DePaul University’s groundbreaking Digital Cinema program is seeking to showcase innovative works of student filmmakers in the Chicago area with its first annual New Light Digital Cinema Festival, to be held May 24 at DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave.

Festival organizers currently are accepting entries from Chicago-area college students in nine categories: narrative, documentary, animation short, experimental short, music video, short screenplay, best performance, best original score and best community video. The last category is also open to Chicago-area high school students and community organizations. The entries will be pre-screened by DePaul faculty and then judged by a panel of experts, including an Academy Award-winning film editor. Deadline for entries to be received is Monday, April 11. Prizewinners in each category will be announced at the May 24 event.

To download an entry form and complete festival rules, please visit http://www.cti.depaul.edu/studentdcfestival2005/index.html. For more information, please contact festival director Deborah Tudor at dtudor@depaul.edu.