AWN Headline News

Nicolas Gorse has been appointed distribution director for France and French-speaking Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg for TBS Europe. Gorse will be responsible for the distribution of all three Turner channels, CNN International, Cartoon Network and TCM (Turner Classic Movies). Previously, Gorse served as development and marketing director of SOFIRAD. "Nicolas has an excellent knowledge of marketing and distribution, as well as of the various satellite platforms and their specific offerings in France.

* Thursday, March 8 Friday, March 9, 2001. Chennai, India.

* September 2001. Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Early Submission Deadline: April 30, 2001

Final Entry Deadline: May 15, 2001

Swimming against the recent tidal wave of dotcom disasters, Heavy.com has announced a new US$3 million round of financing. In addition, Heavy has announced that David Pachter has been named president and COO. Prior to Heavy, Pachter served as senior VP of business development for Interactive Video Technologies, a streaming video solutions firm. "We feel extremely fortunate to have attracted a person of David's caliber," co-CEO David Carson said.

Image Entertainment is releasing a compilation of animated romantic tales from the National Film Board of Canada, which have either won or been nominated for the Academy Award. Hitting stores on February 27, 2001, BEST OF THE BEST: ROMANTIC TALES will feature Oscar winner David Fine and Alison Snowden's BOB'S BIRTHDAY, along with A CHAIRY TALE, GEORGE AND ROSEMARY, STRINGS, THE STREET, WALKING, PAS DE DEUX, THE ROMANCE OF TRANSPORTATION IN CANADA, THE DRAG and THE FAMILY THAT DWELT APART. The DVD will retail for US$24.99.

Manga Entertainment will release the entire STREET FIGHTER II series in a four DVD set. The first two volumes will be released on February 27, 2001, followed by the final two on March 27, 2001. The DVDs include seven episodes (volume 4 has eight), three language options English-dubbed, Japanese and Japanese with English subtitles - trailers and theme song remixes. In the series, while traveling the globe, Ken, Ryu and Chun Li search out the best fighters to compete against while honing their skills. The DVDs will retail for US$29.95 each.

Urban Vision Entertainment is set to release a special edition DVD of PET SHOP OF HORRORS on February 27, 2001. The film is a collection of four tales revolving around an exotic pet shop and its strange creatures each holding a tale of lost love, second chances and redemption. Toshio Hirata directed the film and the character design was done by VAMPIRE HUNTER D's Hisashi Abe. The DVD will feature audio commentary by English director and cast, deleted material and two language options English and Japanese. The DVD will sell for US$29.95.