The Banff Television Festival is Canada's premier international event for program makers and content creators in television and new media. Hundreds of television professionals from around the world will take part in this annual event, which celebrates excellence in international television programming and explores the issues, challenges, creative and business opportunities in the industry. The conference agenda will celebrate this anniversary with a special Salute to Canada as well as strands including the celebrated Banff Masters series, prize winning pitching competitions, plenary sessions, a multitude of networking opportunities as well as the traditional host of industry meetings surrounding the Festival. For more information, visit www.banff2004.com.

Darryl's Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival is an annual comedy short film festival. The festival is dedicated to all that is sleazy, sexy, dirty and wrong ... but fun. The festival looks for new entertaining shorts that are funny, sexy, campy, arty or outrageous. The event won't censor. For more information, visit hardliquorandporn.com.

The World of Comedy International Film Festival has put out a call for feature film and shorts entries for its third annual event in Toronto Feb. 9-13, 2005. In addition to the film competition, the 2004 festival will host a series of workshops and panels to foster the further development of those interested in comedy filmmaking.

The festival is looking for submissions for both features and shorts in the following categories: narrative, animation, mockumentary, experimental and documentaries about comedy and/or personalities involved in comedic filmmaking. The early deadline for submissions is September 30, 2004 and the final deadline is October 29, 2004. For further information go to www.worldcomedyfilmfest.com.

The World of Comedy International Film Festival is a non-profit organization created to celebrate the artistry and power of comedy films.

Canadian National Expo is Canada

The National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI) is hosting the NSI FilmExchange Canadian Film Festival. NSI FilmExchange Canadian Film Festival is the largest established film festival featuring 100% Canadian feature and short films. The festival showcases some of the best short and feature-length films, industry forums and master classes, parties and free screenings on SnowScreen -- an outdoor movie screen carved out of snow. Approximately 5,000 people attended the festival in 2004. The market-driven programs have led to employment for NSI graduates by giving them a competitive edge

Concept's annual science fiction and fantasy charity auction features donations from science fiction artists, animators and authors and media. Guest auctioneer Paul Bennett always guarantees a great time even if you just want to watch the show! Some donors this year include Atomic Cartoons, Jim Henson Company, Warner Bros. Television Animation, MGM, science fiction and fantasy artists Donato Giancola, David Cherry, Todd Lockwood, animator Stephan Martiniere and gaming and comic artist Ken Meyer, Jr., and comic artist Barry Windsoer-Smith. Proceeds help to pay for the annual not-for-profit convention and are shared equally with Summit School, which serves primary and secondary school children with developmental delays in the greater Montreal area.

Discreet invites local 3D creators to experience a free demonstration of the new features of its 3ds max 7 software. Jason Crosby, producer at Digital Dimension, will speak from 6:00 to 9:30 pm at the Bloor Cinema.

Located blocks away from Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, Digital Dimension specializes in 3D animation, motion graphics and visual effects for the film, television, and interactive industries. The company, founded in 1995, has earned a Visual Effects Society Award and four Emmy Awards. Digital Dimension recently produced more than 100 invisible effects for the New Line film, CELLULAR, and recently completed visual effects work on EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING.

To register, log on to www.discreet.com/events.

Discreet invites local 3D creators to experience a free demonstration of the new features of its 3ds max 7 software. Beno

Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children, presented by the Toronto International Film Festival Group, is considered one of the most important children's film festivals in the world. Sprockets, programmed for children and youth, 3-18, offers the best in contemporary Canadian and international children's cinema. In addition to two public weekends of programming, Sprockets also includes the hugely popular behind-the-scenes film workshops, and a week-long school program with support materials for teachers. Numerous awards are presented at the end of the festival. Further information and submission forms can be found on the official Website at www.bell.ca/sprockets.

The Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival, now in its 58th year, is the longest running festival of its kind in Canada. Over the years, the festival has garnered an esteemed reputation as one of the country's top film and video festivals; a reputation that attracts outstanding entries and personalities from across Canada. Established in 1947 as the Yorkton Film Council, the first festival was held in 1950, making it Canada's first Short Film & Video Festival. The very first Golden Sheaf Award was introduced in 1958 and was presented to the most outstanding film entry in the festival. The Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival has undergone many changes since the first festival and is now celebrating more than 56 years of great shorts and currently presents Golden Sheaf Awards in 17 genre categories, 10 craft awards categories, cash and specialty awards. The festival is held every spring and includes: Canada's Golden Sheaf Awards, mini cinema, workshops and social events. For more information contact the festival at 49 Smith Street East, Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada S3N 0H4; tel.: (306) 782-7077; fax: (306) 782-1550; e-mail: info@yorktonshortfilm.org; or Web: www.yorktonshortfilm.org.