Founded in 1995, the Fantastik Film Festival (FFF) is an international film festival promoting films about imagination, films that are stretching the limits between dream and reality. Genres are: science fiction, fantasy & horror, and animation. Since 1998, FFF has been a member of the European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation, whose goal is to promote fantasy films in Europe. Competitions are held for both feature films and short films. Last year's winner in the feature film category was: "Tuvalu," by Veit Helmer, Germany. The films shown during the festival are divided into several series, the major one being the Premiere Series, featuring films that have not yet premiered in Sweden. The festival has expanded to include special screenings, seminars and exhibitions.

The 2001 SHORT ATTENTION SPAN Film and Video Festival
will be a touring event bringing two hours of two minute movies from around
the world. It will showcase the best of short animation, comedy, sci-fi,
documentary, poetry and more.

Festival locations and dates are:

PACIFIC NORTHWEST:

VANCOUVER B.C.,
The Blinding Light Cinema - August 3rd and 4th - 8:30 pm;
SEATTLE, WA,
911 Media Arts Center - August 9th and 10th - 8:00 pm;
PORTLAND OR,
Northwest Film Center - August 12th and 13th - 7:30 pm;
SAN FRANCISCO CA,
The Castro Theatre - August 17th -8:00 pm & 10:00 pm;
SAN RAFAEL CA,
The Rafael Film Center -August 18th - 7:00 and 9:15 pm;
OAKLAND CA,
The Parkway Theatre - August 19th - 9:00 pm;
BERKELEY CA,
The Jupiter Outdoor Cinema - August 20th - 9:00 pm
BERKELEY CA,
Fine Arts Cinema - October 26th and 27th - TBA.



SOUTHEAST:

ATLANTA GA,
The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center - August 24th - 8:00 pm;
ATHENS GA,
The Georgia Museum of Art - September 5th - 7:30 pm;
ATLANTA GA,
Cinefest Theatre- September 14th and 15th - 9:00 pm and Midnight;
ATHENS GA,
The Georgia Theater - September 18th - 10P:00 pm;
SAVANNAH GA,
Trustee

The Vancouver Film School (VFS) is holding a three hour presentation that includes detailed descriptions of their classical, 3D and Maya programs. Student works will be shown and portfolios will be reviewed. The presentation will be held at the Sheraton Pasadena Hotel, 303 East Cordova Street, Pasadena, on Saturday, August 11 from 2-4pm. The event will include refreshments and prizes. RSVP to rebecca@vfs.com or call 1-800-661-4101

Side Effects Software will host a free seminar at SIGGRAPH 2001 to address increasing worldwide demand for Houdini skills and Certified Houdini Trainers. The event will appeal to school staff with plans to expand their 3D animation offerings and trainers interested in augmenting their existing skill set to take advantage of employment opportunities. Ray Corbett, Training Supervisor at Digital Domain, will share his experience providing Houdini training at one of the world's leading effects companies and review job opportunities for Houdini users and trainers. Randy McCrimmon, Associate Director, 3D Animation, from the Academy of Art College, San Francisco, will discuss their successful Houdini program, and Richard Kidd, Certified Houdini Trainer, will speak about industry opportunities available as a freelance Houdini Trainer. This event provides a great opportunity to learn about Side Effects Software's support of educational institutions and trainers and to get details about the Houdini Trainer Certification Program, including requirements and how to apply. All seminar attendees will be eligible for a 50% discount on the introductory certification application fee should they choose to enroll. The event will take place on Sunday, August 12, 2001, noon to 12:45 pm at the Westin-Bonaventure Hotel (Downtown LA), San Jose Room. Reservations required.

DVContest is a contest on the Internet for digital films and animations. Winners in each of the three sections (Independent, Amateur and Animation) will win $5,000 each, while other cash awards will be given for entrants in the following categories: Drama,
Comedy,
Children,
Action/Adventure,
Horror/Science Fiction,
Adult,
and Documentary.

There is no entry fee. All entries must be in digital format.
Finalists will be announced on September 15, 2001.

The 44th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film helps shed light on two overlooked areas of film production -- animation and documentaries. The festival has become known for featuring many hybrid films called "animadocs." Besides the competition, the event holds special programs and retrospectives. Gold and Silver Dove prizes, with cash awards, will be handed out.

Telluride IndieFest is an international event that showcases the best independent films and screenplays in the world. All genres are acceptable and multiple entries are allowed. Screenplays should be no longer than 120 pages. Film and video entries are previewed on standard VHS NTSC video (no PAL format). Selected artists may screen their entries during the festival in either Beta SP, Digital Betacam SP or standard VHS. Entry fees vary according to material length and date of entry.

The Festival du cin

The DC Independent Film Festival (DCIFF) and Market works to fuse the production community by hosting filmmakers, distributors and sponsors and others from the film and telecommunication community in a yearly festival for the categories of features, documentaries and shorts. Hosted in Washington, DC, the DC Independent Film Festival & Market is an opportunity for local and national filmmakers to showcase their work.

Shorts in this all-animation program for grown-ups range from director Kathy Smith's "Indefinable Moods," an exploration of symbols and landscapes in nature that link to psychological hopes, fears and desires that exist in every culture to Hilary Wilder's stop-motion Rudolf the-red-nosed-reindeer redux "Everybody's Got Problems." This wildly inventive animated video re-edits the familiar characters from the 1964 special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" with overlayed audio from the Billy Wilder/Ray Milland classic "The Lost Weekend," resulting in an unlikely narrative in which the reindeer and elves at the North Pole grapple with the specter of alcoholism. The Saturday Morning Cartoons program screens one time only on Saturday, September 22 at 11AM at the Los Feliz Cinema.