Second annual Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival showcases films with inspiring and empowering messages

Toronto, August 4, 2006 – The second annual Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival is taking place in Toronto on October 27-29, 2006. Fantasy Worldwide is the first-of-its-kind festival to showcase a broad range of fantasy genres including: mythology, mysticism, science fiction, magical realism, fantasy (no horror), historical fiction, legend and archetype.

“We are excited to build on the success of last year’s inaugural festival and have the opportunity to, once again, deliver empowering stories that explore the mythological, emotional and legendary roots of our human experience,” says Johanna Kern, founder and executive director, Fantasy Worldwide Film Festival. “We are dedicated to bringing together a global community of filmmakers and filmgoers who love fantasy and science fiction films.”

More than twenty hours of feature films, shorts, animation and documentaries will be presented at the festival, which is taking place at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto. The films, which represent the various fantasy genres -- except horror -- will be chosen from submissions from all over the world.

Awards will be handed out in the following categories: Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best Animation Film, People’s Choice Award and Special Recognition for a Local Filmmaker.

Last year, the festival’s award-winning films included: Moongirl (from the award-winning director, Henry Selick; USA), which received the award for Best Animation; Kiss Me (Antonio Cunha Telles, Portugal), for Best Feature Film; Harry Clarke–Darkness in Light (John J. Doherty; Ireland), for Best Documentary; A Message from Outer Space (Roel Mondelaers & Raf Reyntjens; Belgium), for Best Short; and G.O.R.A. (Omer Faruk Sorak; Turkey), which received the People's Choice Award. Local (Toronto) filmmaker, Saide Kardar, was recognized for his short film As Long As Grass Grows.

A full version of the program will be available in September on the festival’s website at www.fantasyworldwide.com. Ticket information is also available online. For group ticket pre-sales, contact info@fantasyworldwide.com. For more details about Fantasy Worldwide, please visit the website.

Fantasy Worldwide is an independent, not-for-profit organization and the only film festival of its kind in the world to showcase a broad variety of fantasy (no horror) and science fiction genres.