AWN Headline News

TOKYOPOP, in conjunction with Disney Publishing Worldwide and Pixar Animation Studios, will be releasing a Cine-Manga book based on THE INCREDIBLES in March 2005. Delivered in TOKYOPOP's Cine-Manga format, the book version will present the films plotline with vivid screen captures and manga-style word balloons.

A day after Disney/Pixar announced that CARS would be pushed back from November 2005 to June 2006 to maximize profitability, DreamWorks said it would now release SHREK 3 in May 2007 rather than November 2006.

13th Flashforward and the Flash Film FestivalSan Francisco, California, USAApril 6-8, 2005Deadline: January 10, 2005

Flashforward and the Flash Film Festival are the world's first and largest gathering of Flash users. The event has more than 70 confirmed speakers, which include digital and design visionaries Matthew Carter, legendary type designer; Stefan Sagmeister, renown graphic designer; Laurence Lessig, digital rights attorney; and Ze Frank, Website humorist and developer.

digifest is Canadas largest annual festival of digital art and design. In 2005, digifest goes wild! in exploring the increasingly potent intersections of digital technologies with wild (i.e. irrational or uncontrolled) forces, from the biological to the psychological to the socio-political and beyond.

HypeFest 2005 Hollywood, California, USAJuly 29-31, 2005Deadline: April 1, 2005

HypeFest sets out to link independent ideas with commercial creativity. Now in its third year, HypeFest will once again showcase original short-subject works from filmmakers around the world. The weekend-long event offers film screenings and nightly parties, complete with mixing and mingling opportunities. HypeFest also presents a screenplay competition, mentor sessions with industry experts and concludes its festivities with an awards show and closing night bash.

Karlskrona, Sweden-based GlobalFun AB has signed an agreement with SilverBirch Studios Inc., to publish and distribute SilverBirch's THE BLADE OF ZORRO branded game, based on the legendary Spanish Californian hero, el Zorro, "the Fox." GlobalFun will publish the title exclusively in specific markets worldwide, with a special emphasis on the North American, South American and European markets.

Pan-European film fund Eurimages has given 3.5 million ($4.7 million) to nine international co-productions in its December session, reports VARIETY. Three of the projects were animated, including Michel Ocelot's AZUR ET ASMAR, Philippe Leclerc's LA REINE SOLEIL and Victor Maldonado and Adrian Garcias NOCTURNA. Each animated feature received up to $780,000 each.

On Dec, 6, 2004, the Sundance Institute announced its lineup of short films for 2005. Out of 3,887 submissions, 82 flicks were chosen 10 of which are animated.

The animated shorts include:

9 (Director: Shane Acker)A BUCK'S WORTH (Director: Tatia Rosenthal)THE MEANING OF LIFE (Director: Don Hertzfeldt)MOTEL (Director: Thor Freudenthal)THE BIRTHDAY / Finland (Director: Kari Juusonen)FALLEN ART / Poland (Director: Tomek Baginski)IT'S LIKE THAT / Australia (Director: Southern Ladies Animation Group)