ATHENS INTERNATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL FEATURES DIVERSE MIX OF MOVIES Contact Information ATHENS, Ohio -- The 26th annual Athens International Film and Video Festival will feature 90 competition films and 10 critically acclaimed feature films that promise to shock, provoke and amuse local audiences.

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The festival, which runs April 30 through May 7, includes everything from narrative and experimental films to documentaries and animated cartoons, said Associate Professor of Film Ruth Bradley, director of the Ohio University-based Athens Center for Film and Video, which sponsors the event. "It doesn't matter what your taste in film is, we've got something for you," Bradley said. "We try to bring films to town that people would not be able to see in Athens. This year we have a lot of international feature films from Europe, South America, Africa, Iran, Canada and Japan. The festival also provides an opportunity to see films that you won't see anywhere else." Guest artists scheduled to visit Athens during the festival include writer and director Bridgett Davis, video artist Steina Vasulka, documentary filmmaker Herb E. Smith and television and film director Nenad Puhovski. An independent filmmaker, Davis has gained international notoriety for her latest work, "Naked Acts," which tells the story of a young black actress who refuses to disrobe for the camera. She will present her work at 7 p.m. Friday, April 30, at the Athena Cinema. Puhovski, a Croatian director known for his film documentaries about social issues and art, will present his latest film "Graham and I: A True Story." The film is about the life of Graham Bamford, a British citizen who set himself on fire in an effort to change the attitude of the British government toward the war in former Yugoslavia. Puhovski's work will be shown at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 2, in The Ridges Auditorium. For something more unusual, video artist Vasulka plans to give an outside presentation of her work at The Ridges Auditorium, weather permitting, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 5. Using a computer, video equipment and a violin, Vasulka has created an experimental art form referred to as "violin power." As she plays the violin, Vasulka's bow strokes control a series of images that appear on a video screen. Smith, a documentary filmmaker known for his work on Appalachian life and culture, will present his latest film on the career of bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 6, in The Ridges Auditorium. The competition films and videos will take place at The Ridges Auditorium. The feature films will be shown at the Athena Cinema, 20 S. Court St. Admission to the evening screenings is $3 at The Ridges and $4 at the Athena. Passes for any six films or videos at either venue are available for $20. Other events include a special screening for youngsters ages 5 to 10 at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1, in The Ridges Auditorium. Admission for children is free, and they should be accompanied by an adult. Beginning at 7 p.m. May 4, audiences can see works submitted to the competition by local filmmakers. Admission is free, but the audience is asked to make a donation to help a former university film student living in Los Angeles who was brutally attacked last year. Among the feature films to be screened throughout the festival: "The General" is based on the story of Martin Cahill, a notorious Dublin gangster who masterminded a series of daring robberies in Ireland in the 1980s. Director John Boorman won the best director prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival. "PiSces D'Identit‚s" follows the journey of Mani Kongo, an aging Zairian king who travels to Belgium in search of his missing daughter. "The 24-hour Woman" stars Rosie Perez as a young successful television producer trying to balance her priorities as a professional, mother and spouse. "Central Station" is a Brazilian tale about a young boy whose mother is killed and is reluctantly befriended by Dora, a lonely and cynical woman played by Academy Award nominee Fernanda Montenegro. "Dr. Akagi" is a Japanese comedy about a doctor living in a seaside village during the closing months of World War II. "Children of Heaven" is an Iranian film that tells the story of two impoverished children. The film was among the Academy Award nominees for Best Foreign Film. The festival program, with complete schedules of screenings, is currently available at local businesses and at the Baker Center. For more information, contact the Athens Center for Film and Video at 593-1330 or visit the website at http://www.ohiou.edu/~filmfest/ [30] Contact: Ruth Bradley, Athens Center for Film and Video, (740) 593-1330