Mr. Hammers served as Program Director for the highly successful inaugural event in 2007, and is also the Director of the Sunset Film Fest, a monthly short film festival held in Los Angeles, California. Mr Hammers’ Sunset Film Fest experience will come directly into play this year as the Mammoth Film Festival adds a new short film competition to the 2008 event, in addition to continuing the feature film tournament.

“Brian is a great asset to the Mammoth Film Festival, and his expertise will be invaluable as we expand this year’s event, and continue to grow into the future,” said MFF’s Andreas Wettstein.

The Mammoth Film Festival has begun the 2008 submission process for both feature and short films, with regular and late deadlines approaching on August 31, 2008, and September 30, 2008, respectively. Filmmakers may submit their work through either the official Festival website, or through Withoutabox (http://www.withoutabox.com/login/5613).

About The Mammoth Film Festival

The Mammoth Film Festival takes place annually, just before Thanksgiving, in Mammoth Lakes, California. It is comprised of a film competition, market and trade show. The Festival celebrates the business of film and its importance in today’s entertainment industry, as well as its impact in the global economy, and hopes to benefit not only the industry’s business side and artistic side, but also the community of Mammoth Lakes.

Mammoth’s geographic location, nearly equidistant from the major population centers of Los Angeles and San Diego to the south, Reno to the north, and San Francisco to the west, makes it a natural nucleus for winter and summer activities. Incorporated in 1984, the Town of Mammoth Lakes sits at an altitude of 7,900 feet, and is surrounded by mountains exceeding 12,000 feet. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, one of the top ski resorts in the United States, is located just outside of town.

Official website: http://www.mammothfilmfestival.com

Exciting:

“The addition of commercial air service to Mammoth represents a big step toward realizing our shared vision to become a destination resort community,” said Rusty Gregory, CEO of Mammoth Mountain. “Horizon’s daily flights will allow the world to experience what Southern Californians have known for decades; that Mammoth is for everyone who wants to play big in the mountains. World class skiing and snowboarding in the winter along with fishing, hiking and mountain biking in the summer plus great new food offerings provided by our partner, Patina Restaurant Group – it just doesn’t get any better than Mammoth.”

The new daily service runs from Dec. 18, 2008, through April 12, 2009. The one-hour-and-five-minute flight departs Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) daily at 2:20 p.m. and arrives at Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) at 3:25 p.m. The return flight leaves Mammoth at 4:05 p.m. and arrives at LAX at 5:10 p.m.

Affordable:

Horizon is offering a limited time introductory fare of $79 each way for travel from Los Angeles to Mammoth for selected days in January 2009. Regular fares from Los Angeles start as low as $99 each way.* Tickets for the new flights go on sale July 14 through horizonair.com or by calling Horizon Air Reservations at 800-547-9308.

Members of the Horizon Air/Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan frequent flier program can earn 500 miles on Horizon flights to Mammoth. Mileage Plan miles are redeemable for flights worldwide on Horizon, Alaska, and their numerous Mileage Plan partner airlines.

And environmental:

Horizon’s flight to Mammoth will be operated with the airline’s Bombardier Q400. This 74/76-seat, high-speed, twin-engine turboprop is one of the most technologically advanced regional aircraft in the world. It’s as quiet and comfortable as a jet – thanks to its special technology that suppresses noise and vibration, its generously sized overhead storage bins, its unobstructed under-seat space, and its ample headroom (6 feet 5 inches). The Q400 is also among the most environmentally friendly aircraft today, burning 30 percent less fuel and producing 30 percent lower emissions than comparable jets.

Read the complete press announcement here.

The early bird deadline for both feature and short film submissions is July 15th, which is exactly one week from today. Submit your work before then to take advantage of the specially reduced early submissions fees for all films!

Remember, you can submit through our entry form, or submit online through our partner, Withoutabox. (Withoutabox members may also be eligible for an additional discount.)

We’ve been working on a way to include short films at the 2008 Festival, and after some venue and schedule adjustments…we’re now ready to add a short film competition! We know how many great short films are out there, and are very happy to be able to include them this year.

In the Short Film category, we accept a broad range of work, including animation, music videos, documentaries, narrative shorts, and even television. The only restrictions are that the work can’t exceed 50 minutes, and as with feature films, can’t have a distribution deal in place. The short film competition winner will be awarded the Best Short Film prize.

We look foward to a great slate of short films, so submit yours now!

MAMMOTH LAKES, CA –- Organizers of the Mammoth Film Festival are excited to announce the inclusion of short films in the 2008 Festival. The 2008 Mammoth Film Festival will take place November 13 - 23, 2008.

The Short Film category will be competitive, and the winner will be awarded the Best Short Film prize. Short films will be accepted in any genre, including animation, music videos, documentaries, and traditional narrative shorts.  No specific limit has been set on the number of short films that will be accepted for 2008.

“Filmmakers produce some very interesting and high quality short films, in every genre, and we’re excited to finally be able to include them in the Festival,” said MFF’s Andreas Wettstein. “It’s an opportunity to give great films more exposure, and it adds even more depth and variety for the audience.”

The Mammoth Film Festival has begun the submission process for both feature and short films. Filmmakers may submit their work through either the official Festival website, or through Withoutabox (www.withoutabox.com).

In addition, feature films with prior distribution commitments or studio backing, which are not eligible for competition, may be eligible for exhibition as a special selection or film premiere.

For information about premiering a film at the festival, please contact:

For information about sponsorship, please contact:

About The Mammoth Film Festival

The Mammoth Film Festival™ takes place annually, just before Thanksgiving, in Mammoth Lakes, California. It is comprised of a film competition, market and trade show. The Festival celebrates the business of film and its importance in today’s entertainment industry, as well as its impact in the global economy, and hopes to benefit not only the industry’s business side and artistic side, but also the community of Mammoth Lakes.

Mammoth’s geographic location, nearly equidistant from the major population centers of Los Angeles and San Diego to the south, Reno to the north, and San Francisco to the west, makes it a natural nucleus for winter and summer activities. Incorporated in 1984, the Town of Mammoth Lakes sits at an altitude of 7,900 feet, and is surrounded by mountains exceeding 12,000 feet. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, one of the top ski resorts in the United States, is located just outside of town.

Official website: http://www.mammothfilmfestival.com

Withoutabox is a great company that streamlines the process for festivals and filmmakers. Also, Withoutabox members are eligible for a special $5 discount off of Mammoth Film Festival entry fees. And if you are really really late, they will offer an exclusive extended deadline — October 7, 2008.

So submit a film, and get ready for the madness of tournament-style elimination at the 2008 Mammoth Film Festival!

For those of you who haven’t seen the film, it features Olympic medalist Deena Kastor, who will be representing the United States in Beijing this summer. We wish her all the best!

What’s that you say? You just got a distribution deal? There will also be a number of film premieres at this year’s festival, so don’t hesitate to contact us (especially if your name rhymes with Berry Druckheimer).

So keep watching this space, filmmakers. We look forward to screening your submissions, and hopefully seeing you in Mammoth in November.

MAMMOTH LAKES, CA–Organizers of the Mammoth Film Festival would like to announce preliminary information regarding eligibility and entry deadlines for the 2008 Festival. The 2008 Mammoth Film Festival will take place November 13 - 23, 2008.

Eligibility for the Competition portion of the Festival is currently limited to independent feature films. Films which have been included in other film festivals in the 2008 calendar year, but meet all other requirements, are eligible. Filmmakers are also advised that while any style of film is eligible, it must be entered under one of four genres: Foreign, Documentary, Drama, or Comedy/Musical. Genre selection is at the filmmaker’s discretion, but must be made at the time of submission.

The Mammoth Film Festival will begin accepting early submissions on June 9, 2008. Deadlines for submissions, complete eligibility guidelines, and associated entry fees will be announced shortly.

Festival organizers are also considering additional opportunities to exhibit films, such as shorts, that do not meet the eligibility requirements for the Competition. Plans will be announced in the coming weeks. In addition, feature films with prior distribution commitments or studio backing, which are not eligible for the Competition, may be eligible for exhibition as a special selection or film premiere.

For information about premiering a film at the festival, please contact:

For information about sponsorship, please contact:

About The Mammoth Film Festival

The Mammoth Film Festival™ takes place annually, just before Thanksgiving, in Mammoth Lakes, California. It is comprised of a film competition, market and trade show. The Festival celebrates the business of film and its importance in today’s entertainment industry, as well as its impact in the global economy, and hopes to benefit not only the industry’s business side and artistic side, but also the community of Mammoth Lakes.

Mammoth’s geographic location, nearly equidistant from the major population centers of Los Angeles and San Diego to the south, Reno to the north, and San Francisco to the west, makes it a natural nucleus for winter and summer activities. Incorporated in 1984, the Town of Mammoth Lakes sits at an altitude of 7,900 feet, and is surrounded by mountains exceeding 12,000 feet. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, one of the top ski resorts in the United States, is located just outside of town.

Official website: http://www.mammothfilmfestival.com