Bottled water group Perrier is teaming up with Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures and RES to launch "Perrier Across America", a new initiative for 2002 which will select five film-makers from thousands of submissions and then supply them with vehicles, digital cameras, professional producers and other resources to drive across the country and shoot a short film.

Although Palm and Perrier will produce five films, online audiences will choose one finalist to feature his or her short in the national RESFEST film festival tour and on two select Palm Pictures DVD titles. Perrier will also become a sponsor of RESFEST.

The scheme is the second in Perrier's Bubbling Under film initiative which began last year with a Bubbling Under Award whereby Perrier partnered with five film festivals to choose a first-time director from each as a finalist. One of the finalists - Eva Gardos of American Rhapsody - then won the grand prize, which consisted of a $50,000 grant towards her next production.