WHISTLER, BC, February 18, 2008 –

There's nothing like a deadline to concentrate the creative output.

And nothing makes that effort more worthwhile than an audience.

Providing the audience is what motivated Paul Armstrong to found the Celluloid Social Club in 1997 - to give the indie scene that began to proliferate during Vancouver's industry boom an outlet to show their short films.

Celluloid Social Club screenings now generate monthly audiences of between 100 and 300 people, drawn by the opportunity to see a collection of the latest output from everyone from top student filmmakers to leading directors like Bruce McDonald, Malcolm Ingram and Bruce Sweeney.

The March 12 screenings are likely to leave the audience feeling more adrenalised than usual, with finalists from Whistler's 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, and the 5 Minute Documentary Contest being shown.

The 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, an integral part of the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival's line-up, takes place every April in Whistler, challenging artists to shoot, edit and produce a 3-5 minute digital film set within a 100km radius of Whistler in the space of 72 hours.

Says Lilli Clark, the Event Producer, "The 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown provides film-makers with a focus that has resulted in some incredible films over the years. Whistler from April 11 will be thrumming with more than 70 creative teams racing to beat the clock, and the sense of exhilaration once they've accomplished that at the Gala Screening is palpable."

The winner of the 2007 Best in Show award will pick up $15,000 in prizes including a $2000 cash purse.

Armstrong, a film, television and theatre producer, agrees that filmmaking contests can provide the focus on the finish line that some filmmakers need. "I've been involved in some films where the people finish shooting but it takes a long time to finish with the tinkering. So a deadline is good in that sense. Contests like the 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown also give filmmakers the chance to practice the craft of filmmaking in a disciplined way, to keep up their skills and their familiarity with the technology which is always changing, and to build creative networks."

Armstrong reviewed submissions at the 2007 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, helping select the finalists. "I was very impressed with the quality of films I saw," he said. "It's amazing how many people there are making films. We have an enormous indie filmmaking community in this region."

Events like the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival and Celluloid Social Club aim to connect that filmmaking community with an audience. On April 15, over 2000 people will watch the 2008 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown Finalists. The Gala Screening will be followed for the first time by the Filmmakers Second Cuts screening, on April 16, which will present all the films submitted in the contest.

The March 12 Celluloid Social Club Screening, featuring a selection of the 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown finalists will take place at 8:00pm at the ANZA Club in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Audience members are seated cabaret style and are able to drink during the show, enhancing the social informal nature of the event. Each film is followed by a short interview with the filmmaker by the host followed by an audience Q&A. Entry is just $5.

Registration for the 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown opened in February. More details are available at
whistler.mtv.ca/arts_filmmaker.php