Babelgum to Launch Major Online Film Festival.

Spike Lee Named Honorary Judge of Jury

Public to View Films Free Online and Be Involved in Selection of Award Finalists

VENICE, Italy -- Babelgum, the free-to-view global Internet television network, will hold the Babelgum Online Film Festival, a major online event celebrating

Critically acclaimed and award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee has been named as Honorary Judge of the Babelgum Online Film Festival jury of industry experts drawn from around the world. The general public also will play a role in the selection of award finalists in six specific competitive categories:

* The Babelgum Looking for Genius Award - Awarded to new or emerging talent who display clear and outstanding achievement through direction, animation, writing and/or camera work.

* The Babelgum Short Film Award - Awarded to the best short film (under 20 minutes) that presents a clear, concise and original vision using the short film genre.

* The Babelgum Documentary Award - Awarded to the documentary that best presents its subject in a truthful and fair manner while being original and thought provoking.

* The Babelgum Animation Award - Awarded to the film that best displays story and the craft of animation.

* The Babelgum Social/Environment Award - Awarded to the best film that effectively addresses an issue impacting the world today.

* The Babelgum Spot/Advertising Award - Awarded to the most creative advertising spot highlighting a certain product.

Mr. Lee joins Jury members Joe Bateman, Festival Director of the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival (U.K.); Ally Derks, Director of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (The Netherlands); Bhuvan Lall, Founder of the Indian Independent Filmmakers Worldwide Association (India); Tiziana Loschi, Managing Director of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Citia (City of Moving Images) (France); Joe Neulight, Co-Founder and President of Withoutabox (U.S.); Sandra Ruch, Executive Director of the International Documentary Association (U.S.); Teri Schwartz, Dean of the Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television (U.S.); Jess Search, Co-Founder of Shooting People (U.K.); and Carl Spence, Artistic Director of the Seattle International Film Festival and Director of Programming of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (U.S.).