Gotta Minute Film Festival

The Cause

Edmonton’s new Gotta Minute Film Festival is a two week festival of one-minute silent short films that will screen on a number of “platforms” readily accessible to the Edmonton public: on Pattison Onestop screens situated on platforms throughout the Edmonton LRT system; throughout the day in the Gotta Minute Screening Rooms in the Edmonton Public Milner Library downtown, with the full program screening in the Makerspace and a select Kids’ Reel of 10 Shorts screening in the Children’s Library across the hall; on FAVA’s big blow-up screen the night of Nuit Blanche; and continuously online on our mobile friendly website (http://gottaminutefilmfestival.com/).

After a hugely successful inaugural year, Gotta Minute will be returning to Edmonton this September 14-27 with a program of 54 shorts in every genre.  To encourage and support filmmakers in our community 50% of our program will be “locally made” and to bring the World to Edmonton 50% of our program will come from “beyond our borders”.   All filmmakers receive screening fees for their works and are eligible for cash awards & prizes that support their work as filmmakers.

The 2015 festival program will include a Launch Party in the Churchill LRT Station Pedway; an Awards Celebration of the “Best of the Fest” at the Milner Library Theatre; and a big-screen presentation of the full program at Edmonton’s new Nuit Blanche event (Sept 26-27).  In its 100th year serving our community, we would be delighted to name Field Law as the Sponsor of these Special Events and of the top prize given at our Awards Celebration.

Gotta Minute is a celebration of Public Art on Public Transit in Public Space.  A gem of a fest for one and all, big and small, proudly brought to Edmonton by The Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta and Pattison Onestop.

Who Will it Benefit?

Gotta Minute is a new addition to the cultural landscape of Edmonton, bringing Media Art “to” its audience, rather than the other way around, an audience made up of people from every walk of life and all ages.

Everyday of the festival, 71,000 commuters have the opportunity to view one-minute silent short films within Edmonton’s LRT system as they go about their day.  The public can also access the program at leisure at the Milner Library downtown or on our mobile friendly website.  This year we also look forward to lighting up the night with our full program at Edmonton’s new Nuit Blanche.  And, as Public Art in Public Space, Gotta Minute is FREE!

We are happy to showcase the work of both emerging and award winning filmmakers.  This year we will screen the work of 54 filmmakers.  50% of the program will be dedicated to local filmmakers, including young filmmakers.  To encourage the involvement of Youth, we have made special effort to get our Call for Submissions out to local high schools and we offer an award for the Best Local Youth Short.

With the other 50% of the program dedicated to works from “beyond our borders”, we are happy to bring the World to Edmonton, one minute at a time!  In just one year we have piqued the interest of artists from Europe, South America and far off Australia.

We value the work of filmmakers and provide them with fair screening fees for their films.  Additionally, we provide cash awards and prizes intended to further the creative work of our filmmakers.

Gotta Minute’s multi-genre program serves to enrich the time commuters spend in transit, promote general appreciation for Media Art in public space, and raise the profile of local Media Artists in the eyes of the community.