As a – temporary – last part of our overview of 3D in Belgium, we present the 3D Stereo Media Festival.

3D cinema production is booming right now. 2009 seems like a good year to launch a film festival entirely dedicated to 3D. Today, 150 films are in production.

The 2009 3D Stereo MEDIA Festival offers the public and image professionals a selection of the best films, feature and middle length, 15 in total. There will also be a short and feature film competition during the 4 days of the 3D festival. Three films per category were selected by the organising committee and will be presented to a jury. This international jury, chaired by Ben Stassen, will review the films and award one prize per category as well as one prize all categories confounded.
Parallel to this, a 3-day Festival of Technology will also be held in Liège. This festival will, among other things, present the following elements: a vast conference programme for professionals in the domains of image, cinema, television, sciences and technologies and communication. Internationally renowned specialists will be in Liège to comment and argue the current state of affairs. There will also be 3D film projections during these 3 days. Around 30 companies will exhibit their products and services. A 3D television studio will offer live spectacles, accompanied by satellite transmission. Finally, a popularisation exhibit is set up and animated by the House of Science of the University of Liège.
It is important to note that this event wants to marry the 'large public' and 'professional' approaches. It is indeed necessary that both come together and find a method satisfactory to everyone. The chief aim of 3D Stereo Media is therefore to make a point about ALL aspects of 3D. One of the festival's particularities is that it is set up on the crossroad between arts and technology. One of the sector's main challenges is to bring all parties together to dialogue.
Let's quickly cite the principal actors and promoters of this event: organisation by Eventis and Buena Onda Pictures (audiovisual 3D content) who are at the base of the e-mage technology cluster, the University of Liège and TWIST. With Ben Stassen, honorary president (director of the first 3D stereo animated film 'Fly me to the moon' and co-founder of nWaves Pictures), Jacques Verly, Professor at the University of Liège and President of the e-mage technology cluster). Among the financial and technical support are XDC, Victor Studio, nWave, NeuroTV, RTBF, Outside Broadcast, Barco, Binocle, XpanD, Spatial View.
www.3dmedia2009.com
Benoît RENSONNET