Back in May, top American and once-beleaguered comedian Kevin Hart invited aspiring filmmakers to Eat My Shorts. I know, I know, it’s funny, but that’s the name of the filmmaking contest. Now in its second year and run by Hart’s Laugh Out Loud network and the Just For Laughs festival, Eat My Shorts seeks to find the funniest new short films in the US and Canada, and expected to appeal to “multicultural, millennial” audiences.

And the contest rules specifies that “a diverse cast/or filmmakers” is a must. And, of course, they should be funny. From romcoms to mock docs, from parodies to animation and edgy comedies to farces, ten semifinalists were recently announced via the Laugh Out Loud website, and Sweet Revenge by Canadian-Nigerian director Pascal Atuma was shortlisted. Great stuff! Like, really really cool.

Credit to @sweetrevengethemovie : Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network, Lionsgate, and Just For Laughs ComedyPRO today announced the 10 finalists selected for Laugh Out Loud Presents: Just For Laughs Eat My Shorts, a competition in search of the funniest short films. After hundreds of submissions, @sweetrevengethemovie a @diamondpicturesinc_ film has made the top ten. Fans can stream all 10 short films on Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud’s YouTube page starting Saturday, July 14 and ending Tuesday, July 17. They can also vote for their favourites by liking the video. The top five films with the most likes will receive the big-screen treatment at the Just For Laughs Festival, on July 26. At the end of the night, one winning film will receive exclusive distribution of their short film on Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network, as well as a first-look deal. Special Thanks to the Wonderful Cast & Crew: @pascalatuma @olageorge_ @nellymorris97 @naimasundiata @german_wendy @datguyesef @helixreelent @adrianancono @cassandracampbellbeauty Lou, Bebe, Razie and Warren @thehouseofcommons_ @clashthemovie @thepascalatumashow #thehouseofcommons #clashthemovie #sweetrevengethemovie #thepascalatumashow #hollywood #hollywoodnorth #northwood #canadianproduction #film #television #comedy #usa #canada #director #producer #toronto #blogto #nowtoronto #byblacks #oprah #ownnetwork #netflixcanada #eone #etalk

A post shared by Pascal Atuma (@pascalatuma) on Jul 13, 2018 at 11:32am PDT

As it is now, viewers can go on the website and vote for the project that they think deserve one of the five spots in the Just For Laughs festival lineup in Montreal, taking place on Thursday, July 26, 7pm at the Phi Centre.

At the festival, one of those projects will be announced as the Eat My Shorts winner after the screening, and will receive exclusive distribution of their short and long term deals with Hart’s Laugh Out Loud company and Lionsgate.

Produced by Ola George and Pascal Atuma, Sweet Revenge is a clash of Jewish and African cultures for love and stars Naomi Sundiata, Nelson Morris, Lou Daniels, Bebe Obi-Okoye, Wendy German and Razie Brown-Stone. You can vote by clicking the like button on the film’s YouTube page – and all the best to Atuma!

Bernard Dayo

When Bernard Dayo isn’t writing about pop culture, he’s watching horror movies and reading comics and trying to pretend his addiction to Netflix isn’t a serious condition.