The filmmaker will collect the ShortFest Spirit Of Short Film Award as part of a directing masterclass on Jun 23.

Cinematographer Robert Elswit will conduct a masterclass on the same day.

The festival has received a $20,000 grant from the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences and will apply it to the 2012 ShortFest Forums. 

The festival will run from Jun 19-25 when highlights are expected to include panels with programmers, producers, agents and press.

“We are astonished at the level and number of industry attending ShortFest Forums this year throughout our Industry Weekend,” ShortFest film curator and director of industry programming Kathleen McInnis said.

“This just reinforces what we already suspected – that the film industry is excited to have ShortFest as a scouting arena for new talent as well as being committed to giving back to the new generation of filmmakers that they meet here.”