The Santa Cruz Film Festival (SCFF), a celebration of independent-minded filmmakers and artists who produce culturally relevant and ideologically challenging work, announces the call for entries for its eighth edition, May 7-16, 2009. Since 2002, SCFF has brought more than 800 films and tens of thousands of film lovers from all over the world to the beautiful beaches and breathtaking redwoods of Santa Cruz for nine days of entertaining and enlightening cinema.  The Festival champions voices and stories that are frequently absent from mainstream cinema and is a crossroads for the intellectually curious.  Scintillating conversations between filmmakers, academics, students, programmers, the press and the public are a hallmark of SCFF. Additionally, SCFF combines the cinematic experience with other art forms to feature one-of-a-kind programs featuring musicians, dancers, poets, artists, writers, activists, media visionaries and academics who regularly participate at and enhance SCFF events.  Producer of “JUST BURIED” SCFF 2008 Best of the Fest winner, Alex Daltas states “[Making a film is] a whole lot of work and time in the lives of many, and when you're reading a script for the first time you imagine and hope for an audience reaction exactly like the one we got at the Santa Cruz Film Festival!” Honoring today’s most creative independent films, SCFF presents Audience Awards for Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, International Film, Short Narrative, Short Documentary, Animated Work, Experimental Work, Student-Produced Work, Youth-Produced Work.  Jury prizes are awarded in the Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature and Emerging Filmmaker categories. Films and videos of all lengths and formats completed after January 1, 2007 are invited to submit for consideration; Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Experimental, Student and Youth-produced works.  Submit online at Withoutabox (withoutabox.com) or download the application from the Festival website (santacruzfilmfestival.org).  The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2008. Among the artists who have shared in SCFF events are Neil Young, Ray Manzarek, B. Ruby Rich, David Arquette, The Cockettes, Cheri Lovedog, Shyam Benegal, Kabir Helminski, Chloe Webb, Charis Wilson, Wavy Gravy, Chip Lord, Paul Ruebens, Dilip Basu, founder of The Satyajit Ray Archives, Burningman founder, Larry Harvey, David Best, Arthur Rosato and Judy Bouley. Jane Sullivan, Founder and Director commented, “In the eighth season we look to finding the zeit in film making and new media messaging and honoring all that it holds for us in the 21st Century. The Santa Cruz Film Festival prides itself in its adventurous programming and outsider culture.”  ### The Santa Cruz Film Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that supports the arts and is committed to showcasing new moving image art from around the globe in the Greater Monterey Bay Area and beyond.    “It’s the party, not the game” A. D. CONTACT:Jane SullivanSanta Cruz Film FestivalT: +1-831-459-7676E: jane@seebrightproductions.com Program Director : Julian Solerjulian@santacruzfilmfestival.org