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Member LoginHDFEST Announces Groundbreaking High-Definition Event in Sydney, Australia
Sydney - May 2004
HDFEST, the world's only high-definition film festival, will launch its 2004 World Tour in Sydney, Australia May 22nd and 23rd. HDFEST's Sydney event will showcase films created using high-definition technology, all screenings will also be in HD format. High-Definition format is considered by many to be the future of cinema as evidenced by George Lucas' adopting the technology for Star Wars: Episode II and III. Other luminaries to adopt HD include Robert Rodriguez, James Cameron and Robert Altman.
HDFEST's "high-definition only" screenings May 23rd at the Chauvel Cinema will allow Sydney attendees the full experience of what high-definition and digital cinema currently have to offer audiences and will include films from Japan, Canada, UK and the US. HDFEST also seeks to encourage submissions of Australian high-definition films through its Sydney event. On Saturday May 22nd, three high-definition panels discussions will be held which will include industry professionals currently working with the medium. Admission to all HDFEST Sydney events are free of charge with pre-registration and are open to a general film-going audience as well as industry professionals.
HDFEST was created in 2000 as a film festival exclusively focused on high-definition technology. HDFEST's 2004 World Tour this year is taking place in Sydney, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Finland and London. Each year the festival presents the best new works created in high-definition formats including features, shorts, documentaries, animation, and music videos. A variety of awards are handed out to filmmakers recognizing various achievements in HD filmmaking. Panel discussions featuring industry experts are also an important part of HDFEST events. In Sydney, the three panel discussions to be presented at the Fox Studios Conference Room include "Post-Production & HD, what Filmmakers Need to Know," "Independent Digital Filmmaking," and "Special/Visual FX and HD."
Films to be presented in the HDFEST Sydney line-up include features, dramas, experimental and animation chosen from the HDFEST 2004 World Tour, all presentations are Australian Premieres. HDFEST Sydney Screenings to be presented include the UK sci-fi feature "Luminal" which recently won the award for Best Feature at the Rome International Film Festival. "Luminal" is set in a futuristic Paris and is based on a best-selling novel. The Japanese documentary piece "Manpukuji Sound Stage" features the music of Sarah Brightman, Yundi Li, and Jiang Xiao Qing will also be screened at HDFEST. HDFEST short films include "The Mexican Dream" which won the National Finalist for Narrative Short Film Category at the 30th Student Academy Awards, "A Soldier's Tunic" a short romantic period piece from the U.K., as well as an experimental short from Montreal, "Happiness is at arm's length but sometimes you find it at the bottom of a sea of sadness." Lastly the HD animation "Rex Steele: Nazi Smasher," also nominated for a Student Academy Award, will be making its Australian and HD premiere at HDFEST Sydney. More information about the films can be found at http://www.hdfest.com/sydney.htm.
Tickets to attend HDFEST Sydney's film festival screenings and panel discussions are free of charge with pre-registration. For information on how to obtain tickets, please visit http://www.hdfest.com/tickets.htm or email sydneytickets@hdfest.com. HDFEST's 2004 World Tour is presented by discreet; additional sponsors include Filmmaker Magazine, Digital Film Group, Digital Pictures, Film Threat, Production Update, ProductionHub, Widescreen Review, and Film and Video Magazine. Screenings on Sunday May 23rd will be held from 7pm-11pm at the Chauvel Cinema, Paddington Town Hall, corner of Oatley Road and Oxford Street. Panels Saturday May 22nd will be held at the Fox Studios Function Room at Driver Avenue, Moore Park, from 11am-2pm. For more information on HDFEST Sydney or the HDFEST 2004 World Tour, please visit www.hdfest.com.
About HDFEST
Since 2000, HDFEST "the world's only high-definition film festival" has been screening some of the world's finest High-Definition projects exclusively in HD format. HDFEST events also include panels and seminars on HD technology and digital cinema. www.hdfest.com
HDFEST Press release - 05-May-04 Contact HDFEST: press@hdfest.com