With the program finalized, the UTS: Sydney International Animation Festival's co-director has given you five great reasons to attend: 1. THE SPINE by Oscar-winner Chris Landreth (Canada), where the brittle, complex collection of personalities within a counseling group populate a 'family' which critiques the lop-sided gifts and sacrifices of an unusual couple. (Winner: "Best Of Fest" Melbourne International Animation Festival) This is an exclusive chance for Sydney audiences to see this film. 2. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, by Don Hertzfeldt (USA): Bill's life and family history are filled with bad luck, illness and tragedy. And humour! The latest animated wonder from the frenetic pen of one of the animation world's stars. (Winner: "Audience Award -- Best In Program" Melbourne International Animation Festival) 3. LIFE WITHOUT GABRIEL FERRI by Estonian master Priit Parn: experience a dramatic story about love, locked doors, a faceless thief, a wounded stork, a lost laptop and the O'Key sisters who turn out to be virtual prostitutes. The pinpoint of light in the distance may just prove to be that of an approaching happy ending. (Exclusive to UTS: SIAF 09) 4. CHAINSAW, by Dennis Tupicoff (Australia). Frank and Ava Gardener "star" in a chainsaw safety film, and love the rodeo. But now, ten years later... Romance is like a chainsaw: a very dangerous beast indeed. (Grand Prix-Oberhausen International Short Film Festival 2008; Grand Prix and Critics Prize-Huesca International Film Festival 2008; Nelvana Grand Prize and Best Narrative Short -- Ottawa International Animation festival; Finalist AFI and Dendy Awards) 5. Hear visiting guest Claire Kitson, former Commissioning Editor of Animation for the UK's Channel 4, as she presents some British gems and signs her latest book, BRITISH ANIMATION: THE CHANNEL 4 FACTOR. If that's not enough, visit www.siaf.uts.edu.au to see the full program.

Contra Captain James T. Kirk, it is imagination, rather than space, which will forever remain the final frontier. And it is the science fiction and fantasy genres where imagination stretches to the furthest outposts of this frontier and beyond.

It is not surprising that filmmakers have embraced these speculative genres since the dawn of motion pictures, pushing the boundaries of imagination along with cinematic techniques to transport us from darkened cinemas to places alien, but uncannily familiar; to strange other realms that reveal unexpected insights into our own.

The mission of Fantastic Planet Film Festival is to seek out and encourage bold speculative films that explore other imagined worlds, universes, and realities – new celluloid glimpses of alternative futures, pasts, and presents - and to showcase this fantastic cargo of cinema to audiences in Sydney, Australia.

With the rest of the festival’s crew, I eagerly await submissions to the inaugural Fantastic Planet: Sydney International Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Festival.

Dean Bertram PhD
Festival Director

 

Fantastic Planet, Sydney Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Festival announces the first six feature films of this year’s program.
 
Festival director Dr. Dean Bertram is sure that “Sydney film fans are going to go crazy for the festival’s line-up this year. It covers an amazing gamut of genre films. Audiences will see a dark twist on the Santa legend, machete-wielding vigilantes, out-of-this-world conspiracies, a love-mad evil genius bent on world annihilation, cyber-Shakespeare, and Greek zombies. And that’s just from the first half dozen films that we’re announcing!”

The six feature films, all of which are Australian premieres, are: Robert Rodriguez’s (director of Sin City, Spy Kids, Grindhouse) highly anticipated, no-holds barred MACHETE; the Finnish dark fantasy and internet buzz sensation RARE EXPORTS, Australian Sci-fi come Shakespearean comedy MORTAL FOOLS; The X-Files meets The Blair Witch Project in the mind-bending conspiracy mock-doc LUNOPOLIS; a megalomaniacal super villain uses his evil powers for love in I HEART DOOMSDAY; and a frenetic-paced, gore-filled, zombie comedy from Greece EVIL IN THE TIME OF HEROES.

“I’m really proud of the scope of this year’s films”, adds Bertram’s co-director Lisa Mitchell. “The festival is showcasing an international program that ranges from amazingly creative independent films made by young filmmakers, to spectacular blockbusters. And I’m looking particularly forward to the Q&As and filmmaking forums, where the festival’s audience gets to interact with visiting filmmakers.”

The second annual Fantastic Planet Film Festival runs from October 29 to November 5, 2010 at Dendy Newtown Cinema and other Sydney venues.  

The 2012 Byron Bay International Film Festival

FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE: 28/10/2011

REGULAR ENTRY DEADLINE: 28/09/2011

6th Byron Bay International Film Festival March 2nd to 11th 2012

For 10 days, the always beautiful Byron Bay will be the setting of the 2012 BBFF. The first place in Australia to see the sun, Byron Bay provides an exotically stunning backdrop for the festival, with world-class beaches only a short stroll from the venue. This is a one of a kind film festival and it's hard to imagine a better place for filmmakers to have the opportunity to present their work.

The world of animation and experimental film continues to expand. With the unstoppable evolution of technology new doors are continuing to open for the visually innovative. Embracing this progression, BBFF is an exciting avenue to showcase animated and experimental films in a world class environment. No longer among the fringe dwelling genres, they are now a significant part of the festivals broad program and are embraced by judges and audiences alike.

The BBFF's Best Animated Film Award could be where you are headed if your film is 2D, 3D, Flash, Stop motion, Claymation, Traditional or Machinima. Or does your film test the boundaries of conventional film making, or even trample all over them as it runs past without so much as a "how do you do?" Then maybe you could be in the running for the Best Experimental Film Award. You might even be up for both!

Byron Bay and the surrounding area is a place that holds certain ideals close to its heart: creativity and the arts; human rights, diversity and multiculturalism; the natural environment and environmental issues; indigenous culture; innovation; spirituality and healing; conscious thinking and positive living; music; humour; and surfing. We endeavour to show a range of films that reflect an understanding of these ideals. But that doesn't mean we are limited to these themes.

BBFF believes strongly in providing support for the independent filmmaker. Whether this is your first attempt at gaining exposure in film industry or you have been chipping away at it for many years, we want to give you a chance to make your mark. The films we showcase are viewed by a diverse, intelligent and most importantly open audience. While the judging panel has included some highly respected and well connect members of the Australian film industry. Including representative of top Australian distribution companies including Lionsgate, Dendy Films, Paramount Pictures, the ABC, World Movies Channel, Rialto Distribution, Accent Film, Palace Films and many more.  

There is a broad range of awards including Best Film, Documentary, Short Film, Drama, Cinematography, Surf Film, Environmental Film, Music Video, Best Young Australian Filmmaker (open to Australian Director’s and Producer’s under 25) among others. There is also a special award for best local film.  Filmmakers are encouraged to use the paperless entry system Withoutabox and further details can be found at www.bbff.com.au

Filmmaker Andy Mullins whose acclaimed short film Minnie Loves Junior had its Australian Premiere in Byron said “We have travelled all over the world with Minnie Loves Junior, and the program at Byron Bay was one of the best I have seen, let alone had the privilege of being a part of”.

The Byron Bay International Film Festival is open to films of all lengths and all genres. Films in competition must have been completed after Jan 1st 2009.  

 

"Tricky Women" is specifically dedicated to animation made by women. The international competition with the "Tricky Women Award of the City of Vienna" constitutes the main part of the festival. Country focuses, retrospectives, curated programs, lectures and discussions offer the chance to look at animated films from a theoretical as well as practical perspective. For more information, visit www.culture2culture.at.

The sixth edition of Tricky Women Animation Film Festival will take place in March 5-9, 2009. Tricky Women is dedicated exclusively to animation by women. Since 2007 it has been held annually in Vienna each March. The festival offers an international competition of animated short films created by female artists and produced in 2007 or 2008. The deadline for applications for the preliminary selection is November 14, 2008. Awards: Tricky Women Award of the City of Vienna worth 3,650 Euro 3-month scholarship in the artist-in-residence program of quartier21/MQ Synchro Film & Video Material Prize worth 1,500 Euro Hubert Sielecki Award worth 500 Euro (for Austrian animation) Audience Award The entry form is also available on our website www.trickywomen.at, where you can find more information about this year's festival and its awarded films: http://www.trickywomen.at/index.php?id=53&L=1. The film still is made by Klara Swantesson (SE), who designs the Tricky Women 09 Trailer.

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is an annual celebration of films, events and panels presented amidst idyllic Bahamian settings, with its awards presentation and closing night bash surrounded by the pools of sharks, colorful fish and stingrays nestled among the tropical beauty of the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, one of the festival's founding sponsors along with the Islands of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. BIFF showcased a slate of 60 narrative, documentary and short films over the festival's four days. The festival presents three juried competition categories; the "Spirit of Freedom" (both Narrative and Documentary sections) presented by Chopard, and the "New Visions" award going to the filmmaker in the Narrative section presented by Hard Rock Caf

Anima 2004 provides a showcase for the entire range of animation. The 100 plus films that are screened in the official selection, the original retrospectives, exhibitions, film lectures and workshops, events such as "La nuit anim

Futuranima, held as part of the Anima Festival, is a group of discussions and workshops centered on current trends and topics concerning animation and its many applications. Targeted mainly at young professionals and students, these four days focus on the future of animation. In setting up base at the Botanique, Futuranima intends to highlight several topics in particular: the current state of play in multimedia, storyboarding both in live-action feature filmmaking and animation, as well as in animation, relationships between comic strips, video games and animation. For more information visit www.awn.com/folioscope/gb.html.

The 30th Flanders International Film Festival has introduced a new policy to encourage quality film distribution in Benelux. Money attached to the festival

The Independent Arts Festival offers space to exhibit, show and perform any form of creativity especially those in the independent scene. The event is focused to up and coming young artists who have never exhibited their art before. The festival also invites international, independent and professional artists to share their artwork. The motto of the event is: "Art is not boring." The festival also wants to give attention to the comic and zine scene. The event will feature a reading corner where visitors will be able to read comics and zines, and give comic artists and zine publishers the possibility to come and show or sell their products. For more information visit www.sztuka-fabryka.be/festival/.