The Manhattan Short Film Festival is a unique experience, extending beyond its headquarters in New York City by inviting participating venues worldwide to screen entries and allow audience voting to determine the winner. These short films will not only entertain a global audience but will be judged by them as well. Cinema goers will become instant film critics as they will be handed a ballot upon entry that allows them to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor. MANHATTAN SHORT offers the ultimate audience award that salutes the creative talents of both directors behind the camera and actors in front of it. Votes will be sent through to MANHATTAN SHORT HQ with the winner announced at ManhattanShort.com on Monday, October 5, at 10 AM (EST).

This year, MANHATTAN SHORT received 678 short film entries from 52 countries. The 10 Finalists hail from eight countries, with short films from Turkey and Kosovo representing their respective countries for the first time. Audiences from last year’s MANHATTAN SHORT will be pleased to see rising star Marleen Lohse once again in Forever Over making her the first actor, male or female to appear in consecutive years in MANHATTAN SHORT. Two other short films (Bear Story and Patch) are sophisticated animations, as MANHATTAN SHORT continues to support this important art form.