Banff Television Festival

For more than two decades content creators, broadcasters, journalists, writers, directors, and others involved in the business of television and online programs have come to Banff in June to take part in the Banff Television Festival, a conference noted for innovation, excellence, and opportunity.

As a showcase of innovation the Festival features lively sessions and debates about new media and the issues of convergence in addition to the latest trends in the world of conventional television. As a celebration of excellence, the Festival administers the Banff Rockie Awards competition for the world's best television programs and webcasts. Often dubbed "a marketplace of ideas and relationships", the Festival provides opportunities to strike production and co-production deals and make new business contacts beneath the inspiring Canadian Rocky Mountains.

BANFF2001, the 22nd annual Banff Television Festival, takes place June 10 -15, 2001 featuring more than 50 hours of workshops, plenary sessions, master classes, and other inventively formatted meetings designed to appeal to both the most sophisticated and experienced practitioners as well as emerging new players. This year will also feature a special "Focus on France" and "Focus on Asia". The signature workshop of the Festival is the International Market Simulation, which has been exported successfully to many other international television gatherings.

The Festival's annual celebrations of excellence include the presentation of our highest awards for exceptional creative and technical achievements. They are The Award of Excellence (Dick Wolf, 2000), The Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Network Award (Tracey Ullman, 2000), The Global Outstanding Achievement Award (SBS Television, Australia, 2000), and The Sonic Foundry Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (Philips Electronics, 2001).

The international Banff Rockie Awards program competition recognizes excellence in the following 14 categories: Animation, Arts Documentaries, Children's Programs, Comedy, Continuing Series, History & Biography, Information, Made-for-TV-Movies, Mini-Series, Performance, Popular Science & Natural History, Short Dramas, Social & Political Documentaries, and Sports. The 2001 competition features cash prizes totaling more than $100,000 and for the first time the eligibility of original webcasts within the category system. Deadline for competition entries is February 19, 2001.

The Banff Television Festival is produced by the Banff Television Foundation, the management group for the World Congress of Science Producers, the World Congress of History Producers, and the Alliance Atlantis Banff Television Executive Program. The Foundation's mission is to inspire innovation in content creation, celebrate excellence, and provide learning and business opportunities for creators and other industry professionals. For more information visit www.banff2001.com.

Banff Television Foundation Websites:

www.banff2001.com Banff Television Festival

www.scienceproducers.com World Congress of Science Producers

www.historyproducers.com World Congress of History Producers