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Archive for the ‘World Festivals’ Category

Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival – January
France | Shorts
One of the largest and most important short film festivals worldwide. Renowned for its Short Film Market, programming, events and competitions.
www.clermont-filmfest.com
Clermont-Ferrand shorts on Film Network

Sundance Film Festival – January
USA (Utah) | Shorts & Features
Alongside Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Berlin it is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world and one of the best for establishing links in the US market.
www.sundance.org

Palm Springs International Film Festival – January
USA | Shorts & Features
This festival regularly attracts a strong filmmaking community. www.psfilmfest.org

International Film Festival Rotterdam – January/February
Netherlands | Shorts & Features
A highly-attended festival and Cinemart, the largest co-production market for film projects. Includes experimental and visual arts programmes.
www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com

Berlinale International Film Festival – February
Germany | Shorts & Features
Considered to be one of the top three festivals in the world, alongside Cannes and Venice. Holds the prestigious Golden Bear Awards.
www.berlinale.de

Tampere International Short Film Festival – March
Finland | Shorts
A highly-regarded shorts festival and market with a focus on promoting international and Finnish up-and-coming new talent.
www.tamperefilmfestival.fi

Tribeca Film Festival – April/May
USA (New York) | Shorts & Features
Founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, this festival has rapidly established itself as a major festival worldwide. It focuses upon New York filmmaking as well as upcoming international talent.
www.tribecafilm.com/festival

Cannes International Film Festival – May
France | Shorts & Features
One of the world’s oldest, most influential and glamorous festivals. The most prestigious award given out at Cannes is the Palme d’Or (“Golden Palm”) for the best film. If your short isn’t one of the lucky ones to make it into competition, there is always the Short Film Corner (www.shortfilmcorner.com), the short film market and meeting place.
www.festival-cannes.org NPA: Cannes Survival Guide 2007

Oberhausen International Short Film Festival – May
Germany | Shorts
The longest-standing short film festival in the world. The festival runs a number of competitions and has a prestigious market place.
www.kurzfilmtage.de

International Short Film Festival Hamburg – June
Germany | Shorts
Well-regarded short film festival that holds a number of competitions and awards including: an International Competition for new, high-quality short film productions and a competition for international No-Budget films made without public funding.
www.festival.shortfilm.com

Annecy International Animated Film Festival – June
France | Shorts & Features
One of the most popular festivals dedicated to animation. The festival includes categories for features, shorts, student films and films made for television, the internet and advertising. The festival also includes an international animated film market.
www.annecy.org

Capalbio Cinema Short Film Festival – June/July
Italy | Shorts
An international competition for films 15 minutes or less.
www.capalbiocinema.com

Vila do Conde International Short Film Festival – June/July
Portugal | Shorts & Features
An international festival of short films, with national and international competitions for fiction, documentary and animated shorts.This festival keeps a keen eye on, and showcases, emerging trends in cinema.
www.curtasmetragens.pt

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – July
Czech Republic | Shorts & Features
One of the most significant festivals in Central and Eastern Europe. It is also one of the oldest festivals in the world. Known for its feature film and documentary competitions.
www.kviff.com

Melbourne International Film Festival – July/August
Australia | Shorts & Features
The largest and most acclaimed film festival in Australia.
www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au

International Animation Festival – August
Japan (Hiroshima) | Animated Shorts
One of the four major International Animation Festivals (alongside Annecy, Ottawa, Zagreb). The biannual festival aims to promote animation within the Asia Pacific region.
www.urban.ne.jp/home/hiroanim

Venice Film Festival – September
Italy | Shorts & Features
The oldest film festival in the world and one of the most prestigious. Awards include: Leone d’Oro (Golden Lion) for best film and the Coppa Volpi (Volpi Cup) for best actor/actress. Participation can be dependent on invitation from the Biennale council.
www.labiennale.org/en/cinema

Toronto International Film Festival – September
Canada | Shorts & Features
An outstanding event on the festival circuit and one of the top festivals in the world. Regarded as a good festival for films to start their Oscar race.
www.torontointernationalfilmfestival.ca

Festival do Rio – Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival – September/October
Brazil | Features
Organisers describe it as “The largest and most charming film festival in Latin America”.
www.festivaldorio.com.br

New York Film Festival – September/October
USA | Shorts & Features
A highly selective festival featuring emerging and established filmmakers.
www.filmlinc.com/nyff/nyff.html

Corona Cork Film Festival – October
Ireland | Shorts & Features
This festival has been championing short films for over 50 years.
www.corkfilmfest.org

Zagreb Film Festival- October
Croatia | Shorts, Features & Documentary
Relatively new film festival which includes awards (called Golden Prams) and a market. During the Festival the Student Centre transforms into a hub of festival activities.
www.zagrebfilmfestival.com

Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival – November/December
Brazil | Shorts
Supporting short film both in Brazil and internationally.
www.curtacinema.com.br

Oktoberfest takes place from late September until early October.

All over the world,Oktoberfest is duplicated, paying homage Bavaria, the southern German state nestled in the Alps and Black Forest. What many people don’t know is that Oktoberfest actually started out as a royal wedding reception for Ludwig I.

Son of King king Maximilian I and Wilhelmine of Hessen-Darmstadt, Crown Prince Ludiwg (later Ludwig I) of Bavaria married Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. The wedding was an open inivation to all of Bavaria, drawing 40,000 guests (still small compared to the 6.4 million people who attend today). At the wedding reception, it is estimated that 40,000 chickens, 80,000 pork sausages and one million gallons of beer were served. The main attraction was a horse race, rather than the beer. Oktoberfest was such a wild success that the government decided to make it an annual event. In 1811 they held Oktoberfest in conjunction with the first state agricultural show, which was hoped to boost Bavaria’s agriculture.

Together, Ludwig and Therese had eight children. However, Ludwig was forced to abdicate his throne following the Revolution of 1848, in part because of his affair with dancer, Lola Montez. Even though his reign was cut short, the Oktoberfest would continue, interrupted only by war and disease, for nearly 200 years, to present day.

Oktoberfest is still held in the original place in Munich, Theresienwiese (which literally means Therese’s fields, named in honor of the royal bride). It runs for 16 days, starting the third weekend of September and ending on the first Sunday in October. People come to feast on authentic German cuisine, like sauerkraut, potato dumplings and bratwurst. Small beer stands have been replaced by giant brewery sponsored tents that hold up to 5000 people.

German immigrants brought Oktoberfest with them to America, and it is still a popular festival in areas with German populations, with Cincinnati, Ohio boasting the largest authentic Oktoberfest in the United States.

Walk from the city center or use one of the many forms of public transportation available in Munich: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, bus, tram, or taxi. Another possibility, if you’re coming from outside Munich, is to book an excursion through a local travel agency.

Munich’s Thalkirchen Camping Ground could be the cheapest place to stay with tents available for just a few euros. There’s a small supermarket on site, regular buses to the Wiesen and a 24-hour party ambience during Oktoberfest. It’s at Zentralländstr. 49, Munich.