Imagina 2000 with FIFI (Festival International du Film de l'Internet) have opened their competition for animation created specifically for the Internet. The FIFI is the first festival dedicated to films made for the Web. As the major European meeting point for digital image professionals, Imagina 2000 will provide a solid forum for launching this joint competition. The deadline for submissions is December 15, 1999 and all entries must be accessible through a URL only. The award will be presented during the Imagina 2000 ceremony in Monaco (January 31 to February 2, 2000).

The 42nd International Leipzig
Festival for Documentary & Animated Films took place in Leipzig, Germany
from October 26 - October 31, 1999. 49 films from 13 counties were shown in
competition this year. The jury was comprised of Jayne Pilling (Great
Britain), Silke Parzich (Germany), and Andrei Zolotouchin (Russia). The
following awards were presented:


Goldene Taube, WHEN THE DAYS BREAKS by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Frobis,
Canada, 1999.


Silberne Taube, PINOCCHIO by Gianluci Toccafondo, Italy, 1999 and NIGHT OF

* Tuesday, November 16 - Thursday, November 18. London, England.

* Wednesday, November 24- Saturday, November 27, 1999. Valenciennes, France.


European Gathering of Young Digital Creation highlights the technologies of the future and purposes a realistic look at the jobs of tomorrow. The four day gathering will feature conferences, round table discussions, and screenings of the best digital work and three-dimensional films. The event is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Valenciennes in association with Supinfocom.

November is another packed, globe trotting issue as Animation World takes a
look at the exciting arena of animated feature films. Heikki Jokinen
reveals the health of the European feature market and its high hopes for
the future. Ilene Gannaway takes us inside the production of Sony
Imageworks' next wower, "Stuart Little." From story to technical
innovations, Ilene gives us the inside scoop on how Imageworks is turning a
CGI mouse, into one of the family. Andrew Osmond debates whether or not

DreamWorks SKG, the company behind "The Prince Of Egypt," and distributor
of PDI's "Antz," has expressed their pleasure with England-based Aardman
Animations' forthcoming feature "Chicken Run," by signing the Peter
Lord/David Sproxton/Nick Park company to a four feature deal. Set to be
released June 23, 2000 in the US, "Chicken Run" is a stop-motion animated
comedy feature about two chickens, Rocky and Ginger, and their attempt at a
"prisoner of war"-type escape from a farm in the 1950s. The film is

Los Angeles, California-based Iwerks Entertainment, which specializes in
high-tech entertainment systems, support services and film-based software
for Giant Screen, ride simulation and specialty venue attractions, recently
opened a sales and support office in London, England. The office, which is
located at 59 South Audley Street, will be led by John Schreiner, Vice
President, Managing Director for Europe. The company is in the midst of a
European growth period that has included the addition of Iwerks Extreme

Four hundred guests crowded the second floor theatre at the Chicago
Cultural Center, Sunday, October 24, for the 1999 Gala Awards Ceremony and
Closing Night Party of the 16th annual Chicago International Children's
Film Festival. The following awards for animated films were given out:


Children's Jury Prizes - Feature Films and Videos - Animation


1st Prize, KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS by Michel Ocelot (France)


2nd Prize, ANNE FRANK'S DIARY by Julian Wolff (France, Ireland, UK,
Netherlands)

The Tampere 30th International Short Film Festival takes place in Tampere,
Finland from March 8 - 12, 2000. Entry deadline is December 7, 1999. As the
biggest short film event in Northern Europe, the Tampere Festival features
80 screenings, a film market, and seminars. For more information contact:
Tampere International Short Film Festival, Box 305, FIN-33101, Tampere,
Finland; Tel. + 358-3-213 003; Fax: + 358-3-223 0121; or E-mail:
film.festival@tt.tampere.fi. Also visit www.tampere.fi/festival/film.

The 10th International Trickfilm Festival takes place in Stuttgart, Germany
from March 16 - 21, 2000. The entry deadline is December 1, 1999. The
International Competition will present the best animated productions from
the past two years. More than 500 films will be screened at the festival.
The Best of Animation includes a selection of the most interesting films in
the history of artistic, animated film. Young Animation is a competition
featuring animated films from schools and colleges. The festival will also

OLAF OLAFSSON has been named vice chairman of TIME WARNER DIGITAL MEDIA.
Olafsson's appointment becomes effective November 15. Olafsson will work
with Michael Pepe, president and chief operating officer of Time Warner
Digital Media, and the rest of the management team at Time Warner Digital
Media to continue developing strategic business plans for Time Warner's
diverse digital media businesses and identifying emerging growth
opportunities for the company in the digital realm. Olafsson joins Time

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY has completed the next stage in the development of
its international organization for Europe by naming six Disney veterans to
country management roles. The six executives will all become managing
director of six country groupings. CLAUS GYDESEN, 39, has been appointed
managing director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland and will continue to
be based in Munich. As head of Disney's video operations in these markets,
Gydesen established a direct-to-retailer operation that helped make Buena

The 22nd Cinanima International Animated Film Festival. Since 1977,
Cinanima has been promoting the international art of animation in Espinho,
a city located on the Northern coast of Portugal. The events takes place
Monday, November 8 - Sunday, November 14 in Esphino, Portugal. For more
information contact: Cinanima, Apartado 743, Rua 62-251, 4501 Espinho
Codex, Portugal; Tel. + (351) 2 734-4611, 734-1621; Fax: + (351) 2
734-6015; or E-mail: cinanima@mail.telepac.pt. Also visit
www.awn.com/cinanima.

Toronto-based Canuck Creations Inc. is in the final stages of production
on THE PRODIGAL SON, a futuristic look at an ancient Bible story. Canuck
produced the short from conceptual design to final color, combining 2D and
3D elements. The 24-minute film will be the main attraction for the youth
pavilion at World Expo 2000, which will take place in Germany. Other
features Canuck has worked on include THE STORY OF JOSEPH, the DreamWorks
direct-to-video sequel to the animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT,

Shepperton, England-based The Magic Camera Company has produced 92 digital
effect shots for the 19th James Bond film, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. One of
the effects sequences done by Magic involves Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and
Christmas (Denise Richards) hurtling through miles of unused oil pipeline
on board a service Rpig' (a trolley-like vehicle used to safety check the
inside of the pipeline) while chasing another one. Shooting the tunnel as a
miniature was not a viable option, so Magic Camera was given the task of

The sixth London Effects & Animation Festival (November 16 - 18, 1999) is a
three-day event celebrating outstanding achievement, previewing
ground-breaking technologies in computer generated animation and special
effects, and introducing participants to the very latest ideas, techniques
and tricks in this incredibly fast-moving business. An international cast
of speakers offer up-to-the minute briefings on their latest work and
technical developments. Over 1000 of Europe's leading creatives will be

Bill Plympton has updated his appearances page. In the next months, his
films will be appearing in various festivals and other events around the
world. Bill will be attending the events scheduled at the Columbus College
of Art and the Savannah Art Institute, as well as the Mystery and Noir Film
Festival and Campione Noir, both in Italy. Also, the storyboard of Bill's
next feature "Mutant Aliens!" -- expected in late 2000 -- is being released
as a comic book! The French version is already available at the

The second International Student Animation Festival of Ottawa (SAFO)
wrapped up on Sunday. The festival received an astonishing 745 entries,
from students, and, this year, first time filmmakers. 59 student films,
ranging from primary, secondary and post-secondary levels were screened.
The international jury, comprised of Suzanne Buchan (Switzerland), Eric
Darnell (USA), Peter Dougherty (USA/UK), George Griffin (USA), and Marcy
Page (Canada), awarded the Grand Prix, Best Film In Competition, to

Lucasfilm's STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE took in $16.5 million
last weekend (October 15 - 17), bringing its overseas gross to US$428
million, surpassing its domestic gross of US$426.8 million. The film opened
in France with US$11.02 million, the best ever opening in France for a US
film.

The Goethe-Institut is presenting a program featuring nine new animated
short films from Germany. In conjunction with this screening Academy
Award-winning visual effects specialist, Volker Engel, will be speaking.
The German-born animator will comment on the film selections and discuss
animation and special effects in general. Engel's credits include visual
effects work on GODZILLA and INDEPENDENCE DAY, for which he won the Oscar.
Films from Thomas Meyer-Hermann, Heinrich Sabl, Thomas Stellmach, Tyron