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Former associate artistic director Eric Coates has been named as Blyth Festiâ€" val‘s new artistic director. "The prevalent North American attitude towards animation is that it is no more than sophisticated doodling, that animation is only suitable for children‘s programming, _ mature comedies like The Simpâ€" sons, or edgy material like Heavy Metal. We aim to change that," said Joseph C. Chen, curator for the WFAC. "Animation is simply a form of art. It is a medium for storytelling, just as comâ€" puterâ€"generated graphics and special effects are simâ€" ply art forms used for storyâ€" telling." The second Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema (WFAC), a film festival dedicated to animated feature films from around the world, will be held Nov. 6â€"7 at the Galaxy Cinemas in Conestoga Mall Blyth Festival appoints new artistic director Galaxy hosts annual Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema Chen suggests that pub "We are all absolutely delighted that Eric has accepted this position," said Carol Oriold, president of the board of directors of the Blyth Festival. "Not only do we have new creative and artistic leadership but we also have continuity and consistency as we seek to fulâ€" fil our mandate in this comâ€" munity." Coates replaces Anne Chislett, who elected not to renew her contract at the end of the current year, Oct. 31. "I am very much looking forward to accepting the challenge of leading one of Canada‘s finest summer theâ€" lic perceptions of animation are also shaped by prejuâ€" dices against some genres of anime â€" the Japanese animation that has rocketed in popularity in recent years, specifically pornograâ€" phy. "People can, and do, draw anything they want," Chen says. Four films will be screened at the WFAC. This year the films are all from Japan. Detailed information on each film can be found at http://www.wfac.ca. Palme no Ki (A Tree of Palme), 2001, 136 minutes, is an epic fantasy vaguely reminiscent of Pinocchio. A robot named Palme is given a mysterious artefact, and a mission to deliver it to an underground world. "People also draw deeply introspective works, majesâ€" tic spectacles, wonderful flights of fancy. We want to bring that to the public." www.theatreandcompany.org KTXE 519â€"571â€"0928 El SPAENAUR u6 Es ‘\“‘“sed ' - s theatre atre festivals into the future," said Coates, who was appointed associate artistic director of the Blyth Festival in 2001. He has been involved with the festival for several years as both an actor and director. Prior to that, he spent four seasons as an actor with the Stratford Festiâ€" val and has also appeared on the stages of many of Canaâ€" da‘s leading regional theâ€" atres, including The Grand, Neptune Theatre and Theâ€" atre New Brunswick. He has also appeared at the Studio Arena (Buffalo,NY), and Capâ€" ital Rep (Albany, NY). Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi _ (Spirited Away), 2001, 124 minutes, is the story of young Chihro and her family, who find what they believe to be an abandoned amusement park. Staying too long, they find themselves trapped in a witch world. Chihiro‘s parâ€" ents are turned into pigs, and to save them, Chihiro agrees to give up her memâ€" ories and her name, and to fend for herself in this strange world of spirits and gods. Winner of the coveted Golden Bear award at the Cowboy Behop: Tengoku no Tobira (Cowboy Behop: Knockin‘ on Heaven‘s Door), 2001, 120 minutes, looks at a group of bounty hunters who try to track down a merciless terrorist on Mars before he strikes again. Action, with style. Based on the anime television series of the same name. .\nte\\\gent, witty and we\\-wr\tten.." * the Calga) Herald ; THE RECORD In 2001 Eric Coates directâ€" ed Cruel Tears at the Blyth Festival, and in 2002 he directed The Drawer Boy as well as two community vignettes for The Outdoor Donnellys. He has also directed a number of workâ€" shops through the festival‘s New Play Development proâ€" gram. In addition to his work in theatre, Coates has also directed for CBC Radio. Coates will officially begin his tenure as artistic director on Nov. 1, although he and Chislett have been planning the 2003 season for several weeks. Tickets are $8 in advance for each screening ($10 at the door), and are available at Gemini Jetpack at 746â€"1527, the Princess Cinema at 885â€"2950, Steve‘s TV at 743â€"2001 in the video section,. orâ€" online at http://www.wfac.ca. A pass for the entire festival is also available for $30 in advance from the web site. Spriggan, 1998, 90 minâ€" utes, sees cybernetic agents battle one another for Noah‘s Ark, an immensely powerful relic of an ancient age. This visually splendid adventure is produced by Katsuhiro Otomo, the direcâ€" tor of the powerful 1988 masterpiece Akira. For more information, visit the website or eâ€"mail us at wfac@wfac.ca. prestigious Berlin Film Fesâ€" tival for Best Movie, this is the first animated film .to ever receive this honour, CKC