Star Wars Fan Films At Center Stage

We mentioned yesterday that George Lucas is handing out blessings, and it appears the divine Lucas is at it again. At May 27’s Star Wars Celebration IV the master of the Star Wars universe will throw his adoring fans a proverbial bone. Giving credit and attention to his loyal fan base, Lucas will select and personally screen his favorite fan film of the year. All other geeks will be forced to bow to the winner’s video prowess. And I’m sure there will be toy light sabers present.

Other categories include best animation, best comedy, and audience choice. Finalists (a likely contender for this year embedded above) will be exhibited on SpikeTV and the winner will be featured on StarWars.com.

The competition has everything from K.O.T.R. machinia, to potato head toycinema, to a “My Name Is Earl” spoof, to the nine-part space opera “Revelations,” to a reflexive film on the absurdity of Star Wars fan films. Woah.

Hosted at AtomFilms, the competition is not the first of its kind for Lucas to host, but this is the biggest one thus far, and it notably allows entrance of “fan fiction — serious/dramatic movies that expand on the Star Wars universe,” which has been conspicuously disallowed at earlier film fests. In fact, the event coordinators have gone so far as to offer an “official Star Wars production kit,” complete with rebel AND imperial blaster fire.

The awards presentation will be amid the festivities at SWCIV. The deadline for uploading has already passed, but audience voting opened Tuesday and will continue through to May 21. The official guidelines promise “awards and recognition of little to no cash value.” But really, who can put a price on being king of the geeks for a day?