After a year which saw changes amongst top staff at many leading festivals, 2001 seems set to be the year of changes to the festival calendar.

According to FIAPF - the organisation which regulates standards at festivals - there are major shifts at four of the 11 top non-competitive festivals. There are also changes at two competitive events.

The Mar Del Plata festival, which did not take place in 2000, moves to a March slot. The event will run March 8-17, 2001.

Shanghai becomes an annual event running June 9-17 in 2001, while Moscow moves to the second half of June and will be held June 21-30. The Cairo festival has for this year only been brought forward to October, running October 6-15.

The Festival Of India will alternate between being competitive and non-competitive. In 2001 it will be held in Bangalore as a non-competitive event October 10-20.

Additionally, The Sotchi festival is changing its theme. From 2001, the event will specialise in European cinema.

Screen International will publish its annual festival calendar on January 12, 2001.