Finance and Administration Cabinet
Top 10 Green Team videos on the way to celebrity judges

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winners to be announced in April

FRANKFORT, Ky. — With nearly 5,000 votes having been cast online from across the commonwealth, the public has spoken: The top 10 finalists in each category of the First Annual Green Team Kentucky Online Film Festival have been chosen and are available at www.greenteam.ky.gov/filmfestival. Now it is up to a celebrity panel to choose the winners in each of three categories who will claim a $1,000 prize.

The Online Film Festival is a popular new initiative of First Lady Jane Beshear’s Green Team, designed to inspire, teach and encourage individuals to take steps to improve our environment. Seventy films were entered and the “directors” ranged from groups of school kids, Girl and Boy Scout troops, to seasoned filmmakers. Each of the videos was entered into one of three categories:

 (1) A 30-second public service announcement that encourages Kentuckians to reduce their energy consumption;

 (2) A short film of 10 minutes or less that highlights environmentally friendly, energy-saving actions that anyone can and should perform; and

(3) A short film of 10 minutes or less that presents an invention, new device or new idea that would help reduce energy consumption in Kentucky.

The panel of celebrity judges includes Golden-Globe nominated, Kentucky-raised actress Ashley Judd; environmental activist Robert Kennedy, Jr.; Kentucky-born actresses Florence Henderson and Laura Bell Bundy; award-winning directors Gus Van Sant and Gill Holland; popular rap group Nappy Roots; award-winning Kentucky author Silas House; public radio voice Bob Edwards; and University of Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie.

Winners will be announced during April 2009, the first anniversary of First Lady Jane Beshear’s launch of the Green Team initiative. The winning film in each category will receive a $1,000 cash prize, sponsored by the Louisville Film Society.

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