YouTube partners for global short competition

YouTube and the Emirates airline have partnered with the Venice Film Festival and Scott Free to launch Your Film Festival -- a global competition for filmmakers to submit 15-minute videos. The contest, announced Thursday, calls for 10 finalists flown in August to the Venice festival, where their work will screen, and for the winner to receive a development deal with Ridley Scott's Scott Free Prods. and a $500,000 grant. "Short filmmaking is exactly where I started my career 50 years ago, so to be helping new filmmakers find an entry point like this into the industry is fantastic," Ridley Scott said. Submissions, which open Feb. 2 and close March 31, will be reviewed by Scott Free and narrowed down to 50 semi-finalists. The YouTube community will then vote for the finalists. "YouTube is committed to bringing entertaining, original content to a global audience and Your Film Festival is another example of our investment in great creators worldwide," said Robert Kyncl, YouTube's global head of content at YouTube. "Through this program, YouTube will give filmmakers the opportunity to reach a vast audience, screen their work during the Venice Film Festival and potentially be rewarded in a career-changing way." The initiative reunites YouTube with Scott Free following their partnership to help create the documentary "Life In A Day," which debuted at last year's Sundance festival. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com