Chris, you ask an good question - "Should festivals stop doing out of competition panorama screenings?" The nature of what is panorama has never been clearly defined. Is it "second best" or "best of the rest." I think festival directors and/or their selection committees program a festival like a curator designs an exhibition. One wants these screenings to create a general overview of what is current. So sometimes a film gets selected because it's timely or topical, rather than because it's excellent as a film. And sometimes a fine film just doesn't fit in at all. That's where the panorama does play a part. Perhaps giving the panorama some competition of its own (an audience choice award?) would acknowledge that rather than being "second best" these films really are the "best of the rest".

Gatekeeper is a bit much especially since beyond Ottawa and Holland (and even they have more than one person doing selection--contrary the myths you all love to spread)... all festival have a selection committee of at least 3 people. And this, of course, changes year by year. So to say that there is some firm, all-encomposing, never changing 'gatekeeper' is quite wrong. "And the gatekeeper becomes an obstacle the moment they are not an advocate of quality work (or the work you believe in)." ---that's a dangerous comment. How do you prove when this so-called gatekeeper (who, remember, doesnt really exist) has become an enemy of quality (only when they reject your work!?) but, access to the audience is not a privilege of festival directors. --Ottawa, for example, needs an audience as much as any other festival. And the fact that our entry numbers are rapidly increasing year by year and that our attendance levels all keep increasing... I'd be hard pressed to say that animators need festivals less and less (yes..of course..today..festivals are among a few other options..options that were not there 20 years ago). --point I'm making is that if people were/are so dissatisfied with programming at festivals, why on earth do they keep going, keep submitting? "When artists get together and decide for themselves what to program (i.e. annecy plus), the success of that experiment lays solely in the hands of a warm reception to the films!" ---and it doesnt for a festival programmer? You don't think I care what an audience thinks? You don't think I programme ---to a degree--with an audience in mind? --and what's with the 'artists' nonsense. Are selection committees not comprised of ARTISTS? I'm a writer. I've got 2 filmmakers who give me very strong and serious feedback about entries. Or...let's go to Annecy, Zagreb, Hiroshima etc... they all have selection committees. These committees are comprised of ARTISTS who decide for themselves what they want to show at the festival. How on earth is Annecy Plus different? "This can backfire drastically, if Annecy Plus had poor films, the filmmakers would have been held responsible. " --as they would be at ANY screening event. I would much rather be rejected by a festival director, than by the audience. ---I dunno..I think there's, again, a question of motivations or self-satisfaction at play. Do you want to give people a good meal or McDonalds? I understand that it's important to find an audience...naturally...of course... but does that mean that you start to compromise your work because you want to please an audience? That you alter your own natural vision (ie. that gut instinct) just cause you want to make a lot of people happy/sad? Some of you guys do test screenings..and I just don't get it. Sure..when I write something, I show it to friends/colleagues and get their feedback...but the advise is never based on what would or wouldnt please an audience. I've written books that will appeal to a large audience. I'm happy about that, but at the same time, I get so much more out of responses to stuff that's really in my voice... sure it doesnt reach as many people...but the responses are so much more intense and intimate... take this whole recent Pimp related stuff. I've taken it on the chin with this panorama etc... issue...but I dont regret it. Look at the intensity and passion of the discussions. And look..I don't write to provoke. I write what I feel (which might turn out to be wrong)... so it's really very satisfying in a way to see the emotional/thoughtful responses to these issues---issues that are very rarely discussed. Let me ask a big question here (if you're still reading): Should festivals stop doing out of competition panorama screenings? Chris

Reply to Sharon, I love your choice of words. "Gatekeeper" is exactly what festival directors (or selection juries) are. And the gatekeeper becomes an obstacle the moment they are not an advocate of quality work (or the work you believe in). Apparently, animators are depending on the gatekeepers less and less (although, a nice big festival that has already gathered the crowd helps!). but, access to the audience is not a privilege of festival directors. When artists get together and decide for themselves what to program (i.e. annecy plus), the success of that experiment lays solely in the hands of a warm reception to the films! This can backfire drastically, if Annecy Plus had poor films, the filmmakers would have been held responsible. I would much rather be rejected by a festival director, than by the audience.

People should do what they want to do, and I think these punk screenings are great. I would, however, like to point out the inherent logical dilemma in starting an out of competition screening because your film was selected for Panorama, an out of competition screening. I'd also add two and a half other things: 1) I believe the only way this can be settled is in the square circle -steel cage match, no holds barred. 2) Dilworth's film is the best I've seen all year. Insane and lovely. 2.5) The other film in discussion was too in-crowd sycophantic for my taste, and is examplary of the self-congratulatory, insular and back-slapping nature which plagues this artform. Selecting such a piece for competition, is a massive stroke of ego on the part of the committee, the same committee which chided Dilworth's film for its egotism. Ironies abound. -richard

Perfecly agree. I was there that night and can report a wonderfull atmosphere of a french spring night . A night spent with animation,nu and old friends and a couple of glass of good white wine. Another way to enjoy a screening in this great week of the year. Let´s keep it cool. Thanx a lot to the ones who made it possible and see you there next year. Cheers.

Hello Bill, My wife and I attended the Annecy Plus and we had a great time. It was a wonderful atmosphere- everyone standing around talking animation - and about the films at the Annecy Festival- a great buzz. The live music was very cool...a very nice touch. It had all the artistic feel a "PLUS" should have - AND the feel of a backyard barbeque. I especially like the part where the films were projected on a wall (and a piece of notepaper was strategically placed over a blemish on the surface). In some ways the PLUS is more relevant than the outdoor screenings during the week. The Annecy Festival itself was great! We really enjoyed ourselves and most of the screenings were terrific (this from an animation starved animator in Savannah). It was great to catch up with other folks in the industry. Annecy PLus was very special and we are looking forward to next year's redition. Thanks to Pat and Bill!

Before Annecy, I was told that Bill was organizing an Anti-Annecy/ or renegade screening. It was presented to me as though Bill was reacting against the selection at Annecy. I emailed Bill about it, but I didnt get a response. Only after Annecy did I learn that Anti-Annecy had been madeover as something more positive like Annecy-Plus. I have no problems at all with these 'free' screenings. We do them in Ottawa all the time (as George Griffin and Bill have said).. and usually they're of films which we rejected. What I didn't like about this Annecy idea was that it seemed to me that there was an agenda behind this particular screening and I, frankly, didn't like that. To go all the way to Annecy to present a programme that seemed to be critical in some way of that festival just seemed too much. Festivals get things wrong occasionally, but most of the time we get things right. We do our best...and the way I saw it...this was a group of filmmakers giving the finger to not just Annecy but festivals in general. About Panorama: Mostly, I guess, I was just pissed off that John Dilworth was being a dork. I still think he was...HOWEVER..I have since seen a certain Russian/US film that was accepted for Annecy's Panorama. This film is the most solopsistic piece of dung that I've encountered in a while. I was angry that I had to watch it for Ottawa..and I was even angrier when I learned that Annecy picked this film. For a time, I started to understand why some of these filmmakers might have been pissed off. I still don't like the idea of pulling a film from panorama... But hey...maybe I overreacted. Not the first time, aint the last. respectfully, Chris