Lexus Short Films programme

“May the force be with you…”*

Lexus Short Films programme gets a helping hand from Hollywood’s finest

Some of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors and creatives have been revealed as movie mentors who are helping guide the directors contributing to the 2014 Lexus Short Films programme.

The partnership between Lexus and The Weinstein Company this year drew active support from leading figures in the movie community, including Katie Holmes (The Giver, Wonder Boys, Dawson’s Creek), directors Justin Chadwick (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and the upcoming Tulip fever), Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn, upcoming Woman in Gold), Antoine Fuqua (Brooklyn’s Finest, Training Day, upcoming Southpaw) and Phillip Noyce (The Giver, The Quiet American).

They have been supporting rising film-makers Jon Goldman and Satsuki Okawa (working with script writer Ken Ochai), in their work to produce short films interpreting Lexus’s Life is Amazing brand theme. The films shot for this year’s programme, Market Hour and Operation Barn Owl, were premiered at the Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo, on 29 May and will be screened in Los Angeles on 30 July and New York on 6 August.

Philip Noyce said: “It’s an honour to have been approached by The Weinstein Company and Lexus International to participate in such an innovative and important programme. What they are doing with the next generation of filmmakers will have a significant impact in the world of cinema. I’m truly excited for audiences to see what these talented young directors are creating.”

The famous mentors will also take part in a series of featurettes about the mentoring process, showing them meeting the film-makers and offering guidance and support. These videos will also explore the art, evolution and importance of the short film medium and the growing global appetite for the format. The featurettes will be released in the lead-up to the films’ theatrical release in Los Angeles and their worldwide on-line release in October.

Both films will play at numerous festivals around the world and will be attached to major Weinstein Company releases such as The Giver. Ahead of their on-line release, more details about their progress and screening schedule can be found at www.lexusshortfilms.com.