A Worldwide Screening Program of International Short Films, Videos and Digital Works

Curated by Microcinema International and Asthmatic Kitty Records

Presented by Panasonic Broadcast

Upcoming 2008 Screenings: San Francisco, Asthmatic Kitty Unusual Animals Events, Other Events Worldwide

Grand Prize:
Panasonic AG-HSC1U 1/4" 3-CCD High Definition Video Camera
Selected Asthmatic Kitty Discography (20 most recent releases) and Garments

Second Prize:
Selected MicrocinemaDVD.com Catalog ($500 worth)
Selected Asthmatic Kitty Discography (10 most recent releases) and Garments

Third Prize:
Selected MicrocinemaDVD.com Catalog ($250 worth)
Selected Asthmatic Kitty Discography (5 most recent releases) and Garments

They met in Houston, Texas for a collaborative all-day, all-ages, all-free, all-good five-band gig called Unusual Animals. But that short rendezvous was not enough for either Microcinema or Asthmatic Kitty, so after a few carefully written telegrams and telephone calls, the two are getting together again to collectively present Independent Exposure 2008.

Since its inception in 1996, Independent Exposure has been a curatorial effort designed to bring the newest and most innovative short films to an untapped, broader audience by using non-traditional venues. These showcases are exhibited in non-traditional venues or "microcinemas" such as galleries, microcinemas, museums, outdoors, and other alternative spaces that support the independent visual arts. To date, Independent Exposure has been presented hundreds of times in 44 countries plus Palestine and Antarctica and at base camp on Mt. Everest.

Beyond our regular San Francisco events, screenings in 2007 included a film festival in Ithaca, NY, a full screening of every 2007 IE edition in Alaska, a widely covered Halloween screening in San Francisco, a showing of films at Virgin Mobile Fest, Festival Nemo in Paris, and a screening of Independent Exposure at one of Asthmatic Kitty Record's curated Unusual Animals show in Houston. Over the past ten years Independent Exposure has screened in small towns and some of the world's major cities - in small venues and world renowned facilities.

Since 2005, Independent Exposure has teamed up with a partner to curate the screening programs and select prize winners and a "best-of" selection. Recent partners include Addictive TV and Hal Hartley.

Asthmatic Kitty is currently one of the most influential independent record labels in the United States, and is an ideal co-curator for Independent Exposure 2008. "From the beginning 'musical' film and video have played a central role in our program," says founder Patrick Kwiatkowski. "So a curator with an eye for music is going to yield an interesting program. Asthmatic Kitty is less a label than a curator of music, bands, and musicians with a focused, yet evolving mission. They are a perfect partner and I can't wait to see how they apply themselves to the film arts."

"Microcinema mirrors the Asthmatic Kitty values of community and a love for innovation and creativity. Within minutes it was obvious that they were a family that we wanted to marry into," said A&R/Development Director Michael Kaufmann

Asthmatic Kitty also brings a festival component to the 2008 series. The label hosts "Unusual Animals" in various cities around the country. It is a curated showcase of regional musical talent and in 2008 a film component will be added.

About Asthmatic Kitty – asthmatickitty.com

Born in 1999, Asthmatic Kitty Records was originally conceived as a platform for musical projects by a community of artists from Holland, Michigan, a small city on the shoreLake Michigan. Some were Holland natives, and others had come to attend local colleges and universities. While the original Holland nucleus has now dispersed to various parts of the country, the fellowship is still growing, with new friends and shared projects with other independent labels. Asthmatic Kitty is now based in Lander, Wyoming, Indianapolis, Indiana and New York City.

Current artists on the label include: Bunky - Castanets - Cryptacize - Future Rapper, et al. - Half-handed Cloud - Liz Janes - My Brightest Diamond - Rafter - Chris Schlarb - Shapes and Sizes - Sufjan Stevens - The Curtains.

Asthmatic Kitty was named after Sara, a voluptuous orange and white longhair who wandered out of the woods in 1995, pregnant, starving, and afflicted with various parasites and ailments, including feline asthma. Although she still wheezes a bit, especially when being chased by her sister Tabby, Sara today enjoys a healthy and happy life of luxury. Cast-off animals make the best pets!

About Microcinema International – www.microcinema.com

Microcinema’s first activity was producing Independent Exposure. From our activities in presenting this program a film distribution business was born.

Microcinema International is now a leading specialty distributor of the moving image arts. Microcinema International specializes in the acquisition, exhibition, and distribution of independently produced works of an artistic and socially-relevant nature. Microcinema’s mission is to seek out, curate, exhibit, promote, and distribute compelling works to a broad audience via existing and emerging mediums. Through Microcinema’s own DVD label Blackchair Collection and Microcinema International DVD, a unique and diverse catalogue of international DVD titles are distributed into retail, wholesale, online, and institutional sales channels worldwide.