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Spotlight: AFI Fest

© Rachel Lindley

The American Film Institute is known worldwide as the leading organization for preserving the art of the moving image. It boasts a conservatory offering The Master of Fine Arts degree in Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting; a National Center for Film and Video Preservation, a Lifetime Achievement award for individuals and a site rich with information and entertainment for anyone interested in the digital media. The AFI site is number 1 on my list of top five websites to visit at the right.

November 1, 2001 sparked the opening of the American Film Institute’s 15th Film Festival in Hollywood Boulevard. The US premiere of Sony Picture’s Classics Czech film DARK BLUE WORLD opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The film, a box office hit at the Czech Republic, is a tale by Czech director Jan Sverak (KOLYA) about Czech pilots fleeing their homeland in WWII to join the British Air Force. The festival comes to a close November 11 with Marc Foster’s southern drama, MONSTER’S BALL, from Lion’s Gate Films. Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Heath Ledger and Sean Combs, the story centers around an embittered prison guard working on death row who begins an unlikely yet emotionally charged affair with the wife of a man he just executed.

AFI Fest in its 15th year is becoming the fastest growing film festivals in Los Angeles showcasing talent not only from the city of LA but also from around the world. Each year AFI Fest attracts more audiences of over 40,000 people to the historic theatres along Hollywood Boulevard. Since AFI Fest has started films such as LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, QUILLS, O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU, and YOU CAN COUNT ON ME have all premiered.

Since AFI FEST 2001 announced it's program in early October, six films have been put forward as their country's candidate for Foreign Language Oscar® Since AFI FEST 2001 announced it's program in early October, six films in selection have been put forward by as their country's candidate for Foreign Language Oscar® consideration: Czech Republic’s DARK BLUE WORLD, Germany’s THE EXPERIMENT, Denmark’s ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS, Norway’s ELLING, Bosnia’s NO MAN'S LAND and Belgium’s PAULINE & PAULETTE. More films are likely to be announced in the coming weeks as well.

AFI also presents the best of film through AFI LA International Film Festival in Los Angeles, The AFI National Theatre in Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and the annual AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor given for a career in film.