Anime Festival Orlando is excited to announce the exciting conclusion of "The Swords of Orlandia". "Swords of Orlandia" is the story behind AFO's Interactive Convention Experience. The talented writing staff has crafted an original story/game in which attendees can voluntarily participate all weekend long. Throughout the event there are "character cut scenes", side quests and plenty of leveling up that even casual fans of Live Action Role-playing will enjoy. "With the popularity of role playing games such as 'Kingdom Hearts', 'Final Fantasy' and 'World of Warcraft' we've found this theme to be an overwhelming success for the past two years," states event coordinator Karen Trudeau. This year, Anime Festival Orlando has the privilege to announce their guests of honor: Reuben Langdon, Vic Mignogna, Aaron Dismuke, Chris Sabat, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Sonny Strait, Doug Smith, Jason David Frank and Robert Axelrod. "One of things that makes AFO 'Florida's Favorite Anime Convention' is that many of our guests take an active role in our theming and events throughout the weekend," said Karen Trudeau. "We're really excited about the panels and workshops that have been suggested by the guests themselves." New events for Anime Festival Orlando 10 include Whack-a-Nerd for Charity and Wasabi Anime's Cross Play Rally Race. There will also be fan favorite events such as Happy Happy Cosplay Go Go Go and the traditional fare offered at anime conventions. AFO is a multi-day celebration of all things related to Japanese animation and pop culture held at the Wyndham Orlando Resort July 31, August 1 and August 2, 2009. Ticket prices are only $45.00 for an adult 3-day membership badge, $25.00 for a Friday or Sunday Only wristband and $30.00 for a Saturday Only wristband. Growing in attendance nearly 20% each year since its inception in 2000, Anime Festival Orlando has earned the title of "Florida's Favorite Anime Convention" as well as being voted one of the "Top 10 Things To Do In Orlando" by DK Publishing's Travel Guide. For more information about Anime Festival Orlando, please visit http://www.animefestivalorlando.com/

BAMcinematek celebrates 10 years of innovative film programming with the launch of BAMcinemaFEST, a new film festival featuring new independent films. A festival highlight, Shorts Sunday is an all-day program of 29 short films hand-picked by BAMcinematek curators. These shorts by international and Brooklyn-based filmmakers include animated, narrative, documentary, and experimental work by established and emerging artists. Each program features Q&As with a selection of the filmmakers.

Schedule:

Shorts Program 1 -- Animation: 12:30-2 p.m.
Shorts Program 2: 3:15-4:45 p.m.
Shorts Program 3: 6-7:30 p.m.
Shorts Program 4: 9-10:30 p.m.

Please join the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art -- MoCCA for an evening of dazzling cartoon slide shows featuring work from the critically-acclaimed comics anthology TYPHON Volume One on June 18 at 7 p.m.

This exclusive event is brought to you by TYPHON editor Danny Hellman and Carousel host R. Sikoryak.

A select group of TYPHON contributors will be on hand to present their strips, including:

Gregory Benton
Rupert Bottenberg
Victor "Bald Eagles" Cayro
Nick Gazin
Hawk Krall
Hugo
Pshaw
Hans Rickheit
plus Hellman and Sikoryak.

Come meet the artists whose cutting-edge artwork brings the pages of TYPHON to life! (For Mature Audiences, please)

594 Broadway (between Houston and Prince), suite 401, New York, NY 10012
Admission: $5 | Free for MoCCA Members

Saturday, June 13, noon to 10 pm Sunday, June 14, noon to 5 pm Saturday at 1 pm & 3 pm - Luminato Reel Grab a seat in our cinema and enjoy a 48-minute selection of award-winning animated short films celebrating literacy (all films are based on stories) - THE GIRL WHO HATED BOOKS, TZARITZA, I WANT A DOG, BLACKBERRY SUBWAY JAM, THE FRIENDS OF KWAN MING and OMA'S QUILT. FREE VIEWING on our digital viewing stations -- Try out our digital viewing stations to explore titles from the NFB collection. Animation Stations - Try your hand at various animation techniques including thaumatropes, painting on glass, paper cut out and 3D stop motion animation. The stations will be located in the Mediatheque among the DVDs. Scavenger Hunts - Discover important films from the NFB's 70 years of groundbreaking animation and socially relevant documentary through fun and challenging scavenger hunts. Create your own playlist - Watch films on our digital viewing stations and create your own playlist for others to see! Playlists will be on display in the NFB Mediatheque all weekend long. Discounts on DVDs from the NFB Collection. Cake and balloons all weekend long!

The Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan in collaboration with DC Anime Club Present screenings of 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND and VOICES OF A DISTANT STAR on Friday May 29, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. as part of inaugural showing for a film series based on both anime and manga. 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND is a 2007 Japanese animated feature film by Makoto Shinkai. The film was finished on January 22, 2007. The first part of the film was debuted on Yahoo! Japan as streaming video to Yahoo! Premium members in February 2007. On March 3, 2007, the full length featured film had its theatrical premiere at Cinema Rise in Shibuya, Tokyo. The film consists of three segments: CHERRY BLOSSOM, COSMONAUT and 5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND, totaling about an hour of runtime. As in Shinkai's previous works, Tenmon composes for this film's soundtrack. VOICES OF A DISTANT STAR is a Japanese anime OVA by Makoto Shinkai. It chronicles a long-distance relationship between a teenage couple who communicate by sending emails via their mobile phones across interstellar space. It was originally released to DVD on February 2, 2002, and has since been broadcast across Japan on the anime satellite television network, Animax. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. RSVP to jiccrsvpspring08@embjapan.org. Seating is limited and granted on a first come, first served basis. For more information, visit the Japanese Information and Culture Center website at http://www.us.embjapan.go.jp/jicc/ or visit the DC Anime Club website at http://dcanimeclub.org.

F5 is a new two-day creativity festival coming to New York City April 16 and 17. F5's eclectic lineup is built around "creative collisions" -- moments of lasting insight and inspiration that come from venturing outside your comfort zone and smashing into other ?elds. That's why F5's speakers include people like MSNBC's Rachel Maddow; photographer/?lmmaker Charlie White; game developers Media Molecule; science journalist Jonah Lehrer and alternate reality gaming guru Elan Lee. Of course, F5 will also host Stash favorites like Psyop, Shilo, Prologue, Digital Domain, Tronic, Digital Kitchen, 1st Ave Machine, Simon Robson, Dvein and others. In addition to a slew of inspirational speakers, F5 is also presenting the RE:PLAY ?lm festival -- a slate of original short-short ?lms created by some of the world's best talent. The RE:LAX bar at Roseland Ballroom will be in full effect, helping you lubricate yourself into the weekend. And Media Temple will cap everything off Friday evening with an epic after party. For more details and to buy tickets for F5, visit the F5 website: http://f5fest.com/.

Animabasauri5-Animabasque, Basauri-Bizkaia International Animated Film Festival's fifth edition will be held from March 20-27 in Basauri (Bizkaia). Numerous international feature and short films will take part in competitive and non-competitive sections and besides, a lot of activities will be organized such us animation workshops for adults and children, screenings for schools and other several events.

Thousands of children and their families are expected to gather at REDCAT for the 4th annual REDCAT International Children's Film Festival. An audience favorite, this year's festival looks to all corners of the globe to showcase 86 films from 25 different countries. Film lovers of all ages will be treated to an eye-opening journey around the globe and revel in a treasure trove of unforgettable stories. The festival will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from February 21 through March 8, 2009. Curated by Elizabeth Shepherd and in partnership with Northwest Film Forum, the three weekend programs include visionary animation, rip-roaring live action and a very special Nickelodeon Family Fun Day. 2009 marks the fourth iteration of the International Children's Film Festival and includes Los Angeles filmmaker Helen Hood's documentary JUMP! -- this year's special opening day feature film. JUMP! chronicles the journey of jump rope teams as they push their physical and psychological limits to reach the World Rope Skipping Competition. Also featured in this year's festival is a stunning feature-length debut from Chinese director Yalin Zou, titled THE RED JACKET. It is the story of a young girl who yearns for a new jacket that her family cannot afford. Set in the remote Miao Mountains of Southern China, Yalin Zou cast the villagers in his film, taking them and us on a suspenseful journey. Three decades of animation from Poland are celebrated with Witaj Polsko! This program of Poland's contribution to children's film includes groundbreaking puppet animation. Classic Jazz can be heard infusing Animated Genius: The Films of John and Faith Hubley. The duo broke from traditional styles of animation beginning in the 1950's and made films with a completely unique visual style and poetic sensibility featuring the music of Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Quincy Jones. On March 1, children and families will be treated to a special Nickelodeon Family Fun Day. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. will preview an advance screening of its highly anticipated series for 2009 and favorite costumed characters Dora the Explorer and Diego will be on-hand with give-aways for all the children. The REDCAT International Children's Film Festival is funded in part with generous support from Virginia and Austin Beutner and Nickelodeon. REDCAT, the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, is located at the corner of W. 2nd and S. Hope Streets, inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex (631 West 2nd Street; Los Angeles, 90012). Seating is general admission. Tickets are $5 per screening. Tickets may be purchased at the REDCAT box office, located at the corner of 2nd and Hope Streets, by calling 213.237.2800, or www.redcat.org.

Where does content marry technology in the chapel of creativity? In Vegas, home of Hubbub. Taking place January 8-11, 2009 during the week of the mega-popular Consumer Electronics Show, this is the festival where the most boss short animation in the world meets up with the finest and most advanced screening equipment. We'll showcase all kinds of animation, everything from family programs in the morning to adventurous and creative animation for grown-ups in the afternoons and evenings. Join us for Hubbub, taking place at the Brendan Theatres & IMAX at the hip Palms Hotel Resort -- and other exciting Vegas venues announced soon. If you would like to submit a film, send us an e-mail at lvanimation@gmail.com asking for an entry form.

The Anime After Dark film festival, launching October 18 in Boston, has officially opened ticket sales for their next tour date. The festival will be continuing Thanksgiving weekend at Monterey, California's Golden State Theatre. This second date will run as a three night event November 28-30 and will feature the addition of the Miyzaki classic, PRINCESS MONONOKE. The event will be hosted by Dekker Dreyer and Jessie Pridemore with voice actors Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Pratt.The addition of this festival date continues Anime After Dark's mission to bring great anime features to world-class theatrical venues. Buy tickets for the Monterey Anime After Dark film festival online at http://www.goldenstatetheatre.com/anime. Tickets for Boston Anime After Dark are still available online at http://www.animeafterdark.net, and offline at The Somerville Theatre and TokyoKid (Harvard Square).