Festival has been extended to a full week. "This will allow
us to cater to the insatiable demand of the Austin audience for
significant, exciting, and leading edge cinema," says Jason A. White, the
Festival's Film Programmer.
 
During the 1996 Festival, more than 40 films were showcased. Most notable
were regional premieres of Sling Blade and Albino Alligator. Select
screenings were preceded by special guests including filmmakers Wes Craven,
Robert Townsend, David O. Russell, Bryan Singer and Academy Award-winning
screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie.
 
More information by be obtained by calling 1-800-310-FEST or sending a SASE to:
      The Austin Film Festival
      1600 Nueces
      Austin, TX 78701.
 
Entry forms are available on our website @ http://www.lnstar.com/austinfilm
 
PRESS CONTACT
MARSHA MILAM
512.478.4795
 
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Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite 
http://www.sa.ua.edu/screensite