Aspen Film announced today the competition finalists that will screen at Aspen Shortsfest 2010, which will be held April 6-11 at the historic Wheeler Opera House in Aspen and the Crystal Theatre in Carbondale. More than 2,500 submissions from almost 80 countries were considered, and 85 short films were ultimately selected for the six-day Oscar®-qualifying International Competition. With additional out-of-competition presentations, this 2010 edition will screen over 100 shorts from North and South America, Europe, Africa Asia, Africa and the Pacific.

Now in its 19th year, Aspen Shortsfest is recognized as one of the North America's premier showcases for short film, including documentary, animation, and live action. The centerpiece, the International Competition, offers a lively and thought-provoking slate of films 2 to 27 minutes in length. Along with filmmaker guests, a jury of esteemed film professionals will award cash and other prizes to finalists in several categories.

This year's International Competition reflects the incredible diversity and breadth of today's short films, as creators worldwide benefit from unprecedented access to new technology and equipment. "Across the U.S. and around the world, the 'digital revolution' in media-making is having an increasingly powerful impact," says George Eldred, Program Director for Aspen Film. "Not just more, but more interesting and more skillful shorts are being produced, and this year the variety and quality were high enough that we decided to add a night - and two programs - to showcase this bounty of new talent."

In addition to ten International Competition programs, Aspen Shortsfest 2010 will feature: Films for Families, a selection of children-friendly shorts for ages 11 and up; Micro Moviemaking with director Lewis Teague (Navy SEALS, The Jewel of the Nile, Alligator), who will discuss shooting to distribution using his new web series Charlotta-TS as a case study; and Tropfest's Best: 7 Minutes or Less, with highlights from Australia's hip and happening annual shorts festival.

THE SHORTSFEST 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION LINEUP - click here

Tickets will go on sale March 22 through http://www.aspenshowtickets.com/ and at the Wheeler Opera House box office.

The Official Program Guide is available at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103198463282&s=1551&e=001KbbNJvL2taEv3c6DFQWwrh_2wZBZrEehI3VIDv_KS3_0xh_HGwQTl2rn2YU52_rLkNOi7W5ba5ECwAn4H2LmzdCyaCnDyFJhdZfCbc9uuTZN978WbSwTtL027rovvHBa1zhjWFUkdq43K0XUaT8_Cg== beginning March 19. 

Tickets on sale March 22 at Aspen Show Tickets at the Wheeler Opera House, aspenshowtickets.com, and by calling 970.920.5770.

Aspen Shortsfest generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Colorado Council on the Arts, the City of Aspen, the Town of Basalt, The Aspen Times, Aspen Magazine, Viceroy Snowmass, 42 Below Vodka, the Sky Hotel, Hotel Jerome, Aspen Public Radio, American National Bank and the Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media.