The Grand River Film Festival's organizers are offering local filmmakers the opportunity to submit a short film, win $1,000 cash and a chance to have their film featured in the festival's line up next fall.

The short film competition, entitled Short Cuts, is open to any resident of Canada. Submissions must be between 10 and 15 minutes long including credits and may be shot in colour or black and white. Entries must be received no later than Aug. 20 at one of three locations including Cambridge Galleries, 1 North Sq., Cambridge, Ed Video Media Arts Centre, 16A Wyndham St. N., Guelph or the Children's Museum, 10 King St. W., Kitchener.

This year's Grand River Film Festival is set to run Oct. 22 to 26 at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture in Cambridge, the Children's Museum and Waterloo's Wilfrid Laurier University. The venues will screen the contest's four finalists prior to the feature presentation at 7:30 p.m. each evening.

Festival director Ken Nakamura said the short film contest will be a great opportunity for amateur filmmakers as well as festival audiences.

"This is clearly a tremendous boost for the second year supporting our vision of providing skills and professional development for filmmakers young and old."