The Montreal International Festival of New Cinema & New Media (FCMM) will screen 72 features, 93 shorts and 50 new media presentations in a celebration of cutting edge filmmaking. Besides the screenings the event will hold tributes and seminars including a salute to animators Mich

911 Media Arts presents an Animation Sensation Weekend to celebrate the opening of its new Hands-On Animation Lab (HAL). On Friday at 8 pm, the Animators' Social will screen "Animated Worlds," a collection of world class animation curated by the Northwest Film Center in Portland. The audience is invited to bring animated works on VHS for an open screening after the main program. On Saturday from 2 - 6 pm, Russian master animator Yuri Norstein will screen his acclaimed cut-out animated films, including TALE OF TALES and HEDGEHOG IN THE FOG, as well as scenes from THE OVERCOAT, the incredible animated film that he has been working on for over 20 years. After the screening, Norstein will present an intensive workshop to demonstrate his specialized technique of multi-plane, cut-out animation using the delicate paper puppets from his films. Seating is extremely limited for both events. Finally on Sunday at 6 pm, the official ribbon cutting and open house of the new Hands-On Animation Lab (HAL) will commence. Examples of animated works created by children and teens in 911 workshops will be showcased, and demonstrations of animation equipment will be given. Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist, David Horsey will also share his thoughts about the role of animation in the newspaper industry.

Yuri Norstein is coming to America and presenting his work-in-progress THE OVERCOAT. Following the screening, Norstein will discuss his work and answer questions from the audience. The event is sponsored by ASIFA Washington, D.C. and admission is US$10. The screening will start at 7 pm and run until 8:30. The proceeds will go toward the completion of the film. After the ASIFA screening Norstein will be at Borders Books, Music & Caf

Yuri Norstein will be presenting videos of his work, discussing his current projects and answering questions from the audience. The event will be in Russian and admission is US$10. The proceeds will go toward the completion of his work-in-progress THE OVERCOAT. The event will take place from 7 - 9 pm.

An evening of rare English-dubbed Japanese animated TV series of the 1960s that DIDN'T make it to America! Osamu Tezuka's BIG X, Toei's KEN THE WOLF BOY and Tatsunoko's SPACE ACE (aka RING-O) will be screened. Jerry Beck, Fred Patten and Fred Ladd (producer of the English language SPACE ACE) will introduce the screening. The event takes place at 7:30 pm. Admission for ASIFA members is US$2, non-members $5 and seating is limited.

Russian animator Yuri Norstein will be coming to American University. Norstein will show videos of his work at a class on the history of animation. The event is free to the public and it will take place from 8 - 9:30 pm.

The UCLA Film and Television Archive will be presenting an anime showcase entitled Anime A-Go-Go. A highlight of the program will be the U.S. premieres of two films on Halloween night. Opening the double bill will be an updated version of the original 1985 hit VAMPIRE HUNTER D, followed by the thriller BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, which was conceived by anime luminary Mamoru Oshii (GHOST IN THE SHELL). The eclectic mix of films includes UTENA: THE MOVIE, and episodes of ANGEL LINKS, TENAMONYA VOYAGERS, COWBOY BEBOP, JUBEI-CHAN THE NINJA GIRL and MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE 08TH MS TEAM. Tickets are available at the theater one hour before showtime. General admission is US$6, tickets for students and seniors are $4. Parking is available in Lot 3 for $6.

The Illinois Institute of Art-Schaumburg is conducting an evening of animation. The work of up and coming animators will be featured at this first annual festival of the animation arts. The premiere event will be held at The Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, Illinois from 6 - 9 pm. This juried event will showcase the work of current students and recent graduates. It will include multiple showings of animation programs, exhibitions of animation-related art and multimedia presentations. Admission is free, but an RSVP is requested.

Berkeley Breathed, author of the book EDWURD FUDWUPPER FIBBED BIG and director of the upcoming CGI adaptation, will be on hand at Storyopolis book store to sign books before the screening of the short. The new short film is produced by Storyopolis Productions and Nickelodeon Movies and is scheduled for a fall theatrical release. A surprise reader will be on hand to read the book to visitors. The short features the voice talents of John Cleese, Haley Joel Osment, Harry Shearer, Catherine O'Hara and Osment's sister Emily. Threshold Digital Research Labs used the new Messiah software to create the film. The screening is open for the public and starts at 11:30 am. Please RSVP to (310) 358-2512.

Glendale Community College proudly presents an evening with Chris Bailey, Kellie-Bea Cooper and Doug Cooper, creators of the new animated short MAJOR DAMAGE, about a monster-fighting superhero and Melvin, the little boy who is his #1 fan. The three filmmakers will be discussing independent animation production in the year 2000. Animation Oscar nominee Chris Bailey has been working in both feature and TV animation for the last 10 years. He has worked on traditional animation as well as computer animated characters, such as MIGHTY JOE YOUNG. Kellie-Bea Cooper, the former animation director for Jim Henson, is producing the short. Doug Cooper, who was one of the technical directors and F/X animators on DreamWorks' THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, is the computer graphics supervisor for the film. The event is free and will begin at 7 pm.