The Bermuda International Film Festival has been selected as a qualifying festival for the Short Film Oscar by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

That means short films that win the Bermuda Shorts Award at BIFF 2005 and festivals thereafter will automatically qualify for Oscar consideration - provided they meet the Academy's other qualifying criteria. That normally includes a theatrical run in Los Angeles County, California.

“This is wonderful news for our festival,” said BIFF director Aideen Ratteray Pryse.

“It is a huge benefit for our winning short filmmaker, and I am certain it will result in an even greater number of entries being submitted to the festival. It is also a real endorsement of our short film programme, which has always been very strong.”

It was American filmmaker Neil Leifer who convinced Ms Pryse to contact the Academy. Mr. Leifer has screened short films at BIFF three times.

“Neil encouraged me to contact the Academy after BIFF 2004, feeling that our short film programme was particularly strong,” Ms Pryse said. “I did so, and the Academy asked for information about our short film programme going back a number of years.

“We are all delighted to hear good news from the Academy so quickly.”

Fewer than 50 festivals world-wide have been selected as qualifying festivals for the Short Film Oscar?, including Berlin, Bilbao, Cannes, Locarno, Melbourne, Montreal, Sydney, Toronto, and Venice - as well as the Sundance film festival.

BIFF, founded in 1997, will hold its 2005 festival from March 18-24.