SUNDAY 31 ST AUGUST 2003
An intriguing day full of listening and discussion

MORNING
Some of the hundred or more participants, still suffered from a jetlag. You only had to look at the eyes, to know who is coming from Europe and who plays at home.
Maybe therefore, the organisation decided to start with what is probably the shortest entry ever.

- FUN THINGS TO DO WITH SILLY WORDS NUMBER 342
(USA - INDEP.)
A 2 minutes cartoon microfeature by the American Gregory Witehead.
Nice, simple idea. While you hear chalk on a chalkboard, Greogory puts letters in motion. He starts from the word EVIL AXIS and comes to combinations such as ILAX ISEV and ISEV ILAX

.- ROB MUNTZ AVONTURIER
(NETHERLANDS/ RVU)
The first, 'real' feature of this conference. An entrance made by the enfant terrible of Dutch radio and television: Rob Muntz. In a series of five so-called Radiodocurettes, Muntz sets out on a quest forsheer male bliss.
In the episode we hear, Robs final chauvinistic pig male aim is to hunt a giraffe. It's full of humour - black, Cynic and tender at thesame time. Most of the listeners really enjoyed it. A real new toneof voice on this - sometimes too - serious gathering of internationalradiomakers.

- DON'T HANG UP
(BBC RADIO 4)
A good idea is half of the work. The other half is how to tell your story. In 'Don't hang up,' presenter Alain Dein wonders out what would happen if you'd call BT telephone boxes all over the country.
Splendid idea, though the storydevelopment could have been better worked out.
Anyway, this programme let hear a nice paradox : intimate, vulnerable stories that are captured out of the public domain.

- HIGLIGHTS/THE DAY OF THE CATASTROPHE
(ORF - AUSTRIA)
Catastrophes can shape our lives. The assasination of John Lennon, the tragic death of Lady Diana or the Supergau at Chernobyl. Finaly the great catastrophe: 09/11.
The makers, who start from a beautiful premisse - how one deals with
collective memories - don't fully succeed in their ambitious project.
Too many quotes, too little story.
Author and director Peter Klein brought his work to the conference for the sake of the discussion. A brave attempt in participating into the real core of this IFC: reflection and criticism amongst professionals.

- THE VIETNAM TAPES OF LANCE CORPORAL M. BARONOWSKI
(NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO - USA)
This programme won the Gold Prize at the Third Coast Festival's inaugaral competion in 2001.
In 1966, a young Marine took a reel-to-reel tape recorder with him into the Vietnam War. For two months, until he was killed in action, Michael Baranowski made tapes of his friends, of life in combat, and then sent those audio letters home his family in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
Astonishing radio. Remarkable and breathtaking.
If this Baranowski would have not been killed that early, he should have been in our midst: being an outstanding radiomaker.

- IMMEMORIAL EPIC COMES DOWN UNTIL TODAY
(CHINA NATIONAL RADIO)
Most of the time, China comes out with nice told epic stories about lost myths. Kirghiz is a minority nationality around Tianshan and Pamirs area in China. Interesting, but not breathtaking story.
Maybe, next a little more critical.
Up to now, it was a very intriguing day.

Pat Donnez

Belgium