Spike Lee will head jury of new online film festival

VENICE, Italy – Spike Lee said Saturday the Internet has provided so many opportunities for young filmmakers to showcase their work, there are no more excuses.\n“I was from the prehistoric age. If you have a film and you’re talented and someone is not seeing it, it’s your fault,” the director said at a news conference announcing the creation of a new online film festival.\nLee will head the jury of the film festival organized by Babelgum, an Internet company that streams videos online for free. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Venice Film Festival.\nFilmmakers who have had their work accepted at other film festivals from January 2007 through next February can begin making their submissions Sept. 15 by uploading their films onto Babelgum’s Web site, organizers said. Winners will receive $20,000.