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

AnimeNext is an anime and manga convention that has branched into tech and video gaming. The event will feature voice acting guests, large dealers room, cosplay, a concert by Himawari, anime music video contest, dance, panels, workshops, manga room, game shows, 24-hour video rooms and videogaming. The guest of honor will be Takehiko Ito, creator of OUTLAW STAR. Workshops include sake tasting, cel painting, kimono workshop, drawing the manga way, shogi/go workshops and dubbing workshops. For more information contact Universal Animation at PO Box 1088, Pearl River, NY 10965, e-mail: info@animenext.org or Web: www.animenext.org.

Each year, the Chicago International Film Festival screens more than 100 feature films, nearly half of them making either its regional, national or in some cases world premiere. The International Feature Film Competition celebrates films from around the globe and awards prizes for Best Film, Best Director and Best Performances. The New Directors Competition honors the up-and-coming artists that are just making a name for themselves. The Special Presentations section of the festival is a non-competitive screening of films from around the world that have a powerful message to tell. Docufest, Short Subjects, World Animation and Student Productions competitions award $2,000 to the top winner and embraces forms of filmmaking that the mainstream tends to overlook. In addition, the festival celebrates diversity with its World Discoveries, Black Perspectives, Cinema of the Americas and Chicago

California State University, Northridge, is holding a Manga/Anime Lecture series. The events are free and open to the public. Lectures will be on Wednesdays 6:00

The 2nd eDIT/VES 2003: The European Festival for Production and Visual Effects is a congress of workshops, panels and talks by international experts and top creatives who will show where film is going in the 21st century and present the best visual effects from European feature films and current Hollywood productions. eDIT retains its well-tried structure of seven program blocks. Sponsored by Visual Effects Society (VES), the emphasis is content-oriented. The Art of Storytelling in the Digital Age is thus once again the focus of eDIT/VES 2003. This central theme speaks not only to the technical freaks, but also to all those working creatively in the film industry. eDward, the European film award for industry newcomers, will be presented during eDIT for the fourth time. All European filmmakers under 30 can enter a 30-second spot on the subject of

If you missed the SIGGRAPH Conference in San Diego this year, you're in luck! San Francisco SIGGRAPH is bringing some of the conference to you! San Francisco SIGGRAPH Presents: The SIGGRAPH Conference Encore and Volunteers Party When: Wednesday, September 24th, 2003 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm Where: The Art Institute of California, San Francisco 1170 Market Street (at U.N. Plaza) San Francisco, CA 94102 Main Tel. (415) 865-0198 Toll-Free Tel. (888) 493-3261 http://www.aisf.artinstitutes.edu/aboutUs_directions.asp Admission: Free (for members and non-members) RSVP - Please register at: http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=53447 Program: Join us for a SIGGRAPH Conference Encore followed by a Volunteer's Party with Screening excerpts from this year's Electronic Theater. Discover the newest cutting edge and over-the-edge computer graphics projects presented at this year's Ozone. Speakers Include: - Carlo Sequin: UCB Professor. and exhibiting sculptor - Shirley Shor: MFA candidate from SFSU in Conceptual and Information Art - Kevin Cain, Casondra Sobieralski: Digital projects in Greece and Egypt - Charles Ostman: Nanopioneer extraordinaire - Michael Mascucci: EZTV video artist And more! After the speaker presentation join us for a meet and greet time. Get Involved! If you have an interest in volunteering with the SF SIGGRAPH chapter, this is a great opportunity to find out what we're all about. Volunteering for a professional organization like SF S

The Asolo Art Film Festival presents 363 films representing 31 countries. The event is dedicated to highlighting the art of cinema and increasing the cultural role of Asolo. The Asolo Art Film Festival will take place in Asolo, at the Teatro E. Duse, and Montebelluna, at the Cinema Italia Eden. The organizing body, under the artistic direction of Anna Maria Cerrato, has set the end of July for listing the definitive selection of works to be admitted to the competition. For more information contact the festival at: tel.: +39 0423 520455, fax: +39 0423 951320, e-mail: ufficiostampa@asolofilmfestival.it or Web: www.asolofilmfestival.it.

The Toronto Animated Image Society is welcoming animators to show their animated films at our annual open screening. Everyone is welcome to show their work. Formats available will be 16mm, 35mm,Mini-DV, VHS, BETA and DVD. Beginning at 8:00 pm, the screening will take place at the NFB Mediatheque, 150 John Street. For more information call (416) 533-7889.

The FilmMakers

CINESCAPE magazine presents Mania Fest 2003 which will celebrate the work of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and anime screenwriters and filmmakers. This four-day event will applaud the efforts and imagination of those who push the boundaries between reality and fiction, whether with nightmarish visions or views of other worlds.

The screenplay and feature & short film competition offers $12,000 in cash and prizes. The screenplay entry fee is $45. The feature film and short film entry fees are $50 and $35 respectively. For all the rules and regulations please see our Website.