LONDON, Jan. 25 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The GSM Association today announced that NXP Semiconductors, the newly independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, will join global roaming solutions provider Roamware, as an exclusive joint sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival: Global Short Film Project, the pioneering film initiative, unveiled recently by actor, director and President of the Sundance Institute, Robert Redford.
The pilot project, initiated by the Sundance Institute and GSM Association, will premiere five exclusively ‘made for mobile’ short films from six new and established independent film makers at the world’s largest annual mobile event, the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona (12-15 February 2007).
"The Sundance Institute has a legacy of exploring new technologies to extend the independent film genre, and we are proud to be associated with this major next step, the Global Short Film Project at the 3GSM World Congress," said Frans van Houten, President and CEO, NXP Semiconductors. "We see this initiative as a real breakthrough in creating captivating cinematic entertainment for mobile devices, delivering a theatre-like experience of amazing sound and picture quality."
NXP is known for pioneering technology developments that drive next generation mobile entertainment through reduced power consumption, enhanced screen resolution and audio quality, support of multiple standards and advanced source processing for handsets supporting mobile TV. The company is now taking it a step further with support for movies on mobile devices.
"The reaction to the project has been tremendous, from all corners of the mobile and entertainment industries," said Bill Gajda, Chief Marketing Officer of the GSM Association. "There is a great sense of anticipation surrounding the unveiling of the films, and the interest that they will generate among users. We are delighted that NXP has come on board to join Roamware as exclusive sponsors, and be a key part of the excitement around this project in Barcelona."
The six filmmakers featured in the Sundance Film Festival Global Short Film Project will be in Barcelona for the world premiere of the films at the 3GSM World Congress. The filmmakers include Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE), Jody Hill (THE FOOT FIST WAY), Justin Lin (BETTER LUCK TOMORROW), Maria Maggenti (PUCCINI FOR BEGINNERS), and Cory McAbee (THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT). All filmmakers have had films premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
The Sundance Institute will exhibit in the new Mobile Entertainment Hall (C42 Hall 7) at the Congress, where the short films will be available for download to mobile phones in a variety of ways, as they will be at both the Roamware (D47 Hall 7) & NXP (B110 Hall 8) booths.
About the GSM Association:
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association representing more than 700 GSM mobile phone operators across 217 countries and territories of the world. In addition, more than 180 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association’s initiatives as key partners.
The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensure mobile phones and wireless services work globally and are easily accessible, enhancing their value to individual customers and national economies, while creating new business opportunities for operators and their suppliers. The Association’s members serve more than 2 billion customers -- 78% of the world’s mobile phone users.
About the Sundance Institute:
Dedicated year-round to the development of artists of independent vision and to the exhibition of their new work, Sundance Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2006. Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, the Institute has grown into an internationally recognized resource for thousands of independent artists through its Film Festival and artistic development programs for filmmakers, screenwriters, composers, playwrights and theatre artists. The original values of independence, creative risk-taking, and discovery continue to define and guide the work of Sundance Institute, both with US artists and, increasingly, with artists from other regions of the world. The Sundance Film Festival has introduced American audiences to some of the most innovative films and film makers of the past two decades. It is the premier showcase for American and international independent film, held annually in Park City, Utah, USA. The 2007 Sundance Film Festival will take place January 18-28th.
About NXP Semiconductors:
NXP is a top 10 semiconductor company founded by Philips more than 50 years ago. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company has 37,000 employees working in 26 countries across the world. NXP creates semiconductors, system solutions and software that deliver better sensory experiences in mobile phones, personal media players, TVs, set-top boxes, identification applications, cars and a wide range of other electronic devices. News from NXP is located at http://www.nxp.com .
