Manhattan Short Film Festival at Bridgeport's Bijou Theatre

You Be the Judge: Pick Your Winner for The 15^th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival at The Bijou Theatre

Bridgeport – Filmgoers in Bridgeport Connecticut will unite with audiences in over 300 cities spanning six continents to view and judge the work of the next generation of filmmakers.  Those in attendance will judge from the pre-selected list of 10 finalists from around the world. The winners of The MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival will be announced in New York at the Press Center on Sunday October 7th at 10:00 pm. The 10 films will be screened at The Bijou Theatre in Bridgeport, CT at 275 Fairfield Avenue (www.thebijoutheatre.com) on Sat October 6.  Doors and bar open at 7:00 PM. Films begin promptly at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for regular theater seats, $15 for cabaret style table seating. To reserve, contact info@thebijoutheatre.com or call 203-332-3228.

Upon entering the theatre, filmgoers will be handed a voting card. Each film is 18 minutes or under in length and chosen from 520 entries received from around the world. Viewers can then vote for the one film they feel should win. Votes are tallied at each participating cinema and submitted to festival headquarters where the winner will be announced in New York City as well as posted on the net at www.ManhattanShort.com on Sunday, October 7th at 10:00pm.

With past finalists achieving the ultimate in recognition by being nominated and even winning the Oscar in the short film category, the Manhattan Short has become known as a breeding ground for the next big thing.

In one week, over 100,000 people from as far north as St. Petersburg, Russia to as far south as Buenos Aires, Argentina, as far east as Kathmandu, Nepal and as far west as Perth, Australia, to over 150 cinemas in 47 US States will come together to view and vote on these 10 films. “While the goal of any festival is to discover and promote new talent, the real aim of this festival is bringing communities together via stories from around the world,” says Nicholas Mason, MANHATTAN SHORT founder and director.

“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that what started as a small, relatively simple event when I projected a handful of short films onto the side of a truck on a downtown Manhattan street 15 years ago, would grow into what it is today, with communities all over the world getting together to celebrate via ten short films... It's become like Earth Day - but with film,”  adds Mason.

For more information on the Festival and to read detailed interviews with the 10 Finalists visit http://www.ManhattanShort.com.