Belgium hosts the 1st International 3D Stereo Film and Technology Festival – 3D Stereo MEDIA
The first edition of the "International 3D Stereo Film and Technology Festival," also called "3D Stereo MEDIA " was held in three cities in Belgium, organized at the initiative of the e-mage technology forum, the University of Liège (ULg), and TWIST (the Cluster of the "Technologies from Wallonia for image, sound, and text").
An important part of the “3D Stereo MEDIA” was the Festival of 3D Films during which cinemas in Liège, Brussels and Antwerp showed 21 3D films, providing the opportunity for the general public to discover this revolution of cinema; 17 of these films had never been shown before in Belgium.
Four short films and three feature films were in competition to win the three Crystal Awards. The jury was presided by Ben Stassen, well-known worldwide in the area of 3D films. The prize for the best short film was won by "Reminiscences" by Céline Tricart (France). The prize for the best feature film was won by the "Deer King" by Weijia Guo and Zhiyi Zhang (China), which is also the first Chinese 3D movie ever. And the prize awarded by the professionals present was won by the movie "Ollie & the Baked Halibut" by Kelly A. Williamson and Ricardo Curtis (USA).
In the 3D Technology Festival part of this event, more than 300 international professionals and experts from the area of three-dimensional (3D) imaging, met in the city of Liège, coming from about 20 countries including China , the USA , France , and Japan. During two and a half days,70 oral presentations were given by about 50 speakers originating from 13 countries. Some 15 posters presented in depth various scientific, mathematical, and technical issues of 3D stereo and about 30 exhibitors presented innovative solutions in the area of 3D stereo imaging, on all kinds of 3D visualization supports. Various prizes were awarded to artists and scientists of the world of 3D stereo.
The general public also had the opportunity to visit the exhibits, and discover the various types of 3D TVs. This public was also able to screen a variety of 3D movies (fiction, documentaries, etc). In addition, several times each day, a dance show was filmed and retransmitted in live 3D stereo, and shown on 3D TVs, as well as on the large screen of the main conference room.
During the Festival, Liège also hosted two “world firsts” in the field of 3D : the gala evening,co-presented by Belgian presenters Philippe Reynaert and Nic Balhazar was broadcast in 3D live with a real person and an avatar encrusted in synthetic decor, and before the award ceremony, Emmanuel Prévinaire, from the company FlyingCam from Liège, did a surprise showing, in 3D stereo, of the very first stereoscopic images taken just a few days earlier by one of its remote-control auto-stabilized helicopters.
The second edition of the 3D Stereo MEDIA has been announced for the end of 2010, and will also take place in Belgium.
Info : www.3dmedia2009.com
Print