“The internet is a mobile environment gradually changing our way of perception and consumption of news, information and arts,” Max Frazer, the co-organizer of the project, told RIA Novosti. “Our portal and our festival set an objective to present cinema art in an easily accessible, and at the same time popular, form so that new talents can reach wider audiences.”

Until November 26, 2009, the first online film festival will accept participants’ applications on PutItOn.com. Any interested person—from any country in the world—can apply and try to win.

The basic format follows those of the other film festivals, including categories for best feature film, best short film and best actor. The nominated films will be available for watching online, and the short list of finalists will be made up according to Internet voting, which will close on December 17, 2009. Then the jury, headed by Max Fraser, will choose the winners and announce their decision on January 7, 2010.

The writers of the award-winning films will receive a grant of $5,000 for a training course at the New York Film Academy, and those who taking second places in all three nominations will be awarded digital video cameras.

As Fraser pointed out to RIA Novosti, the competition will also provide a platform for Russian directors and actors and give them a chance to address an international audience.

The festival welcomes all types of films except those with obscene scenes or containing violence and hateful material.

Movies for the contest will be accepted in all languages. The resource itself is accessible in 10 languages, including the main European ones as well as Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.