OPTIMA® Batteries Ultimate Film Festival Returns with More Events across the U.S. in 2016

Enthusiasts Nationwide Invited to Submit Original Content at Two Regional Events and the SEMA Week Finale

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Apr 08, 2016, 11:06 ET

MILWAUKEE, April 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OPTIMA^® Batteries, the global leader in high-performance automotive and marine batteries and digital battery chargers, today announced the details for its second-annual OPTIMA Ultimate Film Festival. With an expanded schedule and new partnerships at premier industry events, the OPTIMA Ultimate Film Festival invites performance enthusiasts to submit their unique and compelling videos for a chance to be featured on MAVTV.

"Performance enthusiasts across the country are creatively pushing the limit, all while their cameras are rolling, and we're excited to be a catalyst for people to come and experience these incredible films," said Cam Douglass, director of marketing for OPTIMA Batteries, Johnson Controls. "We know fans are hungry to connect with the industry's action and passion, and we remain committed to bringing this content to them in a variety of ways."

The expanded 2016 schedule features three different entries periods for enthusiasts to submit their films for judging, as well as corresponding live screening events for each.

April 8 – May 20 entry period for the first regional event on June 17 at Formula Drift in New Jersey
May 21 – July 22 entry period for the second regional event in August at the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit
July 23 – September 20 entry period for the finale event on November 2 during the SEMA Show

The OPTIMA Ultimate Film Festival looks for exciting and powerful films in two categories, Short Film and Action Cam. Short Film entries are less than seven minutes long, shot in a story or documentary style and focus on the enthusiast lifestyle, performance vehicle(s) and how performance aftermarket parts empower that lifestyle. Action Cam films must be two minutes or less, demonstrate a performance vehicle in action and be shot exclusively on POV action cams.

Films submitted during each entry period will be selected for the regional and finale events by a panel of industry experts and influencers, who are looking for compelling storytelling, authenticity and creativity. Films should take a unique approach, be grounded in filmmaking and share true individual experiences. This year's judges are:

Ryan Tuerck, Formula Drift
David Freiburger, Roadkill
Fred Williams, Dirt Every Day/Four Wheeler Magazine
Matt Farrah, The Smoking Tire/Drive Network

Attendees will use text-to-vote technology to vote for their favorite films on site at the finale event, hosted by Roadkill's David Freiburger. The winning films will be included in a one-hour TV special broadcast by MAVTV.

For official rules, FAQs and full list of submission criteria details, visit www.optimafilmfest.com. To watch films from the 2015 OPTIMA Film Festival, visit the OPTIMA Batteries YouTube channel.

About OPTIMA^® Batteries

OPTIMA high-performance automotive, marine and heavy-duty AGM batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls, the world's largest manufacturer of automotive batteries. OPTIMA REDTOP^®, YELLOWTOP^® and BLUETOP^® batteries feature state-of-the-art SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY^®. This patented design allows OPTIMA batteries to deliver superior performance in both starting and deep cycling applications. The OPTIMA product family also includes a line of Digital Chargers, with advanced multi-stage charging to charge and maintain a variety of vehicle batteries, maximizing battery life and performance. To learn more or to purchase OPTIMA products, please visit www.optimabatteries.com, call 1-888-8OPTIMA (1-888-867-8462) or find @OPTIMABatteries on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 150,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and seating components and systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2015, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #14 company in its annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.

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SOURCE OPTIMA Batteries