Mumbai: JVC Tokyo Video Festival TVF2009 has begun accepting contest submissions from professional and amateur filmmakers worldwide. In its 31st year, the JVC Tokyo Video Festival is the largest international personal video festival open to filmmakers of all ages and skill sets.

Last year, a record 2,010 entrants participated in the festival, including 750 from Japan and 1,260 from 53 countries and regions worldwide. Approximately 50,000 video entries from 100 countries and regions have been submitted since the first festival in 1978.

One Video Grand Prize winner will receive 500,000 yen in prize money, a JVC Everio hard disk camcorder and a round-trip to Japan for the award ceremony (one person). One JVC Grand Prize winner will also receive an Everio camcorder, round-trip to Japan and 400,000 yen in prize money. Approximately 30 excellence award entrants will receive 100,000 yen, a plaque and a certificate. Seventy additional selected works will receive a plaque and certificate.

"The Tokyo Video Festival is a great opportunity for both professional and amateur filmmakers to showcase their talents on an international stage," said JVC Company of America senior vice president, marketing Karl Bearnarth. "JVC is proud to hold this annual festival as a way of promoting exchange between the cultures of the world through video."

Entries will be evaluated by the TVF2009 judging committee, which includes film director Nobuhiko Obayashi, novelist Makoto Shiina and animation film director Isao Takahata. The 100 selected winning entries will be announced in January 2009. The Excellence Awards Ceremony will be held outside of Tokyo at the Landmark Hall in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The closing date for entries is 30 September.