GIRAF, or the Giant Incandescent Resonating Animation Festival (est 2005), is an annual animation festival that runs each November at the Plaza Theatre in Calgary.  GIRAF celebrates the spirit of independent, underground, and experimental animation, showcasing Canadian animators and presenting diverse animations from around the globe. We’ve showcased the award winning independent work artists including Don Hertzfedlt, Bruce Bickford, Brandon Bloomaert, Barry Doupe, Cordell Barker, Richard Reeves, Chad Van Gaalan, Nick Fox-Geig, Amy Lockhart, Stu Hughes, Madi Piller, and Cam Christiansen, among many others.

GIRAF is committed to gaining greater awareness for animation as an art form. Through 5 days of interactive activities: workshops, artist talks, visiting artists, and animation screenings, our festival showcased over 80 animations in 2010 alone. We focus on presenting works that push boundaries through the development of new techniques, hybrid forms of creation, and challenging subject matter, and thus animation that is rarely seen at other festivals.

The modern age of digital filmmaking has flooded the market with tons of films, one seemingly indistinguishable from the next. The depth and breadth of horror fandom, combined with the rapid growth of independent filmmaking, have led to an explosion in indie films dealing with the terrifying, macabre, gory, and bizarre.

The Buried Alive Film Fest of Atlanta is your chance to prove your film’s worth. No matter if it’s feature-length or shortform, a slasher or a ghost story, a zombie flick or a horror comedy, a suspenseful thriller or a horror documentary, all films in this exciting and growing genre are welcome. Our staff and judges come from across the local horror community, and with their discerning eyes can truly decide what should remain buried and what should be unearthed.

7th French Film Panorama

One month - 25 new French Films - 15 directors and actors - 5 cities

The French Film Panorama will take place in China, travelling to Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu and Guangzhou, from April 1st to April 30th.

A selection of 25 recently released French films, 13 feature films and 12 short films, established in cooperation with SARFT (State Administration of Radio, Film and Television) will be presented to the public in the multiplexes of the 5 cities. The films will screen in French with Chinese subtitles and will be followed by Q&A sessions with the audience. 

A delegation of directors and artists will be travelling to China during the festival to introduce their film, conduct master classes and meet the press:

Mona Achache - director of "The Hedgedog"

Josiane Balasko - actress of "The Hedgedog", " Park Benches"                                     

Stéphane Brizé - director "Mademoiselle Chambon"                                                                                   

Ivan Calbérac - director "Alternate week (and half the vacation)"                                                                                             

Julie Lopes Curval - director "Hidden Diary"                                                                                                                        

Denis Dercourt - director "Tomorrow at Dawn"                                                                                                                    

Alice de Lencquesaing - actress "The father of my children"                                                                                    

Louis-Do de Lencquesaing - actor "The father of my children"                                                                                         

Emmanuel Mouret - director and actor "Please please me"                                                                                       

Vincent Perez - actor "Tomorrow at dawn"                                                                                                                 

Bruno Podalydès - director and actor "Park Benches"                                                                                         

Laurent Tirard - director "Little Nicholas"

The Panorama is made possible with the support of CNC, Ubifrance, Paris City Government, Air France, Fondation Gan, Groupama, LVT, Société Générale, Forte, Peugeot, Citroën, Chengdu experimental foreign languages school, Cinando, Studio Ciné Live, Broadway Cinema, Stellar Cinema Chengdu, Shanghai International Film Festival, Jinyizhujiang Movie Circuits, Movie Vane, Sofitel Wanda Chengdu, Sofitel Shanghai Hyland, Hotel G Beijing, the Garden Hotel Guangzhou, French Cultural Centre and Alliance Française, Art Genesis. 

Film List

Screenings will be held in French with Chinese subtitles

Feature Films

Alternate weeks (and half the vacation) directed by Ivan Calbérac

Eleonore's dream directed by Dominique Monféry

The father of my children directed by Mia Hansen-Love

The Hedgedog directed by Mona Achache

Hidden Diary directed by Julie Lopes Curval

L'homme de chevet directed by Alain Monne

In the beginning directed by Xavier Giannoli

Little Nicholas directed by Laurent Tirard

Mademoiselle Chambon directed by Stéphane Brizé

Park Benches directed by Bruno Podalydès

Please please me directed by Emmanuel Mouret

Tomorrow at dawn directed by Denis Dercourt

Welcome to the sticks directed by Dany Boon

Short Films

Program 1

7.57 am-pm directed by Simon Lelouch

Allons-y! Alonzo! directed by Camille Moulin-Dupré

The Holy Feast directed by Annelaure Daffis & Léo Marchand

L'homme qui dort directed by Inès Sedan

My name is Dominic directed by Nicolas Sihol

Self defense directed by Thomas Gayrard

Program 2

The Bed By the window directed by Michaël Barocas

French roast directed by Fabrice O.Joubert

The Little Dragon directed by Bruno Collet

Lost days office directed by Jean-François Fontanel

Masques directed by Jérôme Boulbès

The story of my life directed by Pierre Ferriere

Cinema Information:

In Beijing:

Broadway Cinemas, Broadway Cinematheque Moma, Star City cinema

In Shanghai:

To confirm

In Chengdu:

Stellar Xi Nan Yingdu 

In Wuhan:

Hongshan Auditorium

In Guangzhou:

Guangzhou Jin Yi International Cinema, China Plaza Theatre

For more information about the films and delegation please go to:

http://www.faguowenhua.com/public/presse