Independent animation is an art form that continues to thrive and develop as a breathtaking medley of styles, materials, techniques and production – from hand drawn, paint on glass, collage, sculpture, cut outs, puppets, abstract to some of the more interesting developments in CGI – all of which can be seen at this year’s LIAF.
We’ve emerged from under the pile of 2,700 entries to put together a series of screenings that showcase the best 97 new films from every corner of the world. They can be funny, dramatic, bizarre, subdued, scary or autobiographical. The one thing they have in common is that we think they’re the pick of the crop.
Eight international competition programmes plus our ever-popular British Showcase. Every technique, every genre, every style – this is your annual window into the international indie animation universe.
This programme takes a look at all aspects of emotion – love, hate, jealousy, sensuality, melancholy, anxiety and confusion and everything in between including a compassionate look at our attitudes towards death, grief and moving on.
A livestreamed Screen Talk will follow the screening with filmmakers: Emily Ann Hoffman, Rory Waudby-Tolley & Anita Killi.
ONLINE Pre-order tickets
Blackheads (Emily Ann Hoffman, USA)
A woman copes with bad therapy, heartbreak and blackheads.
European premiere
2019, 8min
About Love (Girlin Bassovskaja, Estonia)
There are a million different love stories. Here, a man and wife are suffocating in their cathedral of love.
UK premiere
2019, 13min
Ties (Dina Velikovskaya, Germany/Russia)
A daughter leaves the family home to lead a life of her own as an adult. Still, she remains connected to where she’s from, which has consequences for everyone.
UK premiere
2019, 8min
Heart of Gold (Simon Filliot, France)
For her son, a poor young mother is forced to sell her organs. Flesh, for gold.
UK premiere
2020, 13min
Thanadoula (Robin McKenna, Canada)
The story of an end-of-life doula brought to her calling through the loss of her beloved sister.
UK premiere
2020, 7min
The Wings (Riho Unt, Estonia)
Freak inventor Jaan’s far fetched dreams about ascending to the clouds are about to materialise when he’s joined by the spirit of Leonardo da Vinci.
UK premiere
2019, 13min
Mother Didn’t Know (Anita Killi, Norway)
Deep down in an empty silo, an intense, but silent battle for a young person in distress plays out.
2020, 11min
Powerwash I Love You (Rory Waudby-Tolley, UK)
A short film about love and patios.
2020, 2min
