PLATFORM International Animation Festival Launches in US

PLATFORM International Animation Festival Launches in US

Major New Animation Festival to Take Place June, 2007 in Portland, Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The PLATFORM International Animation Festival will debut June 25-30, 2007 in Portland, Oregon, it was announced today by Festival Founder and Director Irene Kotlarz. The new, boundary-breaking festival and competition will feature films, installations and exhibitions.

Looking to fill the need for a major animation event in the U.S., the PLATFORM International Animation Festival will be a literal platform for artists, innovation, debate and discussion as well as set the stage to explore new developments in animation. The Festival program will feature premieres and retrospectives, exclusive screenings, guest speakers, exhibitions, workshops with leading artists, parties and networking opportunities with industry insiders. The Festival is being solely sponsored by Cartoon Network.

"This is an important period for animation because the rapid growth of technology changes the possibilities of our craft every day," said Kotlarz, producer of animation projects and former director of animation festivals in Cambridge, Bristol and Cardiff in the UK. "We want animators to be able to find new answers and new opportunities with the best in the industry. Whether the animated submissions are created for theaters, cell phones or for the sides of buildings, if it is brilliant and innovative, we want to show it."

PLATFORM represents a brand new breed of festival. Along with being an international competition with cash prizes, the Festival will break boundaries into other art forms including comics, illustration, character and toy design, motion graphics, gallery art and live action cinema.

"In all the talk about this new platform and that new platform, no one is really talking about what makes good content for these areas, or how to grow a generation of creators for these platforms. That's why Cartoon Network is proud to be the sole sponsor of this important new international festival and competition. PLATFORM will serve as a special place where emerging artists and talents can learn, grow, be inspired and showcase their work," said Michael Ouweleen, Cartoon Network's Senior VP, Programming & Development.

The international competition is open to films under 40 minutes (with no minimum running time) and there is no entry fee. Renowned international judges will present awards in categories covering commercial and independent films, student animation and films for new platforms, including cell phones and the Internet. Rules stipulate that films must have premiered after January 1, 2005 to be eligible. In total, more than $50,000 will be awarded. The deadline to enter the competition is March 1, 2007.

For more information on the PLATFORM International Animation Festival, log onto www.platformfestival.com

About PLATFORM International Animation Festival

The PLATFORM International Animation Festival is a new animation festival in the United States. Founder and Director Irene Kotlarz created PLATFORM to establish an annual event for talented filmmakers to showcase their work, a place for audiences to see some of the most innovative animation films, and for all attendees to share in the unique camaraderie of the animation community. Kotlarz has directed animation festivals in Cambridge, Bristol and Cardiff in the UK. She is a well-known organizer and curator of animation events, an animation historian, and has been a consultant and producer for the BBC and Channel 4. She now lives in Los Angeles, the headquarters of the PLATFORM International Animation Festival.

About Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in nearly 91 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s ad-supported cable service offering the best in original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Overnight from 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.

Media Contact:

Shawn Smith
Rogers & Cowan (Domestic)
(310) 854-8187
snsmith@rogersandcowan.com

Dennis Dembia
Rogers & Cowan (International)
(310) 854-8114
ddembia@rogersandcowan.com

Source: PLATFORM International Animation Festival

CONTACT: Domestic, Shawn Smith of Rogers & Cowan, +1-310-854-8187,
snsmith@rogersandcowan.com, for PLATFORM International Animation Festival; or
International, Dennis Dembia of Rogers & Cowan, +1-310-854-8114,
ddembia@rogersandcowan.com, for PLATFORM International Animation Festival

Web site: http://cartoonnetwork.com/

Web site: http://www.platformfestival.com/

-------
Profile: intent