For one more week, the worldwide online community has the chance to cast their votes to decide upon the winners of the Bitfilm Festival. The online voting runs until July 1, 2008 at www.bitfilm.com/festival. 91 films compete in six categories for the Bitfilm Awards. On July 9 the winners will be disclosed at the Bitfilm Award Show held at Planetarium Hamburg. The prize money, donated by the Hamburg Cultural Authority, totals 10,000 Euros.
Every award winner also receives a Bitfilm robot statue. The Award Show is open to the public with the purchase of a 35 Euro ticket. The event includes screenings of the most popular films of the competitions, live music and a buffet.
Tickets may be reserved at www.planetarium-hamburg.de. Online voters are entered in a raffle, where they may win one of several prizes: a virtual apartment in the new 3-D world TWINITY, three Bitropolis jackets and three CD compilations SHABBAT NIGHT FEVER with hip-hop and funk from Israel.
On July 10 and 11 all nominated films from the competition's five categories 3-D Space (computer generated 3-D animations), FX Mix (digitally mixed films), Flash (Internet animations), Machinima (films shot inside computer games) and Realtime (films rendered on the spot) will be shown on the big 360-degree dome of Planetarium Hamburg.
The films from the festival's sixth category, Mobile (clips for mobile devices), can be downloaded for free to any mobile phone. Bitfilm's partner Futurlink from Barcelona will set up Bluetooth stations and facilitate the downloads to attendees' phones in the lobby of the Planetarium. Mobile films can also be downloaded for free at the Bitfilm website after installing the software WiMob.
The special 360-degree program is dedicated to films specifically produced for the full dome. It includes the award winners of the International DomeFest in Albuquerque (USA), and the German production ALIEN ACTION, about a robot attack from outer space. The complete program is outlined at www.bitfilm.com/festival. Tickets may be reserved at www.planetarium-hamburg.de. The price is 5 Euros per screening (4 Euros concessions) or 20 Euros for a six-pack ticket (16 Euros concessions).
Skoda will provide a free shuttle service between the Borgweg underground station and the Planetarium, which is located in the central park of Hamburg.
