Pittsburgh’s Row House Cinema seeks ‘weird, off-kilter’ films for festival
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With many movie theaters still closed and few new releases right now, Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville is calling for entries for Rowhouse Online’s Sweded Film Festival for Creative Re-Creations, a feature-length compilation of homemade films.
“ ‘Sweded’ films have nothing to do with Sweden and everything to do with Michel Gondry’s 2008 film ‘Be Kind, Rewind,’ in which video store employees (played by Jack Black and Mos Def) ruin an entire store’s worth of videos and cover their mistake by making hilarious and bizarre short remakes of the actual films,” according to a release.
Filmmakers are invited to make 3- to 5-minute takes on well-known films, with content that is PG-13 in nature, for the compilation.
“Whether they act like Lawrence of Arabia in a sandbox, spit up some split-pea soup from their own bedrooms, or make Peter Pan fly using kitchen utensils, first-time filmmakers and pros alike can make a ‘Sweded’ film and have moviegoers nationwide marvel at their ingenuity and pure, raw humor,” according to a release.
A local Pittsburgh tradition since 2017, the festival will premiere Nov. 30 in virtual cinemas and, where possible, select cinemas nationwide.
Registration for films is open through Nov. 10, with entries being accepted through through Nov. 15. To enter, filmmakers need to buy a $10 “entry ticket” online and upload their work. A link is available at rowhouse.online.
The cost of the entry ticket includes a viewing of the festival when it debuts online.
A full set of entry rules and film-making guidelines can be found on the Rowhouse website.
“Movie lovers have spent all spring and summer watching and rewatching their favorite movies and yearning for a creative outlet, so 2020 is the perfect year to bring Sweded films to a national audience,” said Row House owner Brian Mendelssohn. “We’re all feeling off-kilter and weird these days, and that’s what Sweded films are all about.”
All submissions will be reviewed for selection by a panel of judges. If multiple entries reference the same film, only one will be chosen. Cash prizes will be awarded in multiple categories.
The festival will be available online, through virtual cinema and, depending on local availability, may play in select independent cinemas.
As a virtual cinema offering, about half the revenue of each ticket sold will go directly to participating theaters, according to the release. A full list of locations will be available at rowhouse.online.