New filmmakers take centre stage with Delta

Delta Air Lines , an official sponsor of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, continues its support of emerging filmmakers and independent film with Delta’s Fly-In Movies, the airline’s second annual national film competition.

Beginning today through January 15, 2008, the traveling and online public can view five original short films on delta.com and on Delta on Demand, the airline’s state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system, and cast votes for their favorite to determine the winner.

“Delta is proud to support emerging filmmakers and independent film through our sponsorship of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and the second annual Delta’s Fly-In Movies contest,” said Tim Mapes, vice president of Marketing for Delta. "Delta customers can view and vote for their favorite original work from these five creative filmmakers through state-of-the art technology online at delta.com and onboard Delta planes equipped with its digital in-flight entertainment system. We congratulate all five finalists in this year’s competition.”

As part of the second annual Delta’s Fly-In Movies contest, the five finalist filmmakers will receive a trip to Park City, Utah during the Sundance Film Festival to attend a celebration hosted by Delta on Jan. 23, 2008 where the winning film and filmmaker will be announced. Based on collective votes, one filmmaker will receive a $10,000 cash award and a pair of round-trip tickets valid anywhere Delta flies worldwide.

The Fly-In Movies contest is managed by Gen Art, a leading arts and entertainment organization dedicated to showcasing the best emerging talent in film, fashion, visual arts and music.

Last year, nearly 30,000 passengers viewed the five finalist films in-flight on Delta on Demand, and there were more than 70,000 viewings of the films at delta.com. In addition, Delta’s first Fly-In Movies winner, Phillip Van, who won for his film “High Maintenance,” was honored on June 9, 2007 with a silver medal in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 34th Annual Student Academy Awards competition.

Film enthusiasts now have a front row seat to watch five inventive short films - each portraying a unique storyline - online at delta.com/flyinmovies, with videos powered by Veoh Networks, and on Delta on Demand for most customers traveling on transcontinental flights beginning today through Jan.15, 2008. These films include:

“Slow” by Kurt Kuenne: a depiction of a traffic safety worker who is accidentally caught in the background of a newspaper photo drastically changing his life forever.

“Tales of a Mere Existence: Conversation” by Levni Yilmaz: how a simple trip to the video store can bring up everything that’s wrong with your relationship.

“Ctrl Z” by Robert Kirbyson: starring Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”) as Stuart Barnes, an office loner with a lifetime full of regrets, but his luck is about to change. When a computer malfunction offers him the chance to magically undo his life’s mistakes he takes full advantage, but how far is too far?

“T’is the Season” by Bob Giovanelli: when a little girl goes to see Santa Claus she is disappointed to find he is on a break. Fortunately for her, she stumbles on a somewhat unorthodox replacement…

“Morning Fall” by Edward McGinty: a mysterious man wakes up on the side of the road, injured and confused; Who is he? Where does he come from? And where will he end up when he can’t find his way home?

Through Delta on Demand, the airline’s in-flight entertainment system, customers traveling on most transcontinental flights between cities such as Salt Lake and New York can now enjoy more than 24 channels of live television, HBO programming, more than 20 first-run and popular classic movies, a broad range of music, and a suite of 10 video games.