»Watch out! Film stars in danger! Are virtual actors going to make Tom Hanks & Co unemployed?« - headline on a TV current affairs programme. On the other hand, would we really miss them? The films making up this year's bitfilmFestival have the answers. To find out more about the current state OV the art OV character design is just one OV the reasons not to miss these productions.

Every year since 1995, visitors to the Hamburg International Short Film Festival have been able to leave the analog world behind for a while and lose themselves in the world OV digital films. Since the mid-90s, a special programme OV films with the title »DigitalVideo« has been a regular programme OV the Short Film Festival. The aim originally was to provide a forum for the growing amount OV computer based films being produced. Five years later: to answer popular demand the digital short film was placed centre-stage at the 16th Hamburg International Short Film Festival in 2000, and - for the first time - it became one OV the main sections OV the festival. The Short Film Festival in 2000 also marked the beginning OV a cooperation with Bitfilm, the Internet station for digital film.

This year's bitfilmFestival OVfers you a chance once again to check out an inspired fusion OV high-performance processors, human creativity and illegally copied animation sOVtware on the big screen. The No Budget films in the programme are clear proOV that the results produced without High End equipment can be just as impressive as those produced with. The two programmes are packed with the best international films produced across the spectrum OV 3D, 2D, mixed media and Flash. Get ready for some uncompromising, high-resolution, 3D animation from Japan and multiple meetings with James Stewart.
Prepare to be amazed by the graceful choreography OV plane wreckage tumbling from the sky. And finally discover the truth about how all that stuff with the cows got started by some Flash animation from France. Indulge yourself in a trip to, through and around Budapest unlike anything you could ever come across in a Baedeker's guide book. Feed your creative paranoia by allowing »Object No.« to catapult you into the eye OV Big Brother. Learn more about about »Lense Flare Effect«, »Mirroring« and »Split Screen«. Cast your vote for the film you think should be awarded the prize money to the tune OV 3,000 DM. Switch to »play«...

More information at www.bitfilm.de

BITFILM FESTIVAL 1

Saturday, 2nd june 2001, 8.00 pm., Zeise 1
Wednesday, 6th june 2001, 10.30 pm., Zeise 1
Saturday, 9th june 2001, 3.00 pm., Zeise 2

1. Lovehotel
Linda Wallace, Australia 2000, 6'45 Min., Betacam SP, color, engl. OV, experimental
2. A‘Budapest
Camille Virolleaud, France 1998, 3'20 Min., S-VHS, color, no dialog, experimental
3. Aus
Skot, Austria 1998, 4'10 Min., Betacam SP, b/w, no dialog, experimental
4. Around
Martin Steinröder, Germany 2000, 9 Min., Betacam SP, color, no dialog, computeranimation
5. 1
Tanaka, Japan 2000, 2'10 Min.
6. Plaza
Martyn Pick, GB 2000, 6'30 Min., 35 mm, color, no dialog, computeranimation
7. Unterwerk
Daruisz Krzeczek, Austria 2000, 2'23 Min., Betacam SP, color, no dialog, experimental
8. For the Birds
Ralph Eggleston, USA 2000, 3'31 Min., 35 mm, color, no dialog, animation
9. INSIDEoUT
Therese Jacobsen/Erik Vang, Norway 2000, 2'15 Min., 35 mm, color, no dialog, experimental
10. J'Apparaîtrai Quand Tu Seras Tout Triste
François Vogel, France 1999, 3 Min., 35 mm, color, franz. OV, animation
11. n*ich eskalopp
Dirk Holzberg, Germany 1999, 4 Min., Betacam SP, b/w, no dialog, artistic shortfilm
12. Mobile V
Renate Oblak, Netherlands/Austria 2000, 3'26 Min., Betacam SP, Dolby Stereo, color & b/w, no dialog, computeranimation
13. If
Marcus Nascimento/Aggêo Simoes, Brasil 1998, 5'45 Min.
color, no dialog , computeranimation
14. Snowdown
Andrew Reid, Scotland 2000, 1'40 Min., Betacam SP, color, no dialog, animation
15. The Scientific Farm Strangelab
bechamel.com, France 2000, 1'08 Min., Flash Film, color, no dialog, computeranimation
16. Wege zur Qualität
Lisa Slates/Chitra Shiriam, USA , 4'07 Min.

BITFILM FESTIVAL 2

Monday, 4th june 2001, 5.30 pm., Zeise 1
Tuesday, 5th june 2001, 10.30 pm., Zeise 2
Saturday, 9th june 2001, 5.30 pm., Zeise 2

1. Until 5:30 am
David Ahuja, USA 2000, 9 Min., color, engl. OV, experimental
2. Active Passive Passage Conversation
J. Tobias Anderson, Sweden 2000, 2'04 Min., Betacam SP, color, engl. OV m. engl. UT, experimenteller animation
3. Blown Mind
Ido Vaginsky, Germany 2001, 01'00 Min., Flash Film, color, computeranimation
4. Couleur electronique
Thomas Mützel, Germany 2000, 5'30 Min., VHS PAL, no dialog, computeranimation
5. Le Foto dello Scandalo
Daniele Lunghini, Italie 2000, 6'20 Min., 35 mm, color & b/w, no dialog, animation
6. InMemoriam
Jorge Cosmen, Spain 1999, 4 Min., Betacam SP, color, no dialog, experimental
7. Object Number 34B.745C.14678z
Felix Raeithel, Germany 2001, 5 Min., color & b/w, no dialog,
computeranimation
8. Telling Lies
Simon Ellis, GB 2000, 4'10 Min., Betacam SP, color, englisch OV m. engl. U., animation
9. Revolution
Michiel van Bakel, Netherlands 2000, 3'33 Min., Betacam SP, no dialog, experimental
10. Jubilee Line
Tim Hope, GB 2000, 4'43 Min., Betacam SP, color & b/w, no dialog, computeranimation
11. Overfart
Ben Pointeker, Austria/Danmark 1999, 6 Min., Betacam SP, color, no dialog, experimental/computeranimation
12. Catap
Katja Schubert, Germany 2000, 4 Min., Betacam SP, color, no dialog, experimentel animation
13. Marlen Ditrich
S. Anashkin, Russia 2000, 0'44 Min., CD-Rom color, no dialog, computeranimation
14. E-Toro
Spain 2001, 1'47 Min., b/w, no dialog, Flash film/computeranimation
15. 4 Vertigo
Les LeVoque, USA 2001, 9 Min., VHS NTSC, color, no dialog, experimental
16. Gravity
Romek Delimatra, Ireland 1999, 3 Min., 35 mm, color, no dialog, animation