Effective July 1, 2000, VanArts (Vancouver Institute of Media Arts) has received full accreditation status from the Private Post-Secondary Education Commission of British Columbia, Canada. This achievement gives the institute formal recognition for its high standard of excellence in operations and delivery of animation education. VanArts offers intensive one-year certificate programs in both classical and computer animation and a two-year diploma in commercial animation.

The live-action version of DAREDEVIL has swung from Columbia Pictures to find a new home at New Regency Pictures, however, writer-director Mark Steven Johnson is still attached to the project. Marvel Enterprises moved the project due to an Internet rights dispute with Columbia. New Regency’s Arnon Milchan and Marvel Studio’s Avi Arad are producing the flick. 20th Century Fox will distribute the film. DAREDEVIL follows the adventures of attorney Matt Murdock, who was blinded by an accident with a radioactive transport truck.

With GLADIATOR's global box office dominance slowly coming to an end, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 and GONE IN 60 SECONDS have gained top spots around the world. Grossing $804,785 and raising its Swedish cume to $1.16 million, 60 SECONDS finished atop the charts in its second weekend, knocking GLADIATOR down to second where it grossed $255,829. In its second weekend in Australia, 60 SECONDS stayed off newcomer PERFECT STORM to remain at #1. 60 SECONDS grossed $3.21 million and STORM managed $2.23 million in second place.

Sony Pictures Digital Studios president, Kenneth Williams, has been named the new CEO and president of Stan Lee Media. Subsequently, Stan Lee’s acting president and CEO, Devendra Mishra, will become the president of Stan Lee International, overseeing partnerships with multimedia companies around the world. Since 1997, Williams has overseen all activities at Sony Pictures Digital. In addition, Williams is one of the founders of Sony Pictures Imageworks, the Academy award-nominated digital effects and animation division of the company.

Bill Plympton has updated his appearances page. In the next months, "I Married a Strange Person" will be appearing at Hiroshima festival in Japan; "Walt Curtis, the Peckerneck Poet" will be appearing at the Outfest, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival; "Can't Drag Race With Jesus" will be appearing at Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, Anima Mundi festival in Brazil and Hiroshima. Bill Plympton will be appearing at the San Diego Comic Convention, as well as the Krok and Hiroshima Festivals.

British audience flocked to theatres to catch the first Aardman Animation feature CHICKEN RUN. In its British premiere, the clay character cavalcade racked up an amazing US$5.8 million. The fearless free-rangers knocked seven-week champion GLADITOR into second in the U.K. The Roman romp tallied up an additional $38.8 million in its international showings. The box office blood bath has brought in $165.8 million outside the U.S. Slipping for the U.S. top ten, Disney’s DINOSAUR, however, stomped over the competition in Brazil to the tune of $1.6 million.

Anima Mundi Web

is Brazil's international animation Web competition.

The festival has pre-selected 10 animations for the official

competition. Now, you can be part of the international cyber jury and

vote for your favorites. The jury consists of the people that have

registered on the Anima Mundi Festival Web site. The winners will be

announced on the closing night of the Anima Mundi Festival in Rio de

In the international box office, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 remained #1 in Australia by holding off newcomer DINOSAUR, while GLADIATOR gained the top spot in its debut in Japan. DreamWorks’ GLADIATOR claimed new territories in Japan, making $982,911 in its Japanese debut. Elsewhere, GLADIATOR remained at the top in Spain, the U.K., Brazil, Italy and Sweden. The Maximus money-maker grossed $1.89 million in Spain, advancing its three-week cume to $10.05 million.

* Sunday, July 23, 2000. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

* Friday, July 14 – Sunday, July 23, 2000. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Tuesday, July 26 – Sunday, July 30, 2000. São Paulo, Brazil.