2. Anima: Festival du Dessin Animé

The Buzz -- Brussels, home to Belgium's famous comic strip museum, is the logical choice for this animation festival. In fact, the Smurfs, a Belgian creation, made their screen debut during the festival some years ago. Though special award categories are reserved for Belgian entries, illustrators and animators from around the world participate, and previous winners have included Spanish, Argentinean and Japanese artists. The cost for the festival-wide pass might give pause to all but aficionados, but curiosity seekers will find it worth the cost to attend one or two select screenings.