Russian Film Festivals in Preparation
The Franco/Belgian production Une Liason Pornographique will open this year's Socchi International Film Festival, unspooling between 7-17 June on Russia's Riviera. Program director Sergei Lavrentiev has also confirmed Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock and Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown for the main program. Organized by the Kinotavr organization, the showcase includes both the Open Russian Film Festival and an international selction of 19-features in competition. The competition is dominated by European and Asian cinema, with Indian director Mrinal Sen heading the jury. Meanwhile the 2000 Moscow International Film Festival has been confirmed for 19 - 29 July.
Moscow

Motovun Film Festival Adds New Sidebars
The organizers of the Motovun Film Festival have announced details of this year's program, which will run from 1-5 August. The festival, which is celebrating its second edition, will supplement its main programme of independent productions from around the world with a number of sidebars. They include a retrospective of new French cinema, selected by producers Antoine and Martine de Clermont Tonnerre; a selection of Croatian documentary films; Motovun Online, an inernational Internet festival of short feature films; and a selection of prize-winning films from other Croatian film festivals.

Lake Placid Gets Lively with a Film Festival
There is a distinctly literary feel to the first Annual Lake Placid Film Forum, set for 8-11 June in Lake Placid, New York. Organized by novelist Russell Banks, critic Kathleen Carroll and artist Naj Wikoff, the festival has secured the attendance of several East Coast film figures, ranging from writer/director Paul Schrader to execs Michael Barker (SPC) and Eamon Bowles, and writers Donald Westlake and Michael Ondaatje (novelist of The English Patient) among others. In addition to the screenings, there will be discussions on such issues as the screenwriter's role versus the director's, and the impact of digital technologies on film writing, production, and distribution.

Stockholm Intn'l Film Fest announces award
The festival will run from 9-19 November and announced that the undisputed queen of Hollywood film noir, American actress Lauren Bacall, will receive the Stockholm Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's event. The festival will include a program which will showcase some of the legendary actress's all-time greatest screen performances.

Berlinale Chief to be Selected by End of June
German state minister for culture and media affairs Michael Naumann told media in Cannes on Monday that the successor to Berlin Film Festival chief Moritz de Hadeln would be announced "by the end of June." Pressed on why de Hadeln's contract had not been renewed beyond 31 March 2001, Naumann replied that he did not want to go into reasons, because, by so doing, he would be maligning de Hadeln.
Naumann said he had explained the decision not to renew the contract in writing to Hadeln two weeks prior to the public announcement. He added that three or four candidates are being considered for the job. "It would be good if the new director spoke fluent German," said Naumann, in a thinly veiled dig at de Hadeln. He also indicated that, although the selection would be made by a committee, he himself would have the final say.
Berlin 2000

Jamerican Film and Music Festival
In Cannes many a festival are present seeking film fare or promoting their upcoming programs. Such was the case at the Man Ray Plage cocktail where festival director Sheryl Lee Ralph officially announced to the crowd that the Jamerican second edition is set for 15 - 19 November in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Festival presentation

Banff Mountain Film Festival
There are those festivals that would like to be present in Cannes, but unfortunately were unable to attend. The Banff Mountain Film Festival will be holding their 25th edition from 3 - 5 November and sent along this video preview.
Festival presentation

AFI Festival Director Announced at Cannes
The American Film Institute Los Angeles (AFI Fest) has arrived in Cannes with two new appointments to announce: Christian Gaines has been named director and Nancy Collet has been promoted to director of programming at the festival. Gaines' background includes stints at the Hawaii international Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival.
AFI Fest

India Festival: The Show Must Go In (In Autumn)
Malti Sahai, from India's Directorate of Film Festivals, has arrived in Cannes anxious to reassure old India hands that the International Film Festival of India, which has traditionally been held in the second and third weeks of January, has not been canceled, but has moved to October. The 2001 edition - the 32nd - will be held in Bangalore from 10-20 October. "It's almost exactly the same date as the old slot," said Sahai, "just nine months later."
India

Linch Clinches Palm Springs
Those visiting next year's Nortel Networks Palm Springs International Film Festival will find it has a new look, at least when it comes to the event's board of directors. Craig Prater, executive director at the next edition, announced in Cannes that the board has elected Fred Linch as the festival's new chairman. Linch immediately selected his slate of officers for the 2000-2002 term, naming Nancy Dolensek first vp, Ric Supple second vp, David Kaminsky secretary and Lee Weigel treasurer. Linch, a resident of another desert oasis, Phoenix Arizona, is being honored this year in Prague for his work with Central European film. In addition to his work within the film industry, Linch is also the president of The Linch Company in Phoenix, a manufacturer of office furniture.
Palm Springs

Nodance.com in Cannes 2000
Nodance.com Film & Multimedia Festival, the truly independent alternative to the famous Sundance film festival (both held annally in Park City) are screening DVD short films at Cannes to create a more vivid presence on the festival circuit. At this year's event, three of the short films were acquired by Atomfilms.com and recently signed a deal with Mediatrip.com. The group will present a selection of three feature and three short films for Cannes 2000 on May 15th-17th. The short films screening include Moses Vs Godzilla, A Clockwork Maury and The Blair Bitch Project. Press kits available through the American Pavilion or at 24 La Croisette.