MINI UK Press Release: MINI UK is to showcase the best in future movie-making talent by screening a series of original short films in British cinemas. The four-month campaign featuring films supplied by the global short film label, Future Shorts, begins in art house cinemas on 07 March 2008, and will spread to every major cinema chain across the UK later in April.*

Screenings of the short films will take place prior to key feature length movies and more than 17.5 million people are expected to see one of the short film productions.

MINI worked with short film label specialist Future Shorts in the search for film-making talent. From a long list of up-and-coming directors and producers, three stood out and their work will be shown between March and June of 2008. ‘Procrastination’ by Levni Yilmaz, ‘Park Football’ by Grant Orchard and ‘Neighbour’ by Eric Lynne will all receive big screen debuts.**

Ysabel Vazquez, National Communications Manager for MINI, said: “The launch campaign for the MINI Clubman was all about celebrating originality and as such we are delighted to be able to give a big screen platform to fresh, creative short film talent.”

Future Shorts Director, Fabien Riggall said: “MINI has continuously broken new ground with its commitment to innovation and Future Shorts is delighted to be working with them on this project.”

Look for the short film project in all Picturehouse, Curzon and Apollo art houses before every film screened over the period 7th March to 17 April.

The project will then extend into mainstream cinema across the UK from 25th April to 5th June and will feature in selected films across all cinemas from the Vue, Apollo, Cineworld and Odeon.
The short films will be screened before the following feature films: Sweeney Todd, In the Valley of Elah, The Great Debaters, Juno, Things we Lost in the Fire, National Treasure, The Book of Secrets, The Bucket List, There Will be Blood, The Bank Job, The Other Boleyn Girl, Vantage Point, Pride and Glory, 10,000 BC, The Cottage, Redacted, Love in the Time of Cholera, One Missed Call, 21, In Bruges, Stop Loss, The Escapist , City of Men and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Short film synopses

– Procrastination by Levni Yilmaz: A hand-drawn animation depicting how ‘Lev gets his stuff done’. This is part of a series called ‘Tales of Mere Existence’ about an ordinary character in ordinary situations.
– Park Football by Grant Orchard: In this film UK animator Grant celebrates the joys of a good kick-about in the park.
– Neighbour by Eric Lynne: This is the story of a neighbourly, yet rather unusual invitation to a house party.