News

Do you or anybody you know suffer from xylophobia? Perhaps you are more familiar with its slightly Anglicised name, hylophobia? No? Interesting, because a lot of people suffer from an irrational fear of forests and wooded areas. That being said, some level of at least heightened concern about … [Read more...] about LIAF 2020 Article: International Competition Programme 5 – Into The Dark

Eccentric. Screwball. Inexplicable. Unreal. Curious. One-of-a-kind. Intriguing. Bizarre. Twisted. If you put Atsushi Wada into the Thesaurus, these are the results. We LOVE his films. They have a look and style all of their own but they come with their own unique inner rationality that is Wada’s and … [Read more...] about LIAF 2020 Article: International Competition Programme 4 – Being Human

It would be fair to say that 2020 – among whatever other accolades that can be attached to it – will go down as a year that played with our emotions. Reflection is perhaps a healthier waypoint between anger and denial than – say – surrender. But it’s more complex too, requiring more of us than the … [Read more...] about LIAF 2020 Article: International Competition Programme 3 – Playing with Emotion

“A meta-story about two twins fighting evil forces taking over the universe that seamlessly blends 4chan-aesthetics, Monty Pythonesque-photo collages and vapourware YouTube videos.” That is how the Berlinale 2020 tried to explain the latest film to have emerged fully formed from the frantic … [Read more...] about LIAF 2020 Article: International Competition Programme 2 – From Absurd to Zany

This year we had the pleasure of working with MA Character Animation Students at Central Saint Martins. Students were asked to select one of our eight International Competition Programmes and pitch an idea for a sting, embracing the themes of their chosen programme.   Most importantly of all, we … [Read more...] about Behind the Scenes: The Making of LIAF 2020 Stings with Central Saint Martins

LIAF has always loved abstract animation. Showcasing this kind of work was one of the reasons we started the festival in the first place. But back in 2008 when we actually first took the plunge and dedicated an entire International Competition programme to abstract animation we did not quite realise … [Read more...] about LIAF 2020 Article: International Competition Programme 1 – Abstract Showcase