CINEME’s marketing and public relations team writes in with an update on the CINEME International Animation Festival, IGDA Video Game Developers Summit and $20,000 AGP Halo Tournament. There is still just about enough time to submit entries for this year’s featival, though the submission deadline of August 1st is looming! The 2004 festival runs September 24 to September 26. Please read the full press release for more details:

CINEME INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
IGDA VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS SUMMIT
&
$20,000 CASH PRIZE HALO TOURNAMENT
ANNOUNCES SUBMISSION DEADLINES IN ALL CATEGORIES

Cineme International Animation Festival, the only 100% animated media & digital lifestyle festival in the US, invites local, national and international animators and digital media artists working in the genres of Film, Television, Commercial, VFX, Gaming, Web, Music, Architectural Design, Experimental and Educational to participate in this landmark competition held every year in Chicago, Illinois, September 24-26, 2004. This year the festival will be held at Kaleidoscope, Chicago’s premiere destination for events.

This year CINEME is bigger and better than ever with $25,000 in cash awards for the competitions, exclusive nightly parties, musical guests, world renowned speakers, premieres and a $20,000 cash prize Halo Tournament.

ATTENTION ENTRANTS: THERE IS STILL TIME TO SUBMIT.

Entries must be postmarked by August 1, 2004 for early consideration. The competition categories are as follow: Animated Feature Films; Animated Short Films (under 30 minutes); Animated Student Films; Animated First Films (commissioned or non-commissioned first work); Experimental (i.e., Claymation, stop-motion, etc.); Special Effects (Visual Effects Animation); Media (TV commercial animation); Music (Animated Music Videos & Best Score in an Animated Project); Television (Specials and Series); Web Animation ( Interface & Web Sequence); Gaming: Best Game Play & Best Animated Sequence. **new category: architecture**: Best Architectural Design: Professional & Student.

All CINEME finalists and winners will have the option to have their work broadcast on national television. In addition, the winning selections will be included on the CINEME 2004 DVD which has national distribution through Hollywood Video. “The Best of CINEME 2003” is currently available at your local Hollywood Video.

In addition to the film festival, CINEME 2004 is proud to present, in partnership with IGDA, the first IGDA MIDWEST VIDEO game developers summit featuring the leading gaming developers and execs from the top game companies.

For more information, entry forms, submission guidelines, or if you’d like to volunteer at CINEME 2004 log on to: www.cineme.org. Internships and college credit available to those who qualify.

CINEME’s mission is to foster the education, development and growth of the artistry of animation & the digital media lifestyle and to expand public appreciation of these burgeoning fields.

This year’s festival runs September 24 – September 26, 2004. Visit the CINEME website for details.