The Rushes Soho Shorts Festival has received 1,159 entries for this year’s short film competition and added two new categories to the judging process.

Of the submitted entries, 140 films have been officially selected for further consideration.

Amongst these are entries that will be added to two new categories:

International, which will showcase fictional work made outside the United Kingdom by both newcomers and professionals.

And Long form, which will feature fictional work, also from newcomers and professionals, from the UK and abroad, that is longer than 12 minutes and shorter than 30 minutes in length.

Festival director Joe Bateman said: ‘With the additional competitive categories, the guest programmes and the line up of events being planned, the end of July is promising to be more chaotic than ever! It’s going to be very exciting.’

In all, 18 countries are represented this year including Peru, France, Mexico, China, Spain, USA, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Iceland, Australia, Slovenia, Israel, Ireland, Canada, Luxembourg and the UK.

The Rushes Soho Shorts Festival takes place from 22 to 31 July 2009.

The awards ceremony itself will be held on Thursday 30 July.