LA-based Very Short Movies(VSM) has launched with the aim of presenting a world class shorts festival inHollywood for films under 10 minutes called the Golden Star Shorts Fest.

In addition to providingshort filmmakers with festival exposure, VSM will help to secure appropriatedistribution opportunities for select entries

VSM launches with a seriesof quarterly competitions, and finalists will get an opportunity to participatein the annual festival, which kicks off in Hollywood in winter 2006. Entrieswill compete for the Golden Star Awards.

All submissions will bereviewed by a panel of industry professionals and compete for the Golden StarAwards, which will include cash and production service prizes.

Categories will includedrama, comedy, animation, documentary, experimental and music and there will beadditional honors for the grand jury prize, New Frontier Award and audienceawards.

Finalists from each of thequarterly competitions will be announced and promoted on the VSM website,www.VeryShortMovies.com.

Festival Consulting Grouphas been working with VSM on the development of the company and website andwill continue to work with VSM and support the festival going forward.

"With so many filmfestivals, we understand the value in finding a niche," founder and presidentSerge Polakoff said in a statement.

"Audience interest in shortfilms continues to grow, as will the distribution opportunities for thisspecialised content. VSM intends to satisfy both demands,"

Polakoff is a former realestate developer and has worked in various capacities in entertainment.

The deadline for the firstcycle is Sept 15, with a late deadline of September 30. For more details visit info@VeryShortMovies.com.