ASIFA-Hollywood is presenting Puppet Mania 2000, a gathering of Puppeteers of America's Pacific Southwest Region. The celebration features an international list of puppeteers including Sid Krofft, Velma Dawson of Howdy Doody fame, Ray Harryhausen and the puppeteers behind the scenes of such films and shows as MUPPETS TONIGHT, BEAKMAN'S WORLD, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, MEN IN BLACK and more. Running until August 19, 2000, the exhibition will showcase puppets from the outstanding collection of Alan Cook as well as many famous TV and film puppets. Events scheduled are: Sid and Marty Krofft and Stars; Tony Urbano and His Marionettes; Puppets, Puppets, Puppets: Tom Jensen The Wizard of Oz - Storybook Puppet Theater; Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale by Lewis Mahlmann & Company plus Puppet Mania 2K Cabaret; Puppetoon Film Festival with Bob Baker and a Special Appearance by Ray Harryhausen; Kevin Menegus and his Marionettes plus Three Little Kittens: The Mewsical; A Night of Puppet Maniacs; and Eugene Seregin and His Marionettes from Russia Plus Fable of the Fox - Los Titiriteros de Binefar from Spain. Tickets are available by phone or Internet through www.ticketweb.com or (800) 965-4827. Registration for Puppet Mania is required to participate in workshops and late-night events. The exhibition and outdoor performances are free.

Friday, July 28 - Saturday, August 26, 2000. Santa Monica & Pasadena, California, U.S.A.

Friday, August 25 - Thursday, August 31, 2000. San Diego, California, U.S.A.

Friday, September 1 - Saturday, December 16, 2000. West Hollywood, California, U.S.A.

Friday, September 1 - Saturday, November 18, 2000. La Jolla, California, U.S.A.

Friday, September 1 - Saturday, November 18, 2000. Riverside, California, U.S.A.

Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation comes to Southern California. The irreverent animation on this year's bill includes: MONKEY VS. ROBOT; COCO, THE JUNKIE PIMP 2; SCOUT'S HONOR; RADIOACTIVE CROTCH MAN 3; PUSSY DA RED NOSED REINDEER; THE HANGNAIL; WHEELCHAIR REBECCA; ANGRY KID; RICK & STEVE: THE HAPPIEST GAY COUPLE IN ALL THE WORLD; STINKY MONKEY; BEAT THE BRAT; FOR THE BIRDS (Pixar's new short); GHOST OF STEPHEN FOSTER; REJECTED (newest from BILLY'S BALLON director Don Hertzfeldt); MUTE & MOTORMOUTH in "Birth of Abomination;" SLOACHES FUN HOUSE and DEEP SYMPATHY. The festival runs only on Fridays and Saturdays in Santa Monica, Pasadena, West Hollywood, La Jolla and Riverside, but will run daily in San Diego. Director Don Hertzfeldt will be on hand at the La Jolla screening on September 15-16 to answer questions and sign autographs. Admission is free if you bring your parents. (Bringing a dwarf or wearing 8-inch heels or higher also qualifies.)

For more information on the Santa Monica screening contact Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex at Tel.: (310) 394-9741; for the Pasadena screening contact Laemmle's Colorado Theatre at Tel.: (626) 796-9704; for the West Hollywood screening contact Laemmle's Sunset Theatre at Tel.: (323) 848-3500; for the San Diego screening contact Ken Cinema at Tel.: (619) 283-5909; for the La Jolla screening contact the Museum of Contemporary Art at Tel.: (858) 454-0267; and for the Riverside screening contact CinemaStar University Villiage 10 at Tel.: (909) 777-FILM.

The Hollywood Film Festival is currently accepting entries for its 4th annual festival.
Both short and long-form animated films are being accepted for the animation
category. Foreign language films must have subtitles. Entry fee for animation shorts:
$35 per film.

Created 15 years ago, the Hiroshima Festival celebrates peace through the art of animation. This year's event will feature special programs on the work of Tadahito Mochinaga; Turkish animation; a screening of LOTUS LATERN; and a retrospective of Feodor Khitruk. Seminars on the creation of animation will be led by world-renowned artists B

The Silicon Pulp Animation Gallery will present Atomic Sushi, a major exhibition of artworks from Japanese animated films and TV series. The exhibition will include pre-production illustrations, storyboards, original hand-painted cels and backgrounds. A comprehensive catalogue covering the history, themes and artists will also be published to coincide with the exhibition. Also, the Dendy Cinemas are holding a "Japanime Festival" from Wednesday, September 6 - Sunday, September 10 as part of the Sydney Olympic Arts Festival. Silicon Pulp will exhibit original artworks from a selection of the films screened at the festival.

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)."

This unique event will spotlight new cutting-edge filmmaking talent from around the world, with a big focus on film schools and student filmmakers. There will be a series of screenings highlighting the work of the UK's major centers of filmmaking and a round-table discussion on "How To Promote Your Short Film To Maximum Effect." Films or videos made during or after June 1999 and up to 40 minutes in length are eligible for entry. All the films will be in competition.

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.

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