I will be writing more about mobile film festivals. However, first we should know about the pioneer on the concept of mobile film festival 
The first mobile film festival in France was held in 2005 and it’s anually. The concept is the participants are to make a short film (1 minute max.) with their mobile phone in 3gp video format and upload it at the mobile film festival official site before the deadline. There will be a month of voting opened to the public, and the winners of each categories are to be announced in the beginning of the next year.
Just as we expect from the very romantic home of exquisite arts, France. This festival is a serious festival with a panel of experts on film, music, and journalistic as the jury. Just to mention a bit : the President of the Jury is Jan KOUNEN , and the member of the jury are Leila BEKHTI, Paul DESVAUX, Geraldine NAKACHE, TÉTÉ, and Philippe VANDEL.
The competition has two types of awards, the one given by the jury and the one voted by the public. The awards given by the jury are :
`The Best Mobile Film (Prix du Meilleur Film Mobile). D’Prize = € 1,500
`The Best Scenario (Prix du Meilleur Scenario). D’Prize = € 500
`The Best Sequence Shot (Prix du Meilleur Plan Sequence). D’Prize = € 500
`The Best Actor (Prix du Meilleur Acteur). D’Prize = € 500
`The Best Actress (Prix du Meilleur Actrice). D’Prize = € 500
`The Best Mobile Technical Exploitation (Prix du Meilleur Exploitation Technique Mobile). D’Prize = € 500
And the award of the most voted by the public is PRIX DU PUBLIC, with prize of € 500.
The 2nd Mobile Film Festival 2007 has ended at 29 January 2007 and there were 38 finalists. The winner of The Best Mobile Film is “Le Virtuose” by Camille de Vitry. It’s such a peaceful and quite funny short film 
The main character is a little baby playing on his flutes.. *can you believe it?* Such an EXTRAORDINARY baby, isn’t it? ^^;
However, the sound of the flute that makes it so unique, yet feels so intimate.
Nevertheless, “Le temps passe“ by Yannick Aleksandrowicz also stands out of the crowd. The solo dialogue by an old woman speaking in France with a very heartbreaking background song, just makes me stunned. The emotion is so intense. The director has picked the right song.
*Btw, the beautiful song is a soundtrack of a very popular France film, “Amelie“. The song is titled “La Valse d’Amelie (Piano Version)*
Now, the 3rd Mobile Film Festival 2008 has started. The vote will be open in 8 – 29 January 2008. The results will be announced at the beginning of February 2008.
Watch the films of the 38 finalists of the 2nd Film Festival in the Mobile Film Festival official site.
ps : click on the films’ titles above to watch the exact titles only
What is the point of film festivals?
If a film is good or at least entertaining, it’s going to be a financial success.
If a film is not good and not entertaining, it fails financially and gets shipped off to a film festival where it still won’t make enough money to pay for the costs of the film.
So the idea of film festivals is to determine which films a tiny group of experts likes. And this information is essentially worthless.
Thank you for your interesting opinion , Elver!
Yes, what you’re saying is the risk that every film makers who joined in a film festival has taken.
I’m sure they are totally aware of it.
However, every film festival has its own genre, and those film makers must know what genre is he/she into.
They’d not randomly make and send their films to every film festivals in the world. They have their own goals and they should know how to achieve it in a way that would give them success. Thinking strategically is the point.
For example, my cousin has just graduated last year and now he’s a film director. He knows that his style of film is an European style’s, so he only aims on film festivals that matches his film’s style, such as Sundance Film Festival.
Of course, he don’t have enough money to make a professional film like in the cinemas, but he managed to make a short film within his limited budget.
It doesn’t have to be a big cost of film making if you know how to use any resources available around you. Use helps from your friend, be creative, and just enjoy the process!
A short film festival will be a best way to start. The newly established mobile film festival is also one of it.
More important is, if you failed in one of film festivals, or even more.. Don’t get pushed back. The thing of participating in a film festival is you can meet people, people that you might be partner with, people that is important in the industry, people that KNOW important people in the industry, or maybe people that get interested in your film and want to be the sponsor even though your film didn’t win on the festival.
Build a network, having connections, are the main success key in the film industry. But of course, you must have your own quality.
End of word, film festivals are to give opportunities to the amateurs / beginners in the industry to increase their knowledge and skills, giving appreciation to film makers in order to encourage new talents, and to accomodate a path to enter the film industry.