VIDEO FIREWORKS & ROCK DOCS, RISING STARS & MONSTER METAL
Oulu Music Video Festival in Finland introduces the new screening and band programme

11th edition of Oulu Music Video Festival is organized August 25-29: a five day celebration of music and moving pictures as well as hardcore rocking out.

The Finnish Music Video Contest, the cornerstone of the festival, presents the best Finnish music videos, which are selected by an international and independent jury. The contest reaches its climax at the glorious Pumpeli Gala at the Madetoja Hall on Saturday evening August 28.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS AND THE DIRECTOR'S CUTS TRAINING
The movie and video programme sniffs out the trends and rattles mankind's music-filled memory slots. The Music Video Festival has compiled not only Finnish videos and films but also international productions into special screenings. This year we wave the French flag with more than one screening, from the prehistory of music video to the most sophisticated animations of today. Electronic music continues its video fireworks - this is manifested in a number of French videos and the Cinema Electronica screening of American RESFest. The music videos star performers from John Lennon to Supergrass. In honour of the Oulu Popcity 2004 year, we gather together the best recorded acts by Oulu bands along the years.

The Director's Cuts training for pro and amateur music video makers is arranged for the fourth time. August 26-28 is dedicated for seminars, Q&A sessions and panel discussions on the music video development from the aspect of both content and distribution. The international lecturers are among others music journalist and curator Sandy Hunter (RESfest/ Toronto) and the members of the French animation collective Pleix.

THE BOGIES OF THE OPERA AND ROCK 'N ROLL RALLY AT THE AIR GUITAR WORLD CHAMPS

The Final of the Air Guitar World Championships in Kuusisaari August 27 guarantees again a sock-rolling show when the Finnish monster heavy group Lordi shakes the ground as the main act with its memorable stage performance. Equally assuring rock rally is also offered by one of the best Finnish live bands, the Flaming Sideburns, who plays its explosive garage rock only in two other times in Finland this summer. The audience is definitely going to be tuned in for the 9th annual Air Guitar World Championships that welcomes the national air guitar champions from twelve countries. The night of the air guitar is hosted by the Finnish stand-up comedienne Krisse Salminen.

The black horses still have time to enroll for the last-minute high-altitude training camp August 25 and the Qualifying Round at Rock Club 45 Special August 26.

THE FESTIVAL CLUBS

The music selection of the Oulu Music Video Festival traditionally presents new aspiring Finnish artists. We march to the stage with a great scale of music acts from pure rock to intimate acoustic performances. The evening dedicated to mechanical music, Time Tunnel, offers also hip and hype for the dance music lovers in Restaurant Foxia with Finnish Giant Robot and British DJ Funk D'Void.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAMME AT WWW.OMVF.NET
Please note that the representatives of the media must accredit for the Oulu Music Video Festival and the Air Guitar World Championships beforehand. Instructions and the accreditation form can be found online.

Ticket sales for the festival starts August 8 at the Youth and Culture Centre Nuku. Reservations via phone +358 8 5584 7575 and via e-mail ennakko@omvf.net.

The screenings of the Finnish Music Video Contest are free. The tickets for the other events are as follows: the Pumpeli Gala 8 e, the special screenings 0-6 e and the Air Guitar World Championships Final 10 e (advance) / 12 e (at the gate). The tickets for the festival clubs (45 Special and
Rattori-Lupi) are for sale from the starting day of the festival, i.e. August 25.

Venues: Kuusisaari Island, Youth & Culture Centre NUKU, City Library, The Madetoja Hall, Rock Club 45 Special, Restaurants Never Grow Old, Rattori-Lupi & Foxia.