Film festivals are held throughout the year in different countries featuring the productions of directors from the four corners of the world.

Among the various international film festivals, Cannes Film Festival is reputed to be the most prestigious and grand affair of the year. It is held in the elite town of Cannes in May. It is a star studded affair and you can see many celebrities gracing the red carpet. Cannes has become a platform for European movies. Out of competition screening of Hollywood movies is also held. Awards are given in various categories.

The Toronto Film Festival is held in September in Toronto Canada. It is an eleven day event and is also one of the prestigious film fiestas of the world. Around three hundred to four hundred films are screened at the festival with heavy emphasis on Hollywood movies. Movies from other continents such as Asia, Africa, South America as well as Canadian films are also shown.  It is said that the results of this event often influence the Oscars.

Established in 1932, the Venice Film Festival is the oldest film festival of the world. The Palazzo del Cinema on the Lungomare Marconi in Rome serves as the venue of this prestigious event. The event occurs in either August or September and acknowledges the efforts of the actors, actresses, directors and other people involved in film making with awards. It also acknowledges the valuable contributions of the key figures in the history of cinema.

The New York Film Festival began in 1963 and since then has grown into a big event and showcases the works of emerging as well as seasoned artistes. The event lasts for 17 days and no prize is awarded as a selection for this prestigious and exclusive event is considered as a prize itself. A movie for the opening day and closing day are however chosen.

Berlin in Germany is the venue of one of the most grand film galas of the world; the Berlin Film Festival aka Berlinale. It is a beautiful gathering of international art and glamor. More than 400 films are screened under various sections and winners are awarded with the Gold and Silver Bear awards.

While North America produces the most films, South America lags behind. South is now taking steps for the development and expansion of its cinema and one of these steps is the holding of film festivals.

Fantaspoa or the International Fantastic Film Festival of Porto Alegre takes place in Brazil from late July to early August. This is a competitive festival where the jury decides the winners; there are also public choice awards. Only horror, science fiction, bizarre and fantastic films of short length and feature films are screened in this film event. This film event also aims at encouraging the production of films in Brazil.

Uruguay plays host to the International Film Festival of Uruguay. This is a competitive event which features international films and local films. Through this event, the local audience is exposed to international ventures and local works are brought to the attention of the world. The winners are selected by a panel of Jury and by the audience as well.

The International Festival of Documentaries Three Continents is held in Venezuela. Only documentaries from three continents Asia, Africa and Latin America are screened in this event. The documentaries are mostly based on social issues, human struggle and endurance while light comedy has also been a topic. The event brings together directors of documentaries from the three continents and strengthens ties between them.

Comedy is an important genre of movies and is quite popular among the audience. The Giggle Shorts Comedy Film Festival is held every year in Toronto. The event started in 2002 and invites short films from all over the world. Giggle Shorts accepts any film, commercial, or video but it should be hilarious and less than 15 minutes.

The Montreal Festival of New Cinema and New Media is an important film event which features independent productions from all over the world and serves as a qualifying festival for short movies for the Academy Awards.

Europe has always been the centre of music and arts. Performing arts are held in high esteem and various European nations hold festivals to commemorate and honor the efforts of those involved in the process of film making. Major European film events are:

The Sofia Film Festival is held every year in March in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is one of the mega film events of Europe and brings international cinema to Bulgaria and introduces the world to Bulgarian cinema. The festival brings together film personalities, journalists and cinemagoers in an extravaganza that lasts three days. The event aims at promoting ties between local and international film makers. Awards are given in various categories.

An interesting film event called the Bollywood Film Festival is featured annually in Prague the Czech Republic capital. Czech audience is enamored by the colorful song dance interpretation of emotional stories of Indian movies. The event takes place in October and lasts for six days and films both modern and hits of yesteryears are featured in the event.

In March every year Creteil in France holds the Creteil International Women’s Film Festival where the works of women directors are screened. The festival was established in 1979 to encourage women directors who at that time were   finding it hard to get their films distributed. The event also focuses on new talent and 50 unreleased films compete for prestigious awards. The event is open for women directors from all over the world.

Horror films, thrillers and science fiction movies are watched and enjoyed by people the world over and in May –June, Rome honors these movies which made you sit on the edges of the seats in the Fanafestival. The movies are screened in the Nuovo Cinema Aquila and awards are distributed in various categories.

Comedy films are enjoyed by all and sundry and to recognize the talents of those involved in making comedy films, Comedy Cluj an International film festival is organized every year in October in Romania. Awards are given for the Best Feature Film and Public’s Choice.

Cinema is a powerful medium in Asia as well. Different countries hold film festivals in Asia which bring together filmmakers from all over the globe.

The Dubai International Film Festival has gained instant recognition in a short span of time. It is known for its glitz and glamour and provides a platform to the films from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. This year 157 entries from 57 countries competed for prestigious wards. Arab cinema has a long way to go and events such as these provide a springboard to the new talent.

Pakistan hosts the Kara Film Festival; the event is held every year in Karachi and is recognized internationally. It is held in December and has quickly gained the reputation of being one of the prestigious events of the region and is attended by well known local and foreign film makers. The event is organized to promote quality film production in Pakistan and to encourage the new talent. Films are screened and then a question answer session with the directors and casts are held. Commercial as well as experimental movies are shown and judged accordingly.

Pusan International Film Festival is held in Korea. Though it is an international event, it focuses primarily on new films and debut projects. It is organized to promote young talent and has a huge fan following especially young fans. It is known as Asia’s largest film festival and last year it screened 308 films from 67 countries. Korean stars and international stars attend this prestigious event.

India has one of the biggest film industries in the world and is a home to many film events; the International Film Festival India (IFFI) being one of them. IFFI is often called “India’s Cannes” and is a 10 day gala of unlimited fun and entertainment. Besides Indian films, works of directors from Latin America, Asia and Asia are also screened. The lucky winners are awarded gold and silver peacocks and cash prizes.

The medium of film is quite popular in Africa; this can be judged by the various film festivals held in Africa throughout the year.

Egypt holds the International Film Festival in Cairo. It started in 1976 and is the first film festival in the Middle East. It is a ten day event and takes place in November-December. The aim of this festival is to promote Egyptian cinema abroad and to improve the Arab, Egyptian and African film industry. It also showcases foreign films in Cairo.  It also wishes to encourage co-operation among the film makers of the world. The event gained international recognition in the 90s.

International Film Festival of Marrakech began in Morocco in 2000.The week long event is claimed to be the “African version of the Cannes festival”. It is a glamorous affair and you can see many international stars gracing the red carpet. Local and international films are screened and judged in various categories. The event enjoys the patronage of King Mohammed VI.

Pan African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou is the biggest film festival of Africa. It is a biennial event held in Ouagoadougou Burkina Faso. It focuses mostly on African films and African film industry and occurs in the end of February. It lasts for a fortnight and aims at developing and expanding the African cinema. The event attracts audience from other continents as well.

Everglades Film Festival is celebrated in Durban, South Africa. This event occurs in October and is growing every year. It features a large number of local entries as well as entries from abroad.

The Zanzibar Film Festival is held in Tanzania in the exotic location of the Stone Town. The event was originally known as the Festival of Dhow Countries and has been around for more than a decade and is the largest film event of East Africa. Besides screening of films there are many other activities which make the event interesting.

The Rosklide Music Festival is one of the five major musical events of Europe. It takes place every summer in Rockslide, Denmark. It is a great outdoor event; colorful and entertaining. The event started in 1971 for hippies and now and is now a big extravaganza featuring every genre of music. There are color coded stages with Orange Stage being the center stage. More than 180 bands entertain music lovers for four days.

Iceland Airways Festival is held for five days starting from the third weekend of October in Reykjavik, Iceland. The Iceland Airways provides a platform for new music from Iceland and other countries and besides musicians, it is attended by many people from the music industry and journalists.

The Sonar Festival takes place in Barcelona Spain. This three day affair which takes place in the third week of June is divided into two categories; Sonar by Day and Sonar by Night. The Museum of Modern Art and The Center of Contemporary Culture serve as the venues for Sonar by Day. Sonar by Day is about DJs, Live concerts, multimedia art and modern cinema. Sonar by Night is when you get the real action. The big names in the world of electronic music both local and international enthrall the mammoth crowd gathered at the venue. The venue is situated away from the main city and is quite huge around 10,000 meters of open as well as covered space.

The annual Spring Music Festival is held in May in Gratz in Austria. This funfair of electronic art and music turns the peaceful town of Gratz into one big party. It is the biggest musical event in Gratz and besides some electrifying music to enchant the crowd; workshops for VJs are also held.

Another summer musical festival of Europe worth mentioning is the EXIT festival. It is held in Serbia. The aim of this musical gala was to provide entertainment to the youth who had suffered much due to the political turmoil. This event now draws huge crowds from all over Europe.

Music is a universal language understood and appreciated throughout the world. The music lovers pay homage to music by holding different music festivals in different seasons and in different countries

The Sitka Summer Festival is held in the remote corners of Alaska. It was founded by Paul Rosenthal the celebrated violinist in 1972. The festival is held twice a year once in February and once in June. It is the summer festival in June that pulls the biggest crowd of music lovers. The Sitka Summer Festival is held for three weeks and the magnificent landscape of Alaska provides the perfect stage.  A large number of international artistes perform in the open unaided by sound systems.

Rock al Parque Festival is the biggest Rock Festival which rocks Latin America. The rock festival takes place in Bogotá Colombia and features rock bands from Colombia as well as from other countries. The entrance is free and it is one of the most awaited events of the year. The bands have you screaming for more and from heavy metal rock to alternative rock bands; the entertainment has no bounds.

The snow resort of Naeba in Fuji Japan hosts a musical event in which musicians from Japan and other countries of the world participate. This three day event is well attended by thousands of music lovers from the world.

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts takes place in Somerset, England. It is an open air event featuring modern musical galas, dance, theatre and other forms of performing arts. It is a grand event which last for three days.

The Austere Milwaukee Summerfest held in Wisconsin in USA is claimed to be the largest musical event of the world. For 11 days (from late June till early July) you are entertained by more than 700 bands.

Africa was once known as the Dark Continent but if you look closely, you will find that the continent is very much alive and colorful with vibrant festivals and diverse culture. Some music festivals held in Africa are:

The Festival in the Desert; this three day event is celebrated on Mali on the borders of Timbuktu in the Sahara Desert. It usually takes place in January and is considered to be the remotest musical festival in the world. This event is based on the traditional gatherings of the Tuareg nomads and their celebrations. It is a unique blend of traditional Tuareg music, dance and camel races and at night the desert comes alive with modern music.

The Festival of Niger takes place in early February in Mali and is another colorful fiesta featuring music and dance as well as puppet shows. Celebrated artists from West Africa entertain people with their skills. It is also a way to promote the culture of the place and many food stalls are set up for the convenience of the people. Besides being a music and dance extravaganza, it is also a means to bring together people from all parts of Africa as well as from other parts of the world.

Uganda celebrates the Bayimba International Festival of Music and Arts in September. The venue is the National Theatre in the capital city of Kampala. It is a three day affair of non stop music, fashion shows, exhibitions etc. Live band performances, traditional dance performances and documentaries featuring revolution of music and other forms of arts and also social issues are some salient features of this event.

Zanzibar has the Sauti za Busara Music Festival. It is five days of music both traditional and contemporary from all parts of Africa. It is held in February and where seasoned artists charm the audience with their lovely music, it has been a useful stepping stone for upcoming talent. A carnival parade is the highlight of this event.

The Cape Town Jazz Festival has become one of the biggest musical events of Africa.  For two days more than 40 local and international artists perform to captivate the audience. It has been voted the Grandest Event of Africa.

The continent of Asia is the home to many ancient civilizations. If the westerners were attracted to Asia because of its treasures, its rich music and diverse culture simply mesmerized them. Many music festivals are held in Asia; some of which are as follows

Borneo the enchanting island hosts the Rainforest World Music Festival which features world famous artists from all over the world. While the days are filled with mini concerts, jamming sessions and lectures, the evenings fill the air with music. One can’t but help dance to the tunes foreign to the mind but familiar to the soul. You will be entertained by soul stirring music to foot tapping tunes to music that will rock you.

Seoul World DJ Festival is a musical event held in South Korea every year in May. The event started off in a bid to promote tourism but got a lot of positive response especially from foreign students and expatriates. It is now three days of dance party and live music. The Seoul World DJ Festival pulls a big crowd.

The Beijing Pop Festival started in 2004 but has gained immense popularity in relatively short period of time. It started off as a hobby and encouraged local bands to participate and now it features pop groups from other continents as well.

The Jaffna Music Festival provides a platform to exhibit the colorful culture of Sri Lanka, a country known for its rich traditions. The event takes place in the end of March and showcases traditional folk music and graceful dance performances from various areas of the island. Besides local Sri Lankan music, performances from India, Norway, Palestine, Nepal and South Africa also entertain the people.

For a whole month (mid December to mid January) music lovers are entertained by a myriad of musical performances and dances in the Madras Music Season held in India. There are over 1500 performances from veteran musicians to the artists from present day generation besides lectures and seminars on music.

The Chiang Mai Flower Festival, Thailand
Get drowned in the intoxicating scents and exotic sights of flowers this February at the Chiang Mai Flower Festival in Thailand.
Chiang Mai is a town in the North of Thailand and is popularly known as the Rose of the North because of the wide variety of exotic flowers found here. The cool temperate climate of the place is ideal for the growth of flowers such as tulips, chrysanthemum, carnations which were originally imported from abroad besides the locally grown rose, and wide variety of orchids. Here you will find 3000 species of orchid, the damask rose, a special variety of rose and yellow and white chrysanthemums besides a host of other species of flowers. Flowers are in full bloom in February which sees an end of the winter season.
The three day festival begins with a beauty pageant where Miss Flower Bloom and Miss International Flower Bloom are chosen.
The main feature of the festival is the floral parade which takes place on the second day. Beautifully decorated floral floats most of them based on Buddhist themes with dancing Thai girls clad in traditional clothes are the highlights of the parade. As the floats pass at a snail’s pace; you will get plenty of time to photograph the marvel of nature (flowers) displayed by human intelligence.
On the third day winners of the best flowers in the show are chosen. You can also buy rare species of flowering plants at reasonable rates. You can savor Thai Cuisine at the various food stalls and buy handicrafts made by the locals.