For the first time we are holding a contest in which local filmmakers from the Berkshires or the surrounding area conceptualize, produce, shoot, and edit a film within 20 days. The filmmakers register with Berkshire Shorts ahead of time and receive a series of criteria to include in their film. For example: the film must include a rubber duck and someone speaking the line, “This is not over until I say it’s over!” This is just an example of course… Then they are given 20 days to complete their film. After the deadline, a panel of judges will watch the films and decide on a winner. The contest entries will be shown at Berkshire Shorts Film Festival on May 2nd and audience members can vote on their favorite film.
Two awards will be given at the show: The Judges Award and the People’s Choice Award.
The 5th Berkshire Shorts Film Festival would be a night of local and independent films made by up-and-coming filmmakers and animators held at the Spectrum Playhouse in Lee, MA. The festival is free to attend, free to submit, and open to the public. We will be accepting submissions up until April 20th of all kinds: narrative, documentary, experimental, student, music video, etc. See Submission Guidelines for details.
Our goal: To give local and indie filmmakers a place to show their films to an audience of peers and friends. We put a lot of work into our films, and sometimes it’s hard to even get it screened at a real venue. We can spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars on film festival submission fees with no such luck. The Berkshire Short Film Festival is a place to showcase work, and make it as easy as possible to get films out there into the universe, as well as create an event that is fun and interesting for the Berkshire Community as a whole.
See Submissions page for details…