AZUSA, CA—The Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition (#iuowfilm) has named the six finalists that will compete for awards totaling $15,000 at the environmentally focused short film competition’s final screening event on Oct. 17 at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, CA.

Presented by Rain Bird, in partnership with LM’s parent company, North Coast Media, each of the finalists will be a featured guest at the final screening and judging event hosted by wildlife expert Jack Hanna, a 30-year veteran of documentary films and television. Following the screening of the finalists’ films and a roundtable discussion with the filmmakers and judges, both the $10,000 Jury Award and the $5,000 Audience Choice Award will be presented to the winning films.
The 2012 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition finalists were selected by a panel of judges from hundreds of submissions according to pre-determined criteria including creativity and effective communication of ideas to intelligently manage and efficiently utilize the Earth’s most precious resource. The 2012 finalists are:

• The Wash – filmmaker: Carla Dauden – Long Beach, CA
• Isla Urbana – filmmaker: Greg Harriott – Brooklyn, NY
• Life Reflected – filmmaker: Jon Kasbe – Raleigh, NC
• Quotient – filmmaker: Alexander Powell – San Diego, CA
• Ang Tangke – filmmaker: Gino Santos – Muntinlupa City, Philippines
• Blue Sky, Inc. – filmmaker: Ben Mills – Basingstoke, United Kingdom

“All of the finalists should be congratulated for their masterful job of employing the power of film to creatively address the need for effective, efficient and responsible use of water,” says Dave Johnson, Rain Bird’s director of corporate marketing. “By providing a platform for both amateur and experienced filmmakers to address the world’s water challenges through a personal lens, the Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition aims to encourage discussion, further awareness and most importantly, inspire others to take action in their own way.”

Each of the 2012 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition finalists will have their films shown in front of a live audience and a panel of judges that includes representatives from the media, film, entertainment and water management industries. Judging this year’s entries will be Elise Pearlstein, Producer of Last Call at The Oasis; Carl Bell, Weathercaster, KNBC-TV; Sasha Perl-Raver, Syndicated Movie Reviewer and Blogger, Hollywood Bites; Rick Porras, Co-producer of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy; Jane Griffin, President, Groundwater Foundation; and Seth Jones, Editor-in-Chief, Golfdom Magazine. Each will evaluate the submissions and collectively award the $10,000 Jury Award to the film they deem as best meeting the competition criteria.

In addition to the Jury Award, the film that receives the most votes from the live audience will receive the $5,000 Audience Choice Award.

More information on the competition is available at www.IUOWFILM.com.

Follow @RainBirdCorp and visit Rain Bird’s Facebook page to share thoughts and ideas with other filmmakers.