http://mobilejamfest.com

(Toronto – Thursday December 14, 2006) – Mobile Jam Fest, (MJF - www.mobilejamfest.com), the world's first international mobile youth film festival is excited to announce their partnership with the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival (WSFF)  North America’s largest short film festival.

“We are incredibly excited to partner these two great festivals together.  WSFF not only provides MJF a strong alliance with an established film festival, but it provides emerging filmmakers a further opportunity to showcase their creative talents,” said Craig Goodwill, President of Culture Creatives and Company, and creator of MJF.”

MJF and WSFF look forward to promoting their shared values of creativity, technology, education and awareness through collaboration on their outreach and educational programs.

“The rise of online and mobile platforms has created an explosive growth in the short film industry, and a partnership such as this can only serve to foster the development of new talent that is deserving of a global reach,” noted Eileen Arandiga, Festival Director of WSFF.

“Mobile incorporates more than a capture mechanism, it is a way of life.  MJF is about the democratization of creativity and being mobile offers users the option to create watch that creativity whenever and however they want,” continued Craig Goodwill.

MJF finalists will be automatically considered for the WSFF competition. This opportunity potentially provides the filmmaker vital further exposure and a path straight to the Academy Awards! MJF and WSFF will also be partnering on educational initiatives to promote the craft of filmmaking to youth around the world.

Mobile Jam Fest (MJF) is the world's first international mobile film festival developed to celebrate the creative potential of today's youth.  Youth from around the world (aged 14-17 and 18-24) were challenged to produce, direct, act and interact in their own two minute films.  There is $10,000 in tuition to be won.  For the first time ever audiences will be able to create, view and vote online and over their mobile phone - all for free. MJF looks forward to year two and expanding their mission of providing youth the opportunity to create, innovate and demonstrate their abilities.  For more information, please visit
www.mobilejamfest.com.

Now in its 13th year, the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival is the premier venue for the exhibition and promotion of short film in North America. Taking place from June 12th to 17th, 2007 the WSFF will present over 250 films from more than 30 countries. Offering one of the largest prize packages for short film in the world, top WSFF winners are eligible for both Academy Award® and Genie Award® consideration. The WSFF Short Films, BIG IDEAS Symposium offers renowned professional development, while the WSFF Business Centre is home to the largest short film marketplace in North America. For more information, please visit
www.worldwideshortfilmfest.com One ticket. Lots of Films.

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Media Contacts: 
Sue Holland / 416 445-1446 x 304 / sholland@cfccreates.com
Vicki Ollers / 416 822-2288 / vicki@ccandco.com 

Finalists Announced!

All MJF category finalists are now live on the MJF site! Visit http://www.mobilejamfest.com to view and vote on the top three films in each category. Vote online or using your mobile phone. Voting closes December 21, at 11:59 pm. Winners of the grand prize tuition and the Xbox 360 consoles will be announced December 22, 2006.

Mobile Voting (Canadian Residents only)

All Bell, Rogers, and Telus subscribers can now view and vote on the MJF finalists over their mobile phone. (Standard charges apply)

Instructions:

With your video enabled mobile phone, visit your subscriber network store in order to download, view and vote for your favorite MJF films. Voting instructions are placed at the end of each film. The following path:

Entertainment > Movies > Mobile Jam Fest - Begin viewing and voting!

TORONTO- Monday December 4, 2006 - Window’s Live Mobile Jam Fest (MJF) the world's largest international youth film festival announces a special performance by hip-hop’s newest heavyweight Lupe Fiasco.

MJF will wrap up it’s very first year on Thursday December 21 at The Phoenix where audiences will have the final opportunity to view and vote with their mobile phone for their favorite films. Grand prize and category winners will be announced the following day. All filmmakers are vying for a chance to win the grand prize tuition (Sponsored by Windows Live) and XBOX 360 consoles.

To purchase tickets click on link below:

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/10003D7BFF5BCBF3?artistid=1036994&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=3

For more information visit on the final party visit: http://www.mobilejamfest.com.

mjfstillfinalframe.jpg (0.06 MB)

Voting has begun at Mobile Jam Fest!

Title sponsor: Windows Live

Visit http://www.mobilejamfest.com to begin voting!

Remember to use the "Tell a friend" option to invite your friends and family to register, view and vote for your film.

$10,000 in total tuition to be won.  Xbox 360 console's to all category winners.

Films can be uploaded until November 30, 2006.  You can enter one film per category.

Voting Schedule:

- November 7, 2006 - until November 30, 2006     View, vote, and upload all films.

- November 30, 2006 -              Top three films from each category will be available to be voted at http://mobilejamfest.com

- November 30, 2006 -               Top three films from each category will be available to be viewed and voted on with your                                                        mobile phone (Canadian Residents only) (Providers: Bell, Rogers, Telus)

- December 21, 2006 -                Voting closes and winners are announced!


Mobile Jam Fest Awards and Concert to announced soon!  Stay tuned!

Toronto, Ontario, October 24, 2006 --- Mobile Jam Fest (MJF), the world's first international mobile youth film festival, announces Xbox 360 has signed on as an “Awards” and “Category” sponsor of the festival. As Awards sponsor each winner of the 22 film festival categories will receive an Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. Xbox has also chosen to sponsor two film categories Drama and Music video.

Mobile Jam Fest sets new standards and fuses film, music, connectivity, interactivity, awareness and education. Youth from around the world are invited to produce two-minute films and upload them to www.mobilejamfest.com.

“Xbox is always at the forefront of youth entertainment' says Craig Goodwill, President of Culture Creatives and Company, festival creator. ’This international youth event will bring together all aspects of creativity and Xbox’s involvement is critical to the mix.”

Xbox quote “We are thrilled to be a part of Mobile Jam Fest and part of this creative movement. Passionate young filmmakers are pushing the boundaries of entertainment and we are happy to be a part of their culture.” Paul Patinios, Communication Manager, Xbox Canada

Since September 4, 2006 young filmmakers from around the world have uploaded their films to http://www.mobilejamfest.com. The deadline for submissions has been extended until November 30, 2006.

For more information about the festival and for details on how to enter go to www.mobilejamfest.com

Contact:

Vicki Ollers, Mobile Jam Fest at 416-822-2288 or vicki@ccandco.com

Havana – Cuban officials announced today that participation in this year’s Mobile Jam Festival has been banned among the island nation’s youth.

“If the revolution has taught us anything it is that American competitions are subversive to the stability of our great land and damaging to our young people,” said the Cuban ministry of communications in a statement released earlier today. “Besides, we don’t have enough cameras to go around anyway.”

The UN immediately condemned the decision on the grounds that it decreases freedom of expression in Cuba and discourages teens from pursuing a higher education.

“We have offered to supply cameras free of charge to anyone in Cuba who aspired to complete a film,” said the director of the UN’s committee for the Proliferation of Arts and Culture in the Developing World (UNPACDW). “It is unfortunate that the Cuban government sees this festival as a dangerous threat instead of the innovative opportunity that it is.”

Mobile Jam Fest, www.mobilejamfest.com, is an international youth film competition that allows young movie makers to shoot their own films and submit them there is $10,000 in tuition to be won.

Still, some teens in Cuba have decided to ignore the ban and complete their films. One group is currently filming a documentary on the effects of the embargo on life in Cuba using camcorders smuggled in to them by tourists.

“It’s ironic because we have no idea what our lives might be like if we weren’t deprived of North American goods because the embargo has prevented us from enjoying anything from America,” said the director. “I hope my use of the term irony is correct. There is very little humor in Cuba.”

While Cuba is the first country to formally ban the festival, Mobile Jam Fest organizers are afraid it may might not be the last. Luxembourg apparently has threatened to stop its youth from participating saying it’s unhappy with the tiny nation’s portrayal in the Western movies.

“We are not portrayed at all, and that is an outrage,” exclaimed the tiny nation’s Foreign Secretary. “We might be overshadowed by larger neighbors like France and Germany, but that is no reason to ignore us entirely. Until we see interest in productions like  ‘An American Werewolf in Luxembourg’ or ‘CSI: Luxembourg City’ we will continue the debate to discourage participation in this exclusionary festival.”

Mobile Jam Fest organizers could not be reached for comment, but the UN issued a statement saying that is wouldn’t care if Luxembourg decided to ban anything.

On October 21st, 2006, at Austin Field in Mathare, Nairobi, members of Mathare Youth Sports Association's Shootback group will be organizing a film festival in collaboration with Schools Without Borders (SWB). The participants involved in this festival will be youth groups from the various zones of the MYSA community. Each youth group will participate in an art workshop focused on film as a tool of expression. These workshops will be conducted by Shootback members and an SWB intern. After this workshop, participants will be given the opportunity to produce a 2 minute film. The possible themes for this film range from: drama, documentary, music video, experimental film, or comedy. This film will then be entered into the festival with the chance of winning a JVC video camera (courtesy of Mobile Jam Fest) for their youth group. All 2 minute films produced will automatically enter into the Mobile Jam Fest, the worlds first international youth festival. By entering into this festival, all participating youth have an opportunity to win the grand prize, there is $10,000 ion tuition to be won! For more information on this event and other initiatives going on around the world visit http://mobilejamfest.com.

For more information please contact:
Chris Kang
Schools Without Borders