Cine-Clube de Avanca and the C

Rushes Post-production facility is hosting the second Rushes Soho Shorts Festival to showcase short film art. The festival screens 53 films in free screenings held in cafes, bars and cinemas across Soho. On August 3, the festival will hand out their awards. The five categories in this year's festival are: The Switch2.net Short Film Award for the best short film submitted by a professional filmmaker; The Sony ProMedia Newcomer Award; The Avid Softimage Titles & Idents Award; The Wam!Net Animated Short Award; and The Innovation TK Music Video Award. This year's list of judges include: Laurence Kaye (head of film, TV & multimedia, Universal Music Publishing Group), Eva Tarr Kirkhope (Metro Cinemas Ltd.), David Sin (director ICA Projects), Ken Ingles (director Film House, Edinburgh), Robert Campbell (Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe Y&R), Mike Cannaris (Mcasso Music), Dave Knight (Promo News), Trevor Beattie (TBWA), Adam Perry (Channel 5 Television), Gub Neal (head of Drama Channel 4 Television), Roger Shannon (BFI), Roger White (Music for Films), Patrick Uden (Uden Associates), John Hegarty (Bartle Bogle Hegarty), Ian Williamson & Jonathan Burley (HHCL), Clare Wilford and Bob Dorman (CGI Magazine). New to the festival this year will be a short filmmaking seminar held in conjunction with the New Producers Alliance on August 1. On-line screenings of selected films will air on Switch2.net.

The Crested Butte Reel Festival is a competitive short film festival with an animation, experimental and student category. The shorts must be under 40 minutes. There are cash awards, unusual "trophies" and industry exposure. The festival also presents filmmakers' panels and a director's workshop. Entry fees: regular entries, $30; student entries $20.

The Chicago Underground Film Festival is designed to showcase the defiantly independent filmmaker. The festival's mission is to promote films and videos that dissent radically in form, technique or content from the "indie" mainstream presenting works that challenge and transcend commercial expectations. The festival will award cash prizes to films and videos selected by the jury as best in these categories: Feature, Short, Documentary, Animation, Experimental, Audience Choice and "made in Chicago." The Chicago Underground Film Fund has been established to provide completion funds for films that are in keeping with the festival's defiantly independent and deliberately scandalous spirit. Recipients are awarded grants of US$500-$2,000 in cash and services. The festival screening committee will select the films and videos. Notification of entries making the festival will be before July 1, 2000. Screening dates and times will be announced by July 15.

Tuesday, September 5

Hollywood Shorts' 2nd Annual Animation Festival is holding a one-day festival to highlight animation shorts. Hollywood Shorts is a monthly short film festival that features shorts from the film festival circuit for the established Los Angeles film and television community. Submissions to the animation festival must be no longer than 20 minutes and sent in VHS/NTSC format for review. Both traditional and 3D animation is welcome. There is a US$10 entry fee and checks should be made out to "Kimberley Browning (HS)."

The 3rd Annual Golden Marble Awards will honor excellence in children's advertising. Judges include: Alice Germanetti, Sr. Partner Creative Director Ogilvy & Mather; John Barry, Creative Director J. Walter Thompson; Joe Bacal, Co-Chairman & Creative Director Griffin Bacal; Dave Shea, Sr. VP Creative Director Saatchi & Saatchi; Chris McKee, Chief Creative Officer The Geppetto Group and Doug Zarkin, VP GWhiz Youth Marketing. The Golden Marble Awards will be presented at a lunch ceremony as part of a 2-day conference on breakthrough marketing to kids entitled "Advertising to Kids." The television commercial product categories are Best Electronic/Video Game Commercial, Best Doll Commercial, Best Action Figure Commercial, Best Game Commercial, Best Creative Play Commercial, Best Toy Commercial-General, Best Breakfast Food Commercial, Best Snack Food Commercial, Best Beverage Commercial, Best Food Commercial-General, Best Clothing/Apparel/Accessories Commercial, Best Non-Food Packaged Good Commercial, Best Commercial for a Television Program, Home Video or Movie, Best Commercial for a Television Network or Programming Block and Best Entertainment Venue Commercial. Other awards include Best Cinema Advertising, Best On-line Advertising, Best Animation Company (Cel), Best Animation Company (SFX), Best Commercial Directed to Parents of Preschoolers, Best Overall Campaign and Best Public Service Advertising.

The 4th Annual Short Pictures International Film Festival (SPIFF) is a biennial event that showcases the best in short film. Categories include live-action fiction, animation, documentaries, spec commercials, and digital and experimental works (15 minutes or less). Past filmmakers' works have been selected by Cannes Film Festival, Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, HBO/Cinemax, Independent Features Channel and World Animation Celebration. In 1998, Corky Quakenbush's CLOPS III won the animation category. A portion of SPIFF's proceeds are donated to either domestic or international children's charities.

The National Film Board of Canada is holding an open house of their new facilities. The event gives the public a chance to meet the filmmakers and staff. The NFB will feature screenings, studio tours and receptions on Monday from 2-6 pm and on Tuesday from 10 am - 5 pm. Screening facilities will be available for visitors to screen their own work as well.

Objectif Image Saint Gely presents the 15th annual Saint Gely Short Film Festival. The festival's categories are documentary, fictional-dramatic, animation and experimental. Past festival chairmen have been Jean Pierre Mocky in 1998 and Claude Pinoteau in 1999.