The 2004 PalmSprings International Festival of Short Films & Short Film Market, thelargest short film festival and market in North America, ended on Monday,September 6, 2004. More than 2,600 industry representatives, filmmakers andmedia from around the world participated in this year's Festival, including arecord-setting 2,000 film submissions and attendance by those in the businessof buying and selling short films and scouting for new filmmaking talent. Theseven-day event held from August 31-September 6, 2004 screened more than 300short films from the festival's record-setting 2,000 submissions.

"The Festivalencourages young filmmakers to make their films by providing screenings infront of large audiences and an industry marketplace for purchasing films andscripts and advice for advancing future careers," said Festival Chairman, EarlGreenburg. "There was a record-setting showing from the short film industry,both filmmakers and buyers out in full force. We have truly accomplished ourgoal of providing a forum for new filmmakers."

A total of 18festival awards in 10 categories and three audience favourites were announcedSunday evening at an Awards Presentation held at the Camelot Theatre in PalmSprings, CA. A total of $14,000 in prizes and an additional $6,000 in Kodakfilm stock, $2,500 in studio time from Casablanca Studios and an additional$4,000 in filmmaking software programs including Final Draft scriptwritingsoftware, Entertainment Partners Budgeting and scheduling software, the HollywoodCreative Directory's Guide and the internet movie guide provided by IFILM willbe awarded during the Festival. Award winners receiving a first place prize areautomatically eligible to submit their films to the Academy of Motion PictureArts and Sciences for Academy Award consideration. The 2004 Palm SpringsInternational Festival of Short Films award winners are:

BEST OF FESTIVALAWARD- $2,000
Wasp, Andrea Arnold - United Kingdom

FUTURE FILMMAKERAWARD - $2,000
Lancelot V. Naso, The Surprise -Germany

AUDIENCE AWARDS

AUDIENCE FAVORITEDOCUMENTARY SHORT
Flowers From the Heartland, PeterDalton - USA (First Place)
The Triumvirate, Jean Strauss - USA(Runner-up)

AUDIENCE FAVORITELIVE ACTION SHORT
Chicken Party, Tate Taylor - USA(First Place)
Cut and Run, David Harb - USA(Runner-up)

AUDIENCE FAVOURITEANIMATION SHORT
Creature Comforts: Cats or Dogs,Richard Goleszowski - United Kingdom (First Place)
Catching Kringle, Jeff Wadlow - USA(Runner-up)

KODAK AWARD FORBEST STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY
First Place (An invitation to attend the 2005 Cannes International FilmFestival to showcase a clip of their film, presented by the Kodak StudentFilmmaker Program, and $1,000 in Kodak film stock.)
Silvio Helbig (cinematographer and director), Transport - Germany

Second Place ($500in Kodak film stock)
Christian Haake (cinematographer), GrayZone - Austria

SECTION AWARDS

All first placewinners in these categories received a cash award of $2,000 and will beeligible to submit their films to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts &Sciences for Oscar consideration. Second Place recipients received a $500 cashprize.

BEST Live ActionUNDER 15 minutes
First Place ($2,000) - Goodbye, CruelWorld, Vito Rocco - United Kingdom
Second Place ($500) - Strangers, GuyNattiv & Erez Tadmor - Israel

BEST Live Actionover 15 minutes:
First Place ($2,000) True Love (OnceRemoved), Kevin Thomas - United Kingdom/Iceland
Second Place ($500) Don't Call Me BabyAnymore, Olga Gambis - France

BEST Animation:
First Place ($2,000) - Ryan, ChrisLandreth - Canada
Second Place ($500) - RockFish, TimMiller - USA

BEST Documentary:
First Place ($2,000) - Life to Live,Maciej Adamek - Poland
Second Place ($500) - Parents of the Year,James Scurlock - USA/Mexico

STUDENT CATEGORIES

All first placewinners in these categories will receive $1,000 in Kodak film stock and will beeligible to submit their films to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts &Sciences for Oscar consideration. Second Place recipients receive $500 in Kodakfilm stock. All student filmmakers in competition are eligible for theseawards.

BEST STUDENT LiveAction UNDER 15 minutes:
First Place - Marco Solo, AdrianBosich - Australia
Second Place - In the Bathroom,Olivier Venturini - United Kingdom

BEST STUDENT LiveAction over 15 minutes:
First Place - Gray Zone, KarlBretchneider - Austria
Second Place - Still: Life - Seibutsu,Joe Turner Lin - USA
BEST STUDENT Animation:
First Place - Annie and Boo, JohannesWeiland - Germany
Second Place -Flatlife, JonasGeimaert - Belgium