"Why Even Bother with a Film Festival?"First of all, a warning: most of the 300-plus "film festivals" in NorthAmerica are not really film festivals. They are screening events. Theyshow a few films and tapes in a less-than-excellent venue andgenerally do very little for your film. A lot of scams are out there too...One in NYC (we won't mention names here, but they are easy to checkon) attempts to charge the filmmaker anywhere between $300 and$3000 to "participate" in their so-called Independent F...

The French Academy des César has just launched the nomination process sending out to the voting some 45 DVD presenting the 2003 panorama of the French production.In the best foreign category Elephant voted Palme d’Or in Cannes was the only film to be offered in a self destructing DVD.The film will only be visible within the 48 hours following the opening of the sealed plastic cover.The ceremony takes place February 21st and will be transmitted live on Canal+ ...

The film line-up was announced today by Artistic Director Roger Durling for the 19th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which takes place January 30 - February 8, 2004. The 10-day festival will feature 3 World Premieres, 5 U.S. Premieres, a North American Premiere, a World Cinema section and a Latin Film Section as well as Sidebars featuring Women in Cinema, Musicals and Cult Classics.Previously announced, the SBIFF will present the Modern Master Award to Peter Jackson. The prog...

Thierry Frémaux, Artistic Director of the Festival de Cannes, has appointed the of the selection committee for Cannes 2004 and finalised the list of correspondents working abroad. Two separate committees will watch films in Paris, one committee for foreign films (which for about 70% of screenings) and another for French films. These committees have an advisory role, all final decisions being made by the Artistic Director. The Selection Committee for French FilmsGilles Lyon-Caen,...

The 21st Annual Miami International Film Festival showcases work by acclaimed filmmakers from around the world, between January 30th and February 8th, 2004. The Festival brings to Miami audiences new and exciting documentary and dramatic features, providing an opportunity to view films that may otherwise never reach Florida’s theatres. Sixty-three films from 34 countries will be offered in 2004, many of which have been submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Academy...

THE WINNERS OF THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS 2003 were announced December 6 in a celebration of European film uniting filmmakers, film fans and film students from across Europe for the 16th European Film Awards at Berlin's Arena. Absolute favorite in view of massive european box office success for a german film Good Bye Lenin took 4 home, much to the surprise of the director and Main actor Daniel Bruehl.4 awards include best eurpean film, best director, best actor, best actress.(What's missing Lenin?...

It wasn’t shown first at Cannes or Venice this year, instead Saraband , Ingmar Bergman’s latest film made for television, premiered on SVT1 - Sveriges Television on December 1. Television is where the film will stay, as Bergman refuses to allow it to be shown in movie theaters in Sweden. The reason why Saraband was not part of the lineup at Venice allegedly was because Bergman was unhappy with the technical quality of the HDTV but he claims it was never meant for the movie theater. ...

Oscar winners and Cannes Grand Jury [prize-winning shorts will be part of an outstanding international program of short films at the first-ever AEAF Short Film Festival on Sunday, December 7 at the Sydney Convention Centre, Darling Harbour. Along with some of the finest and funniest Australian short films produced in 2003, the films will screen to an opening night audience at the ninth annual Australian Effects & Animation Festival. A full program is online at www.dmw.com.au/html/short_film.htm...

River to River. Florence Indian Film FestivalFrom December 10-14, 2003 the third edition of the River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, the only European film festival entirely dedicated to cinema both from and about India, will arrive in Florence. The festival is organized by Luca Marziali and Selvaggia Velo of bdjMEDIA.Screenings will take place at the Spazio Uno Cinema in Via del Sole, 10, Florence - Italy. PRESS RELEASE N.3River to River. Florence Indian Film FestivalFrom December 10-1...

The Hubert Bals Fund is designed to bring remarkable or urgent feature films and feature length creative documentaries by innovative and talented filmmakers from developing countries closer to fulfillment. The HBF provides grants that often turn out to play a crucial role in enabling these filmmakers to realize their projects. In its Fall 2003 Selection Round, Hubert Bals Fund (HBF) of the International Film Festival Rotterdam grants a total of Euro 467,000 to twenty-eight non-Western film-maker...

The 25th edition of Nantes’ Festival des 3 Continents kicked off on the captivating tunes of rai, Algerian traditional music. Singer Abderrahman Djalti, also the star of one of the documentaries on show, Jamel Fezzaz’s La mélodie de l’espoir (Melody of Hope), unwrapped the opening ceremony singing a song usually performed during circumcision ceremonies.The quarter of a century anniversary of Nantes’ 3 Continents was introduced as an unexpected achievement for a festival that started sma...

Grand Slam winner Schultze Gets the Blues rides away with Stockholm Bronze Horse and BEST FIRST FEATURE Grand Slam at Stockholm Film Festival by Michael Schorr Michael Schorr's Schultze Gets the Blues rode away with the "Stockholm Bronze Horse" and Best First Feature Award at the 14th Stockholm International Film Festival, which ended November 23. Schorr's film won in two other categories: Best Actor, Horst Krause, and Best Screenplay. The story of a man who has spent his whole ...

FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL UK 2003Every November the French Film Festival UK provides a unique and eclectic close-up of film-making from , a wonderful opportunity to discover the genuine pulse of le cinéma français.With the 12th edition (Edinburgh Filmhouse, Glasgow Film Theatre, Aberdeen Belmont, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Stirling MacRobert, and an enhanced London presence at the Ciné Lumière and other venues) the festival looks set to provide yet another exceptionally strong line-up after ...

According to Screen International Toronto's Piers Handling will be stepping aside from programming duties while remaining CE. He is reported to be taking applications for co-director job probably looking at the Cannes duo winning strategy.In a recent interview he gave to Filmfestivals he was speaking of his programing directions.What kind of films screen at Toronto?I think Toronto has always been opened to every variety of film. Of course, popcorn movies don't always belong in a festival, but th...

It was a good market, with objective growth resulting in all the figures and indicators that confirm the success of an event directly related to the audiovisual industry. The 70th Mifed has just closed with undeniable positive figures: 5163 participants from 71 countries, with an increase of 15.8% over the 4457 participants from last year. There was also a 12% increase of visitors from Eastern Europe and +10% from Asian nations.244 direct and indirect exhibitors from 25 countries covered an 8541...