Roger Corman Launches Short Film Fest Competition During Quarantine

The prolific film producer and director hopes to judge two-minute projects made at home.

Roger Corman, the prolific film director and producer credited with discovering talent like Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola and Peter Bogdanovich, on Wednesday launched a self-named Quarantine Film Festival to judge short films made while would-be Hollywood directors shelter in their homes.

Corman on his Instagram page billed the film competition as "the first (and hopefully last) Corman Quarantine Film Festival." The rules call for filmmakers to make a short film inside their home or backyard with what they have at hand as they isolate from the coronavirus pandemic.

The short video must be under two minutes in length and the cast can be drawn among family "or whoever is in your house with you." Would-be directors are asked to use their cellphone camera and lighting available around the house.

The "Godfather of Independent Film" will accept video submissions through social media for the next two weeks, using the hashtag #CormanChallenge. "The story can be anything you imagine," Corman says, with the winning film to be featured on his social media channels and his website.

"We will make a trailer for the film and its director will receive a signed certificate from me as well as a best picture award for the first and last Corman Quarantine Film Festival," the B-movie legend adds. Corman also threw down a challenge to self-isolating Hollywood filmmakers to take part in his quarantine-themed fest, including horror directors Eli Roth, Andy Muschietti, Leigh Whannell and Guillermo del Toro.

Besides producing and directing over 400 films, Corman founded New World Pictures in the 1970s, which grew to become the largest independent motion picture distribution company in the country. His film credits include The Pit and the Pendulum, The Wild Angels, Little Shop of Horrors, Death Race 2000 and Rock 'n' Roll High School.

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