Acclaimed director Terry Zwigoff (“Crumb,” Ghost World) is looking for tomorrow’s director of pro-animal films like “Babe,” Chicken Run, and “Free Willy,” and he’s turned his quest into a competition. Entries will be judged on their production values, narrative or screenplay, but most of all on how the film or video illustrates PETA’s credo that “animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment.”
PETA will fly the Grand Prize winner to San Francisco for a one-on-one meeting and dinner with Zwigoff. In addition, the winning entry will be featured on PETATV.com, PETA’s streaming media Web site, and will allow filmmakers wide distribution and exposure to a diverse audience.
“I jumped at the chance to support a project that combines my two passions-filmmaking and advocating for animals,” says Zwigoff, whose current movie Ghost World, starring Thora Birch and Steve Buscemi, is playing to rave reviews. “The powerful images projected in film influence us in ways no other medium can. This is a wonderful opportunity for young directors to hone their skills and, at the same time, raise public awareness of animal suffering.”
PETA has already begun panning for prospects by posting contest announcements on film and video Web sites and at dozens of film studies programs at colleges and universities across the country.
Specifically, Zwigoff is looking for films and videos on veganism, vivisection, skin trades, hunting/fishing, circuses, rodeos-anything centered on animal rights.
For more info, visit PETATV.com.
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