Primarily known for its majestic steel bridges that lead into the city, its steel manufacturing plants, and its major sports teams, Pittsburgh will now be known as the home of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.'s (KDE) Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's TRADING CARD GAME United States 2009 National Championship. Hundreds of Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) Duelists will converge on Pittsburgh to prove that they are the best TCG players in the world. The road to the U.S. Nationals began in late April at the SHONEN JUMP Championship in Anaheim, California and then progressed through more than 76 Regional Qualifier and Dragon Duel events held around the country. In Pittsburgh, 900 aspiring champion Duelists will be battling to be named a U.S. National Champion, the top four finalists will be invited to compete in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship in Tokyo, August 8th and 9th. Live coverage of the U.S. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's TCG 2009 National Championship will be available online during the event at www.yugioh-com/en/events, for those who are not able to attend. Event information: Where: David L Lawrence Convention Center 1000 Ft. Duquesne Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 When: July 10-12 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Cost: Entry into the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG 2009 National Championship is FREE for Duelists who have qualified for the event through official KDE Regional Qualifiers, the KDE Anaheim SHONEN JUMP Championship, and KDE Dragon Duel tournaments; however there will be a cost for side events, participants will receive Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME booster packs equal to the cost of participation. Prizing information: -- 1st place - Travel and accommodations to Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship held in Tokyo, Japan; Trophy; "Dark End Dragon" Prize Card; Complete set of Raging Battle and a complete set of Ghost Rare cards from Tactical Evolution through Raging Battle; Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Japan; Nintendo DSi(TM) with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator World Championship 2009 game; 2009 National Championship Game Mat; Player Profile on Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG website; 2009 National Championship Card Binder; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards -- 2nd place - Travel and accommodations to Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship held in Tokyo, Japan; Trophy; Complete set of Raging Battle and a complete set of Ghost Rare cards from Tactical Evolution through Raging Battle; Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Japan; Nintendo DSi(TM) with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator World Championship 2009 game; 2009 National Championship Game Mat; Player Profile on Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG website; 2009 National Championship Card Binder; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards -- 3rd place - Travel and accommodations to Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship held in Tokyo, Japan; Trophy; Complete set of Raging Battle; Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Japan; 2009 National Championship Game Mat; Player Profile on Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG website; 2009 National Championship Card Binder; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards -- 4th place - Travel and accommodations to Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship held in Tokyo, Japan; Trophy; Complete set of Raging Battle; Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Japan; 2009 National Championship Game Mat; Player Profile on Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG website; 2009 National Championship Card Binder; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards -- 5th - 8th place - Trophy; Nintendo Wii(TM) Console with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Wheelie Breaker video game; 2009 National Championship Game Mat; 2009 National Championship Card Binder; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards -- 9th - 16th place - Nintendo DSi(TM) with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator World Championship 2009 video game; 2009 National Championship Game Mat; 2009 National Championship Card Binder; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards -- 17th - 32nd place - 2009 National Championship Game Mat; 2009 National Championship Card Binder; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards -- 33rd - Last place - 2009 National Championship Game Mat; Set of four Ultra Rare Token Cards KDE will offer 16-player Last Chance Regional Qualifier flights on Friday to give Duelists without invites the opportunity to qualify for the U.S. National Championship. Additionally, all weekend long, there will be exciting Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG side events which include Win-a-Mat tournaments, Team Dueling, Dragon Duel events and a Dragon Duel Championship Tournament for Duelists aged 12 and under.

Russian animator Yuri Norstein will be coming to American University. Norstein will show videos of his work at a class on the history of animation. The event is free to the public and it will take place from 8 - 9:30 pm.

Yuri Norstein is coming to Georgetown University. Norstein will talk about his life and work, in a program called "Animation & Me." The event is being sponsored by the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies. The event is free to the public and will take place from noon to 2 pm.

Yuri Norstein will be presenting videos of his work, discussing his current projects and answering questions from the audience. The event will be in Russian and admission is US$10. The proceeds will go toward the completion of his work-in-progress THE OVERCOAT. The event will take place from 7 - 9 pm.

A program of Yuri Norstein's films will screen during Annecy on June 9, 2005 at 10.30 am in the Espace 300 in the Bonlieu. The program includes 25TH -- THE FIRST DAY, BATTLE BY THE KERZHENETS, THE HERON AND THE CRANE, HEDGEHOG IN THE FOG, TALE OF TALES and a short introduction by Clare Kitson. After the show John Libbey and Kitson will be hosting a signing of their new book, YURI NORSTEIN AND TALE OF TALES: AN ANIMATOR'S JOUNREY at the Club des Partenaires.

Yuri Norstein is coming to America and presenting his work-in-progress THE OVERCOAT. Following the screening, Norstein will discuss his work and answer questions from the audience. The event is sponsored by ASIFA Washington, D.C. and admission is US$10. The screening will start at 7 pm and run until 8:30. The proceeds will go toward the completion of the film. After the ASIFA screening Norstein will be at Borders Books, Music & Caf

ASIFA-Hollywood presents a specially selected program of great traditional animated short films from the Zagreb Film studio ranging from 1965 to 2002 showcasing the range of talents and styles this innovative studio is best known for. Films include PASSING DAYS (1969), ALBUM (1983), DIARY (1974), FISHEYE (1980), EXCITING LOVE STORY (1989). Starting at 3:00 pm, the event will take place at The American Film Institute, Ted Ashley/Warner Bros. Screening Room, 2021 N. Western Ave. The screening is free for ASIFA members and $10 for non-members.

The World Festival of Animated Films, Zagreb 2002, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. For the occasion, the festival is inviting everybody to take part in a special poll for the best of the best animated shorts of the twentieth century. The three winners will receive a special recognition at the festival. Zagreb is a competitive festival. It is accepting all animation works completed in 2000 or after. Submissions can be sent on VHS tapes, but for screening a film print or a BETACAM SP PAL tape must be provided. Awards with cash prizes will be given as follows: grand prize, best first production, best student film, plus five special prizes and three special distinctions. Paul Driessen will receive the coveted Life Achievement Award.

Of the mighty ASIFA sanctioned festivals, Zagreb is perhaps the hidden gem that has survived through some terribly tough times and blows. Borivoj "Bordo" Dovnikovic supplies us with a history and look at Zagreb today.

http://www.awn.com/mag/issue5.03/5.03pages/bordozagreb.php3

Zagreb: 16th World Festival of Animated Films is an ASIFA sanctioned competitive festival. The festival was formed in 1969 to encouraging creativity, which eschews pre-set patterns and ideas/notions/conceptions, and finds new ways of exploring the possibilities of film animation. It is accepting all animation works completed in 2002 or after. Awards with cash prizes will be given as follows: grand prize, best first production, best student film, plus five special prizes and three special distinctions. For more information, visit http://www.animafest.hr.

Zagreb is perhaps the hidden gem that has survived through some terribly tough times and blows. Borivoj "Bordo" Dovnikovic supplies us with a history and look at Zagreb today. >Click here!

Zagreb: 17th World Festival of Animated Films is an ASIFA sanctioned competitive festival. The festival was formed in 1969 to encouraging creativity, which eschews pre-set patterns and ideas/notions/conceptions, and finds new ways of exploring the possibilities of film animation. Awards with cash prizes will be given as follows: grand prize, best first production, best student film, plus five special prizes and three special distinctions. For more information, visit www.animafest.hr.

Zagreb is perhaps the hidden gem that has survived through some terribly tough times and blows. Borivoj "Bordo" Dovnikovic supplies us with a history and look at Zagreb today. Click here!