Los Angeles — Oct. 18, 2008 — The post-season celebrity panel has chosen the overall winner of the 2008 Short Film Festival. Jeff Goldblum, Sam Mendes, Dave Stewart, Rufus Wainwright, Roger Waters, and Robin Williams chose one winner and a runner up from the 12 finalists previously selected by the community.

The panel has bestowed the site's highest honor for short films on Paul St.Amand's (member name Sanchin) Parallels—with Chris Perry's (member name Chris Perry) film Catch cinching the first runner-up spot.

Paul worked as a writer and graphic designer before embarking on his film career with Parallels (2006), his directorial debut. The film presents the stories and motivations of two American soldiers who—during the Vietnam and Iraq Wars, respectively—undertook the perilous journey to Canada to escape to peace during wartime. The film premiered at the Vancouver Internation Film Festival. Paul's directing credits now include the short Grover's Mill, which was featured on CBC television, as well as short One Last Thing. The burgeoning director, who lives in Bedford, Nova Scotia, has been recognized at festivals across North America for his work.

CLICK IMAGE TO PLAY "PARALLELS": Runner up animation Catch by Chris Perry explores the filmmaker's stated goal of exploring visual storytelling through computer graphics by using cartoonish 3D animation to tell the parable of a young girl forced to confront the media's imposition of unrealistic body image stereotypes on people of every age.

The TriggerStreet.com Short Film Festival award, rather than requiring a journey to Hollywood or one of the many more conventional festivals, gives Parallels, Catch, and the other finalists the opportunity find a worldwide viewership in the thousands, as well as the attention of the entertainment biz powerhouses rounding out the judging panel, all from the filmmaker's Internet browser. "I think this is a testament to the power of the Internet and a leveling of the playing field in terms of access and opportunity," commented site founder Dana Brunetti—who is always looking for new chances to provide the community with a leg up on, and over, the gates of the entertainment industry.

We would like to thank all of those who submitted to the festival, as well as the members and panelists who voted on the submissions. As a token of their success, Paul and Chris will be sent the sleek TriggerStreet.com Short Film Festival award--signed by the industry leaders of the post-season judging panel. "It means a great deal to us to be able to highlight and recognize such great work, and I hope it leads to more opportunities for both of them as filmmakers," said site founder Kevin Spacey from London.

Check out the article in Variety here.