It's a Gay Gay Gay Gay Movie

Apart from their annual two-week-long fall spectacle, The Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival (aGLIFF) also sponsors various projects and programs throughout the year, all aimed towards fostering the talents of our city's budding young filmmakers of the GLBT persuasion.

This year, they've teamed up with Public Access Community Television (PACT) to create the My Gay Movie 2007 Challenge: novice filmmakers are encouraged to create 10-minute shorts with a "queer sensibility"; the best submissions will be sent off to various film festivals around the world.

Moreover, if you've a fabulous (or gut-wrenching) story to tell but can't quite work a camera, they're offering a slew of cheap workshops on basic filmmaking techniques and providing access to fancy cameras, computers and editing software.

The details:

Entries must be on mini-DV or DVD; be no longer than 10 min; and have lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender subject matter. We are seeking short films from first-time, amateur and budding filmmakers. All types of media are welcome, including live action and animation. A preliminary judging committee will make selections from all works accepted. Awards will be doled out, including a grand prize for “Best My Gay Movie 2007!”

[My Gay Movie 2007 Submission Form]

All entries need to be turned in by December 22nd. An exhibition of the films will be held at Regal Arbor Cinemas in late January.