Lights, camera, action! The Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) is once again partnering with the Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore for the Quantum Shorts Film Festival.
Amateur and professional filmmakers are invited to submit entries up to five minutes in length that use quantum physics as a springboard for their narrative or concept.
The festival’s top prize of US $1500 and runner-up prize of US $1000 will be decided by an international panel of judges. An additional prize of US $500 will be decided by public vote.
“Quantum physics invites us to look at the world in new ways,” says quantum physicist Artur Ekert, director of the Centre for Quantum Technologies and a judge for the festival’s top prizes. “We are confident that, as in previous years, passionate, creative people from across the globe will use this extraordinary science to inspire extraordinary films.”
Ten shortlisted submissions will be shown by the festival’s scientific and screening partners at locations around the world. All shortlisted films will receive a US $250 screening fee and their filmmakers will receive a one-year digital subscription to Scientific American. The first prize winner will also be featured on ScientificAmerican.com.
The festivals other scientific partners are the Australian Research Council Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems; the Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies; the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter at Caltech in the United States; QuTech, a collaboration of Delft University of Applied Sciences and Dutch innovation center TNO; and the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. Scientific American and Nature are the festival’s media partners.
Submissions to Quantum Shorts 2018 can be entered via the website, which also features resources on quantum physics and a full set of rules and guidelines. The deadline for entries is 23:59 GMT, 1 December 2018.
Quantum Shorts has alternated between annual calls for short films and fiction since 2012.