Le fantastic newspaper of Gérômois
SOMMAIRE OF the NUMBER 41

The Picture poster : surprise, the tornado arrives

For those which do not know the picture poster yet, let's strive to describe it to you. The dark forests surrounding a red lake let come out one cyclone, in the center of which a red fire ball irrigates such an eye, a white bluring. In dark sky, a flash symbolizing a " 5 " bars, the infinite surrounded by planets which approach. The édition of 98 is going to be scorching.

Give me some place : I'm chocking...

The space "Tilleul", nerve centres of the demonstration lacked place. So this year you will be able to discover a user-friendliness reorganized with with in the entry Point " I " (information - reception - exposure on five years of festival). In the right wire, the General Police station, the greetings of the festival ones. In the left wire, the sécurity and especially one " billetterie " more fonctional and more important. Let us recall that, it will always be impossible to park its car in the vicinity. The acces is pédestrian.

Mad Movies: fantastic the national.

We discovered the newspaper Mad Movies, during the second edition. This national magazine teaches us all the belower parts from fantastic in France, but also in the world. Not easy understand, because the fantastic is sometimes a business of specialists, but we take delight in reading the acid chronicles of journalists. And we quivers by reading some good papers on films " hard " and " gore " that we won't dare to go to see, of fear of losing the reason. But it's a essential bible to walk in the tortuous meanders of a world which exceed us to reserve in its bookseller every two months.

The ticket Billet of the Président

On November, it's traditionally the startup of the festival. That always starts with a press conference, led in duet by the Public Cinema System and the Association of fantastic film of Gerardmer. This year, we had made a point of associating the partners of the festival. One Friday November 7 which will be to mark with a white stone symbolizing the solid foundations of an event which will reach his five years of existence.

After the success of " Scream " on the national screens, what we hoped since the first day is finally arrived, with the modification of the appellation of the festival in " Festival of Gérardmer-Fantastic'Arts ". That can seem not very important. We thought the opposite and the future will say, if we are right. Remain now to patiently await for the list of the festival which would increase since the first days of December. But the wait isn't it fantastic ?

Seventh of November: summit meating.

Journalists, members of the association of the festival, the Public Cinema System , the General coordination and of course the partners met on Friday November 7, in the living rooms of the " Great Hotel " to relate to baptismal funds the new edition of the Festival of Gérardmer-Fantastic'Arts. One hundred thirty people were present for this important work meeting. No great names announced yet, but already the participation of Bernard Werber in the jury (autor of Saga on the ants) and a homage to Godzilla (what should ravish the lovers of the Japanese mode of fantastic). Lionel Chouchan made its " publical repentance" by acknowledging that; he musn't be vexed with him because he had a serious handicap : he never recognizes the people. On the other hand, he confirmed that he know how much work and engagement provided by each one were importants ".

A Short metric area turned during the festival

It is necessary to say that the festival causes more and more vocations. Some old ones pupils of IECA (cinema school of Nancy) under the cane of Roger Viry Babel, collaborators for some of Images Plus (TV) in Epinal had already initiated this exercise two years ago. Last year , they went on the higher speed with " Drawes ", ten minutes short film turned on three days and gone up on two nights. Superb result. This year, they will renew with new a "baby" whose topic will be the " Vampires ". We already astic out teeth of pleasure.

The commissions: glance with the magnifying glass

To prepare a festival, one needs the conjugation of various personalities which have incommon the practice of the volontary help with the noble direction of the term and the passion of work well fact. Apart from the professionals who work for general articulation and it contents, it is nearly 600 voluntary which share multiple tasks during the five days of the festival. But beyond that, forty people (members of association) prepare - almost all yeat long - the rejoicings. Divided in ten commissions, we are going to meet three of them today.

Commission of Transports: safety before all

When he scrapes the goatee (which he shows off summer and winter alike), Pierre Tixier looks wondering. Glaze, snow, schedules, cars, telephones. Which airports, which drivers ? Already in he's head bubbles a serie of interrogation. Pierre has in load the conveyance of these three hundred festival ones with its 80 drivers. Hard task and important responsibility. He is surrounded by Thierry Tisserant and Sylvie Golly, infallible assistants. He will breathe on Monday evening, after the festival festival when no festival one will have been forgotten in a hôtel.

Commission of benevolents : order and méthode.

René Bourquin and Yvonne Thiriet (which took in hand the destinies of this commission) have extremely to do before the festival. They have to constitute the plannings of volunteers who will assume various tasks during the festival: driver, hostess, safety, reception, logistics, movie theaters and video. Not very simple. Of course there are the "ancients" who come back and who propose other candidatures; there are also the "small new ones" which bring while trembling their photograph and their C.V. There are those which wish to change function; those and those which come from far and seek a lodging. A true breakage head to forgett nobody. They are helped in their task by André Thiriet, Queen-Marie Fresse, Denis Morel and Paulette Riss.

Commission Safety guardenning : silent in the rows.

Not easy to wait in the coldness, to be hustled, to forbid the entry to those which are not awaited. To be member of safety is not a small matter. Even if that can seem a difficult task, it's an essential chain link for a good festival. The commission is carried out by Jean-Claude Laug, assisted of Fernand Grandemenge and Claude Jeanney.

Un small call, we're looking for benevolents for safety - well under all reports - that goes without saying.

The shady side of the partner : serial introspection.

With this number 41 we will begin our investigation journalism with spiyng upon our partners. Why are they here, will they do ? Who are they ?

We will continue our investigation until exhaustion of the subject (they are a little more than one hundred fifty).

E. Leclerc centers.

Wonderful economic machine, already known in sponsoring and the patronage through their actions on the local, regional and national clubs (foot, Rugby, etc.), but also with the strip cartoon with Angoulème. This year, another regional direction, ScapEst join ScapAlsace, wich also gather stores of the Vosges. Animations in the stores, games, concourses, evenings under the capital of the "Place du Tilleul", without counting the surprises promised for this year.

The County Council of Lorraine.

That institution is a solid partner of the festival since the first hours. Beyond policy of communication on the valorization of Lorraine, the Regional Council associates the high-school pupils of Lorraine, while inviting nearly 3.000 of them during the festival to discover a film and various animations. It also organizes three return to topic. The dinner of official opening reception is done under its aegis.

The City of Gérardmer.

Host of the festival, its engineering departments compete of ingeniosity to allow a perfect adequacy between needs and possibilities. Beyond there financial participation, the city supports the festival into important average logistics. Il's everybody 's job. And the task is not always easy because the festival takes from more and more importance.

The General Council of the Vosges.

The Departement is also fantastic, through its presence in the partners Espace, the dinner of official fence reception placed under its presidency, the Vosges show its attachment to the festivals established in its "walls".

Following in the next number (AGF, Thiriet Ices, Kit-Kat, Radio operator Fun and MCM).

The letters back on the lake.

While Alsace awaits its storks for spring, Gérômois have patience until the last days of November to see flickering on the Lake the famous letters " Fantastic'Arts" who will recall until February 15 that the Pearl of the Vosges is the capital of the fantastic. This monumental work is the working of about thirty Hercules which assembles in the coldness this work made up of wood, nails, screw and a lot of electric bulb. And how many splendid photographs can one "steal" at the falling night !

Internet, the festival and the World: a whole programme

Since two years, the Festival is connected to the whole world on the Internet network. This year, a large "lifting" was operated and the happy "netsurfers" can already discover the modifications. A large game should moreover be organized with France Telecom, PCA Informatique, ADN Telematique, the festival and the partners who have a web. A great secrecy surround this preparation, but guarantee that the surprise will be of great.

A flash back waited and envied.

Present from the first edition of the Festival, it will not have, this year, delayed to appear hardly the first newspaper of season 98 distributed, a fax arrived at the Press Office. In this one, it promised his presence to us for this fifth birthday. Currently on an aircraft between Buenos Aires and La Paz, it already blocked on its diary the last week of january.

Assiduous readers of this newspaper will have recognized it. More than a name, it is a reference. Virtuoso of the report, obsession of the high-speed vedette, Columbo of the anecdotes, Fox Mulder of the unusual. Nothing escapes to him and its collaboration will be invaluable for us. Present at Gerardmer since Tuesday January 27, he engaged to sign one article for the next number. We delight that Arial Fritz Quad is back !

New leaflet

New edition, news poster, new name, new logo and of course new "leaflet". At the beginning of December, the new promotional folder will be thus available for general public. Bilingual and drawn with 100.000 specimens, it will be distributed everywhere in France by the network of the Offices of Tourism, Departmental of Tourism Committees as well as in Europe by the Houses of France. Colors, illustrated by photographs, it will be an important tool for promotion. Available on simple ask, it recalls the great hours of the festival, the innovations of year 98, the first names, practical "infos", tariffs and access. Once more the name of Gérardmer will radiate well beyond the summits of its famous fir trees.

Little screen will become great

In frontal the success of the videos meetings (at the beginning not easily conceivable) recorded during the last edition, the organizers of the Festival decided to put little flats in bigger ones. This year, much innovations are announced concerning this category in full expansion. Like last year, all the meetings at the Paradiso cinema, will be free. On the other hand, it's the witnesses who will judge quality of the achievements as a "Price of Public" will reward the best film. A each projection, the witnesses will be able to vote thanks to official bulletins distributed by magazine Tele K7. The title which will record the greatest number of vote will be rewarded during the official prize list announced during the fence evening. Lastly, and it is necessary to specify it, all videos projections are held on "big screen" with a sound of high quality and not on a simple monitor of television!

A festival well secured

In spite of the winter season, the risks of skids and slips seem to be completely isolated. After four editions, would the organizers of the Festival have received their diploma of good drivers? Though it is, it is with one great satisfaction which we record and greet the arrival of new large Partner for this fifth birthday. General Insurances of France (A.G.F) will be thus an important support during these five days. With such a name, any disaster seem isolated. Fantastic isnt it ?

Pass me the stamppad or the flame

At the approach of the Festivals and the New Year, we know it, the volume of mail knows an important progression. We musn't fail in the tradition this year for as from December 11 a special philatelic flame "Festival of Gérardmer" will be affixed on all the mail at the start of the "Perle of Vosges". So, take your pens, it is the moment to recall you to the good memory your Uncle Sam or of your old Asian aunt. A simple gesture which will carry far the colors of the Festival and Gérardmer.

The newspaper regularly boasts of attracting "new reporter". Our friend Michel Rock, correspondent of press, accepted to write two articles on the contests of shopwindows and on arrival of the Festival in Gérardmer. Thanks much and good recovery.

"Such a demonstration is worth one vitrine... "

... Thought a lot of tradesmen of Gerardmer on the1st year of the Festival. Then Gérardmer was decorated with the colors of FANTASTICA.

The third day of the festival, the organisation took the decision of organizing a contest of shop windows in order to thank all the people who worked, made proof of imagination . At once said, at once done. Urgently a jury was made up : the one of the contest of the flowered houses. Then it was, under the rain, the research of the decorated windows, because nobody was registered to take part in a contest created for windows ! Now, each year at the end of January flower, from more and more fronts telling FANTASTIC'ARTS with the manner of their propriétaire.

The infatuation gains the private individuals and many balconies or windows become fantastic for better accomodating our visitors very sensitive to this decoration which involves the festival apart from the rooms of projections in the heart of city very whole FANTASTIC'ARTS.

Five years but still new

The first festival entered into his city, receiving a reception which deep the adhesion of a lot of Géromois with this new demonstration rich of the passions which, well before its blossoming, animated our town.

All innovation causes debate, but also led its organizers face of a lot of difficulties, to solve each day new problems.

Finaly, with the complicity of the inhabitants of our city and of its neighbors, triumphed the will to succeed, the major desire of implanting in the ground of Gerardmer this festival of which name turned later into fantastic'arts.

Now, all those which take part in the organisation wathever they do, are in the habit. But practice doesn't bring routine and the flame which animated the realizers of the first hour is still burning, their passion brings unceasingly new ideas. FANTASTIC'ARTS grows; the "place du Tilleul" formerly practically reserved to the vehicles, only bordered of some chalets or podiums, will accomodate this year two capitals....FANTASTIC'ARTS lives in Gérardmer which largely opens its arms.

For of its fifth edition, FANTASTIC'ARTS affirm its presence, turns towards the tradition however. It remains an adventure because many persons in charge, on January 28, will raise the question: "didn't i forget anything ? "

Godzilla: born to serve a right cause...

According to some people, "Godzilla" is a mystery, one ridde...Impossible for them to know what this name eally covers. Then here, in a few lines the portrait of this monster which will be one of the main characters of the fifth edition of the Festival of Gérardmer. Born in 1954 from the imagination of Inoshiro Honda, Japanese scenario writer, the animal which seems straight escaped of Jurassic Park was created to serve valiantly noble causes. Throughout the catalogue of films, Godzilla, the Nipponese incarnate nature rebelling against galloping technology and the surrender of the simple values. All the scenario writers and realizers who tackled the subject never forget to graze the United States and them vision of the World, by the means, by the means of the tender leg griffue of their cherished monster, the United States and them vision of world... If we believe the infatuation of some of this concept which lasts and does not finish to inspire the realizers, the rooms of Gerardmer would be always full...

Bird of Time and Peter Pan...

This year again, the Comic strip will have a good place in the Festival. After Moebius, Druillet, Baru and Ribera, it's Régis Loisel which will exhibit his work on the ogee mouldings of the House of the Culture. Draughtsman of B.D since 1972, it disseminated drawings in the pages of " Fluide Glacial ", " Pilote ", " Pif " or " Métal Hurlant "... His series " The search of the bird of time" made him familiar of the general public which can follow him now thanks to " Peter Pan ", another series started in 1990, which will contain an additional album in the current of 98. An innovation : lithographies and postcards of its works will be available to sale not to miss!

Loocking for a Vampire for figuration.

In the framework of the festival, the association is researching a vampire (five hundred years approximately), able to ensure a figuration during the evening of the " partners ". Please send Curriculum Vitae under fold sealed to the festival. The seal will be payed in liters of ox blood , to take after execution of the service in the offices of the festival. We will deduce the consumption taken during the evening near the guests. Jokers and beginners stand aside.

Contest of shop windows.

The contest of windows and balconies starts again. Oyez, Oyez, good people of the population of Gerardmer ! The city must be fantastic from the beginning to the end to briskly celebrate the fifth edition of the festival. Already start to rack your brains. And that the color rains ! detail of the contest will be revealed later.

Vampire (bis): losts its cape of rest

A 778 year old vampire aspiring to a well deserved retirement research its black cape in order to reinstate its vault. The latter would have been lost at the time of last summer solstice with a pair of dark glasses. Thank you to give all indications useful for the localization of this clothing in order to let the place to young people while allowing a pensioner to profit from his rights to the eternal retirement.

The better idea : who will get it ?

Difficult to imagine a great event to celebrate the fifth edition. The figure " 5 " is not perfect, it is necessary to give him all its significance in this birthday period. Who of you will have the brilliant idea which will allow everybody to remind the Festival of Gérardmer-Fantastic'Arts 98. You can write to us (serious announce).

The paper seeks good stories...

From the beginning of the festival, "the short stories" are numerous. The funny things whide are told and which arrived during the last festivals. Five better "shorts" will be published in this newspaper. A place of cinema by winner will be to gain. We take only the written texts (handwritten or with the machine). Don't hesitate. Only serious memories will be taken accounted (serious announces).