The Columbus International Film+Video Festival is coming soon!!  Here is some info on an early bird screening.

From the CIF+VF website...

Not Yet Rain, a short film by Lisa Russell, is a powerful film charting the course of reproductive freedom in Ethiopia, told through the voices of women who have faced the challenge of finding safe health care. Through their stories, we see the important role that safe health care plays in the overall well-being of women and their families.
FREE Admission!

This screening is co-sponsored by Population Connection and the Central Ohio Sierra Club.  Join us after the film for a reception with the director, Lisa Russell!

I attended the Manhattan Short Film Festival last night at the Grandview Theatre.   The films that were showcased were amazing.  I had only attended one other short film festival in Columbus and this festival definitely exceeded my expectations.  How this film festival works is short filmmakers from all over the world submit their film entries to be judged.  Each film is no longer than 18 minutes.  It doesn’t state on the website how these initial film entries are judged but I would assume by some panel put together by the Manhattan Short Film Festival organization.  Following this, 10 finalists are chosen.  Now it’s the public’s turn to place their votes. 

This year’s 2009 festival originally had 428 film entries from over 35 different countries.  Here are the 10 finalists that were chosen.