Geographical Region: Europe

Elfriede Fischinger died quietly in her sleep at her home on Thursday, May13, 1999. She was born September 17, 1910, in Gelnhausen near Frankfurt,Germany. She attended the prestigious College of Design in Offenbach, andin 1931 one of her abstract textile designs won a prize and was publishedin a magazine as well as exhibited in Berlin, where she met her futurehusband, animator and painter Oskar Fischinger. They were married in 1933and she worked on many of his subsequent films. In 1936 they emigrated to

A BUG'S LIFE, a Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Pixar AnimationStudios film, has climbed to $358 million in worldwide box office receiptsto become one of the top-grossing animated films of all time. With itsdomestic gross of $163 million, the film has already become the fourthbiggest animated feature released in the United States (behind THE LIONKING, ALADDIN and TOY STORY). Internationally, A BUG'S LIFE has agross-to-date of $195 million and has set records in the United Kingdom,

The recently concluded Cartoons on the Bay festival in Poistano, Italy has announced its awards. The Golden Pulcinella for best character went to the Little Entertainment Co.'s BILLY, an animated British TV series for pre-schoolers about an infant daydreamer. The Golden Pulcinella for best program went to Folimage's CHARLIE'S CHRISTMAS, a French TV film about an abandoned child's friendship with a postman.

The California Sun Festival, which took place at California StateUniversity Northridge on April 10 - 11, handed out the following awards:

The Golden Sun (Best of the Festival) went to Hannes Rall, Germany, for"Der Rabe" (The Raven), an 8-minute film freely adapted from the poem "TheRaven" by Edgar Allen Poe.

The Silver Stars (Best in each Category) wentto:

Traditional Animation: Andrea Guaraldo, Italy, for "Soffioni"

Computer Animation: Heiko Lueg, Germany, for "Sandland"

David McCall, creator of Schoohouse Rock, died April 18th in a car accidentnear Kukes, Albania, along with his wife, Penny, and RefugeesInternational's European representative Yvette Pierpaoli and the car'sAlbanian driver. The McCalls were en route from Tirana to Kukes, theprimary reception point for Kosovar refugees. They were on a mission forRefugees International, the Washington, D.C.-based organization on whoseboard Mr. and Mrs. McCall served. Part of the mission was to explore

The 3rd edition of Switzerland's largest Animation Film FestivalFANTOCHE will be held from August 31 to September 5 1999.Deadline for the "International Competition" is June 15.

Registration forms will soon be available from the festivaloffice or directly from the website www.fantoche.ch. For furtherinformation as well as details about the supporting members association andoportunities for advertising and sponsoring, please contact the festivaloffice:

FANTOCHEOttikerstr. 53CH - 8006 Zürich

* Tuesday, April 27. Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.A.

Roberto Kritzia will give a free slide-lecture to promote the Glenn Vilppusketching tour of Italy which will take place in June and July. (See theGlenn Vilppu tours news item for more information about the tours.) The lecturetakes place at 7:30 pm at Travel Stop, 14011 Ventura Bl., West Bldg., Suite221, Sherman Oaks, California. Seating is limited. RSVP (818) 994-2402.

BOO WONG has been promoted to head the CGI Department atCurious Pictures, the bi-coastal, live-action, graphics, special effectsand animation studio, it was announced today by Executive Producer/Head ofProduction Richard Winkler. Wong, 33, succeeds Tammy Walters, who recentlyleft the company to pursue a career as a producer. In her new post, Wongwill be responsible for the overall operation of the CGI departmentincluding scheduling, media flow, resource management, evaluation and

Animator and performance artist Kathy Rose will be performing April 8, 1999in Paris at the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain. In her uniqueshow Ms. Rose performs her own dances in front of projections of her filmsShe will present an excerpt from "Oriental Interplay," "Syncopations," apiece called "Precious Metals," and three scenes from her new performance,"Kleopat'Ra," which begins its world tour this summer. TEL: (1) 42 18 5650; Address: 261 boulevard Raspail; Paris, France. More information:www.krose.com