The History of the 24-Hour Film Marathon
Filmmaking â Human and Artificial Intelligence â Environmental Awareness
The History of the 24-Hour Film Marathon
In 2008, the organizers launched an invitation-only global filmmaking competition called Shoot for Life! in collaboration with the Hungarian Red Cross. The event was held online to promote voluntary blood donation. The jury presidents were Academy Award-winning Czech filmmaker JiĆĂ Menzel and Academy Award-winning Hungarian director IstvĂĄn SzabĂł.
In the following years (2009-2010), the film marathon was hosted by PĂ©cs and other European Capitals of Culture.
To promote sustainability and encourage environmentally conscious thinking, the Shoot4Earth (Shoot for Earth) competition was launched in 2013 as a 24-hour global filmmaking challenge open to participants from all continents.
The first jury included Academy Award-winning Czech director JiĆĂ Menzel, Prof. Sandeep Marwah (President of the Asian Film Academy, India), Prof. Karl Bardosh (New York University), and JenĆ HĂłdi (Founder of the Budapest Film Academy).
Filmmakers from all over the world submitted their works to the competition.
JiĆĂ Menzel personally supported this global filmmaking challenge for many years. In recent years, Academy Award-winning Hungarian director IstvĂĄn SzabĂł and KristĂłf DeĂĄk, director of the Oscar-winning short film Sing, have also served on the jury.
It is a great honor that Academy Award-winning American filmmaker Steven Spielberg has endorsed the initiative.
In 2017, KristĂłf DeĂĄk, director of the Oscar-winning live-action short Sing, served as the jury president of Shoot4Earth.
In 2021, Shoot4Earth won the award for Best Global Short Film Production at the Global Short Film Awards during the Marché du Film in Cannes.
The 10th anniversary of Shoot4Earth was successfully celebrated in April 2023, bringing the world together once again for a shared cause, with many participants creating competition films.
The eventâs main patron was Csaba KĆrösi, President of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. At his invitation, GĂĄbor Kindl, founder of Shoot4Earth, visited the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The jury president for the competition was Lawrence David Foldes, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (USA), who served for more than 20 years on the Executive Committee of the Student Academy Awards.
Since the inception of the competition, Karl Bardosh, a professor at New York University, has served as its artistic director, continuing in this role in 2023.
Oscar-winning American film producer Stephen Mao also joined the international jury.
Innovation and Creativity at the Shoot4Earth Competition
Mobile Filmmaking and Artificial Intelligence in the Service of Environmental Awareness
To mark the 20th anniversary of the competition, a special edition was held in SzekszĂĄrd, the city where the first Shoot4Earth event took place.
The Shoot4Earth competition in 2024 once again proved that creativity and innovation have no limits. A key highlight this year was that participants created their films entirely using mobile phones, emphasizing the accessibility of technology and the boundless nature of creativity. This approach not only celebrated technological advancements but also demonstrated that anyone, regardless of their resources, can create stunning works of art.
One of the most groundbreaking aspects of the competition was the introduction of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, making Shoot4Earth one of the first competitions in the world to implement AI in video production. This technological breakthrough opened new dimensions in filmmaking, enabling participants to explore even more creative and innovative storytelling techniques. The use of AI elevated not only the technical aspects of filmmaking but also introduced new possibilities for narrative expression.
The theme of the 24-hour film marathon was food waste, a highly relevant and pressing global issue.
Once again, Shoot4Earth proved in 2024 that raising awareness of environmental consciousness has never been more important.
Congratulations to all participants, filmmakers, and award winners! Thank you for contributing to a more sustainable future with your work and creativity.
Through this initiative, the organizers seek to support humanityâs shared interestsâabove all, ensuring that Planet Earth remains a livable, sustainable home for future generations.