After several years establishing themselves as the 'Zoom' Awards, the Media Resource Centre's accolades for locally produced short films have reinvented themselves, clothed themselves in shiny new threads and been renamed in honour of their new sponsor the 'SA Short Screen Awards', proudly driven by Toyota. It may not be the sexiest name in the world, but it does illustrate what these awards favour, and that is the recognition and promotion of South Australia's many hard working and struggling short filmmakers.

And there are some cracking entries amongst the many: in the Music Video section, for example, there's an entry from local hiphop heroes The Hilltop Hoods, whose new album 'The Hard Road' this week made its debut at Number 1 on the ARIA charts. It's big news - and with a video made by The People's Republic Of Animation - themselves past winners in the awards, the video for Clown Prince stands as a hot favourite.

Down at the Mercury Cinemas, home of the MRC, they're in full swing preparing for the 'night of nights', the Gala Awards Night for all short film categories, to be held on Friday 21 April, in a swish ceremony to be followed by some serious partying.

But this is not the only activity going on at the Morphett Street headquarters, where 'best of ' screenings have already commenced. At these, the shortlisted entries for the many categories of awards (Best Film, Best Direction, Best Animation, Best Comedy, for example) are being screened for public approbation and acclaim. It's a nice way to allow all interested persons a chance at seeing the fine works on offer.

'Best Of Screening Session 2' takes place on Friday 14 April, and session number three is scheduled for the following evening, Sat 15 April. Time is obviously tight, for the Gala Awards night is a mere week later, and there are many entries to be seen; too many to list here.

The Gala Awards Night itself is to be hosted by SBS' 'Movie Show' host Jaimie Le onarder. Additionally, this is the evening when another special award is announced, and the Minister For Youth, Stephanie Keys, will present the Young Filmmakers Human Rights Award, a special prize announced by her office for the best film which dwells on a theme of human rights and refugees advocacy or relevance.

Alex Wheaton