Into its fifth season,Short Takes 5 is looking for short film talent; contest offers a chance to visit Germany

Mumbai, May, 2015: Pocket Films, a pioneer in alternate content in India, is back with its signature short film contest, ‘Short Takes’ Season 5. Organised in association with Indian Film Festival, Stuttgart, Germany, the contest is calling for entries from amateur as well as professional film makers.

Short Takes 5 is aimed at propagating awareness, appreciation and understanding of the short films genreandcreating a window of opportunity for film makers to express themselves on a global platform. Open for short films up to 15 minutes produced in India or by an Indian or having a reference to India, the festival not only encourages budding film-makers but also strengthens cultural exchanges between India and Germany.

The top three entrieswin a walk-in entry to compete for the prestigious ‘German Star of India Best Short’ at the Indian Film Festival in Stuttgart. The first prize winner also wins a trip to Germany, providing the film maker a chance to visit the festival and interact with audiences there. . The esteemed jury for the contest are: critically acclaimed writer and director, Shlok Sharma, along with Uma Da Cunha, noted festival co-ordinator, journalist and writer, and Anette Czagany, who is an award winning costume designer, actress and producer now based in Mumbai.

Shlok Sharma has directed short films like ‘Tubelightka Chand’ that won the German Star of India at the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart; and ‘The Joy of Giving’ for Anura Kashyap Films. Shlok’s debut feature film ‘Haramkhor’ starring NawazuddinSiddique and Irrfan Khan is slated for release soon.

According to SaameerMody, Managing Director, Pocket Films, “Short Takes has carved a special place for itself in the global short film arena. Marching into its 5th season, this Pocket Films’ initiative is committed to help short film makers cinematically express themselves before the world and create an identity of their own. Short Takes 5 will handpick promising film talent who will compete at the coveted Indian Film Festival, Stuttgart held at the heart of cinema savvy Germany.”

Championing the voice of the short film genre, Pocket Films has been consistently offering India’s budding film talent, the exposure, encouragement and appreciation they deserve. For novice film creators, this call for entries could be a take-off point fora rewarding film career ahead.

The call for entries for the contest is open until 25th May 2015.

To participate and for detailed terms and conditions, visit: www.pocketfilms.in

About Pocket Films: It is the leading distributor and the No. 1 partner channel for YouTube in India (www.youtube.com/pocketfilms) for short films, independent films, animation films and documentaries with 150,000+ subscribers, 110+ million views and generating over 150,000 views daily. Its library comprises of over 3,500 films aggregated from more than 1,500 film makers. Pocket Films also showcases its content on internet platforms,mobile, video-on-demand and also on television through a dedicated TV show titled ‘Prime Talkies with Pocket Films’ on NDTV Prime every Thursday at 9 pm.