Upload Cinema: Web Films To The Big Screen

Upload Cinema, its an initiative I like. It reminds me of Cannes: great creative minds sitting together in a cinema, watching great creative work. Upload Cinema is a film club that takes the best web films to the big screen. Every first Monday of the month at 9.30 PM a fresh program of Internet shorts is screened at movie theater “De Uitkijk” in Amsterdam.

Upload Cinema is a cozy get-together for people who enjoy watching, sharing and making web films. The aim is simple: to offer each month an inspiring and entertaining feature length program of Internet shorts.

We don’t have a fixed formula. It seems fun to start with a monthly theme to which everyone can contribute. But we might also invite a guest curator to compile his/her own film program. Or have a ‘no concept’ mix of crazy stuff that we’ve seen online.

Upload Cinema is for members only. The movie theater is small and we appreciate a friendly and committed crowd. You can become a member by invitation only, or by entering a film that has been accepted in the program.

WHY? The web is changing film. Not only the way film content is being distributed, but also the way film is being produced and watched. The whole interactive process of making, mixing, choosing, uploading, commenting, recommending and reacting is what is truly revolutionizing the industry.

Film is becoming more and more a collaborative, social activity. But unfortunately this activity is taking place behind the computer at home or at work. Which is, lets face it, not the best possible place to enjoy movies.

Upload Cinema wants take this exciting new way of making and sharing film out of the domestic realm, away from the internet and the tiny computer screen and into a space that’s designed for a collective experience: the cinema.

WHO? Upload Cinema is created as a future scenario for movie theater De Uitkijk – the oldest art house cinema in the Netherlands. Advertising agency Draftfcb is main sponsor. Condor is post production partner.

Bright and De Filmkrant are media partners. Curators/editors are: Barbara de Wijn and Dagan Cohen (founders of Upload Cinema) together with Erwin van der Zande (editor in chief of Bright) and Dana Linssen (film critic of NRC Handelsblad and editor in chief of Filmkrant).

Shouldn’t every creative city in the world have an Upload Cinema? If you are triggered by this idea and have an old and cozy cinema in your town, don’t hesitate to drop Upload Cinema an e-mail. We’ll be happy to provide you with everything you need to get started.

I think this could be a cool format for Viral Friday as well? Maybe you would like to add it to your list of best ideas for 2009?