With the advent of YouTube and other video-sharing sites, there's no doubt film-making has become an art of the masses. But while such user-created movies are typically viewed within the confines of the internet, a group of Dutch cinephiles are hoping to do them better justice by bringing them to the big screen.

Upload Cinema is a film club that aims to take the best web films and show them on the full-sized screen at the De Uitkijk theater in Amsterdam. On the first Monday of each month a different program of internet shorts is screened, generally chosen based on a particular theme or topic. For its October launch, for example, Upload Cinema's theme was "Homemade Remakes." Since then, monthly topics have included "The Perfect Speech," "Video Gastronomique" and "The Best Web Videos of 2008," which is January's feature. The films included in each showing are chosen from among those members submit. Only members can view the films, and membership is limited to those who have been invited or who have entered a film that got accepted into a screening. Upload Cinema is sponsored by Amsterdam advertising agency Draftfcb.

We've already covered numerous examples of online phenomena entering the offline world, and Upload Cinema is another shining example. Want to undertake a similar effort of your own? First, see our sister site's OFF=ON briefing for more on the online-to-offline trend. Then, contact Upload Cinema, which says it has prepared a soup-to-nuts kit to help launch similar cinemas in other towns. Lights, camera... action! ;-) (Related: Pop-up drive-in movies — A being space for cinephiles.)

Website: www.uploadcinema.nl
Contact: info@uploadcinema.nl

Spotted by: Robert de Koning

Ultrapremium juices have graced our pages on several occasions before, including First Blush and its varietal grape blends. But while most merely tout their antioxidant benefits, a new juice brand called Embodi was designed specifically to mimic the healthful properties of red wine.

Launched this summer, Embodi bills itself as the only alcohol-free beverage that provides the full spectrum of antioxidants and polyphenols found in red wine. Its line of three juice blends are specially formulated with an extract made from the seeds, skins and stems of red wine grapes to deliver more than 400 of the polyphenols associated with red wine's health benefits. Particularly notable among those is resveratrol, which has been linked with longevity and muscle endurance. The quantities are significant, too: One bottle of Embodi delivers the health benefits of two glasses of wine, the company says. Embodi is available in three flavours—Tropical Revival, Berry Renewal and Citrus Resurgence—at Whole Foods markets throughout the United States. Suggested pricing for each 8-ounce aluminium bottle is USD 2.49.

A full 38 percent of Americans don't drink alcohol, the company notes, and clearly that figure is even higher in some parts of the world. No end in sight to the "juicy" opportunities! ;-)

Website: www.drinkembodi.com
Contact: www.drinkembodi.com/contact.php

Connecting air travellers has been an ongoing theme over the past two years or so, as KLM and others have set up social networks to help fellow flyers hook up. While KLM's first effort focused on frequent flyers in China and Africa, however, a new network from Air France-KLM aims to connect travellers anywhere in the world.

Bluenity allows members to meet other people travelling on Air France or KLM online, at the airport, aboard the plane or at their destination. Members can use the site to offer tips and make comments on a variety of travel-related topics, or they can search for fellow passengers on a particular trip and arrange to meet them, exchange destination information or share a taxi on arrival. Membership on the site is free.

Despite its claim that it is the first social network for travellers launched by an airline, Bluenity is reminiscent of British Airways' MetroTwin and GenFlyLounge, launched recently by Lufthansa. And with more general sites like Dopplr already out there as well, connecting passengers across airlines, it's also not clear whether a single-airline network will "fly," so to speak. Only time will tell—in the meantime, one to watch! (Related: Enhanced networking for business travellers — Sympvertising and secrets for business travellers.)

Website: www.bluenity.fr

Spotted by: Marie Sedefian

It's not unusual for a clothing brand to aim to be kind to the environment, such as by using sustainable materials, production methods and packaging, for example. A new line of clothing out of Northern Ireland, however, strives to inspire its wearers to be kind to others each time they wear its clothing.

The brainchild of Cameron, a self-proclaimed 18-year-old "nutter" from Northern Ireland, ARK is short for Acts of Random Kindness, which is just what the brand hopes its clothes will inspire customers to perform. The company sells a line of logo-emblazoned shirts for men and women, and each time a customer wears one it asks that they do something kind for someone else. Cameron explains: "The idea—one ARK every time the clothing is worn. That's it. Buy someone a coffee, give up your seat on the bus, help a drunk home. Any expensive ideas—send them my way, our profits could help." ARK shirts are priced at GBP 28 each.

In addition to spreading random acts of kindness, of course, ARK's shirts will also no doubt prove to be conversation starters, providing wearers with status stories to share with family and friends. Green-minded consumers have eco-iconic fashions to tell the world what they're about—finally there's a status symbol for those who aim to be kind! ;-)

Website: www.arkchangeyourworld.com
Contact: cameron@arkchangeyourworld.com

Spotted by: Chris Cupples

Hygiene-minded consumers who worry about the germs in public restrooms will soon be able to rest—or, at least, relieve themselves—more easily thanks to a new, premium line of toilet seat covers.

Ottawa-based Toletta bills its namesake product as the world's first premium brand of paper toilet seat covers. Tolettas are 20 percent larger and 42 percent thicker than competing alternatives, the company says, yet still flushable, biodegradable and safe in septic systems. They are also packaged with a dash of style in small, purse-sized travel packs containing 5 seat covers each. Tolettas are due to become available through select retailers in Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland and South Africa later this month, with prices ranging from USD 1.49 to USD 1.99 per package. Two colour choices will be available—pink or blue—and a percentage of the proceeds from each sale will go towards supporting an associated cause: breast cancer research for the pink versions, or child poverty awareness for the blue ones.

Dora Cardenas, Toletta's cofounder and VP of communications, explains: “The product concept came to me and my husband while we were trying to find small travel packs of disposable paper toilet seat covers to use ourselves. Not only was I shocked to learn that travel packs are hard to find, but the products we did find didn’t have any ounce of style or quality tissues. All the products we found looked and felt like something you would find in a camping supply store—not exactly something retail stores and supermarkets would be proud to carry on their shelves.”

So there you have it, once again: further proof that everything—yes, everything!—can be upgraded. What's your industry's version of the flimsy toilet seat cover? Time to put your premiumization hat on and make it better—before someone else does! ;-) (Related: Chic sanitary stop — Mobile loo locator — Luxury loos on location.)

Website: www.toletta.com
Contact: info@toletta.com

We're deviating from our regular schedule to bring you the best new business ideas spotted in the last 12 months—smart concepts that will continue to provide entrepreneurs with plenty of opportunities in 2009. The last of our 2008 selections features the most popular category on Springwise: food & beverage. Ten of our favourites from a long list of innovative ideas:

1. Graze — Healthy snacks, delivered by mail in serving sizes
2. Geschmackslabor — Taste lab restaurant lets customers add flavour to their meals
3. Honibe — Honey without the mess
4. Catch a Piece of Maine — Adopt a Maine lobster trap
5. Bin Ends — Wine tastings via Twitter
6. Tcho — Next-gen chocolate makers
7. Pink Flamingo Pizza — Balloon-enabled pizza picnic delivery
8. WineSide — Wine by the trial-sized tube
9. Morsels — Bakery focuses on bite-size treats
10. Sonntagmorgen — A customized cup of joe

Bonus | And three more that we just had to squeeze in:

• Kids Konserve — Reusable lunch kit for kids
• Volute — Single-serve wine flaunts its portability (and eco credentials)
• Eatbite — Mapping restaurants by photos of their dishes