40 years ago, Royal College of Art launched its animation programme as a new department emerging from illustration, design, and film. Since its founding in 1985, RCA Animation has navigated vast changes in technology, culture, and education, yet one constant remains: a deep commitment to experimentation and innovation.
Unlike courses designed to feed industry pipelines, RCA Animation pursues a broader vision – the cultivation of filmmakers, artists, and auteurs. This ethos has produced generations of award winners, studio founders, educators, and cultural changemakers who continue to expand the possibilities of animation with work that is personal, political, and technologically adventurous.
This programme has been selected by LIAF from over 1000 films in the RCA’s archive of student work, and was co-curated with Dr Carla Mackinnon (RCA tutor) and Rory Waudby-Tolley (RCA Associate Lecturer). The selection speaks to the diversity of the RCA archive, ranging from comedy and drama to documentary and innovative experiments with material and form. It includes early work by key figures in UK animation, and internationally acclaimed short films that have stood the test of time.
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Anyway – Run Wrake, UK
A frenetic, Dada-tinged collage of cut-up animation and sound. Looped drawings, colour photocopier zooms and a layered soundtrack of classical, spoken word, and breakbeats mirror the chaos.
1990 4’15 min
Reel to Reel – Sarah Cox, UK
The story of a relationship through a journey of rhythm, movement and colour, moving from abstract to human form.
1992 3’15 min
Mr Jessop – Brian Wood, UK
A man goes shopping and skilfully adapts to the city.
1994 8’15 min
Dog – Susie Templeton, UK
A young boy longs for reassurance about how his mother died. To protect each other, he and his father hold their agony inside, where it festers.
2001 8’15 min
Collision – Max Hattler, UK
Islamic patterns and American quilts and the colours and geometry of flags as an abstract field of reflection.
2002 2’20 min
Pingpongs – George Gendi, UK
Marital ping-pong.
2006 5’25 min
Fly on the Window – Nikita Diakur, UK
What if I was somebody else, but only for a couple of seconds?
2009 7’05 min
The Eagleman Stag – Mikey Please, UK
If you repeat the word ‘fly’ for long enough it sounds like you’re saying ‘life’. This is of no help to Peter. His answers lie in the brain of a beetle.
2010 8’55 min
My Dad – Marcus Armitage, UK
His judgmental character mixed with the boy’s fondness for his dad prove to be a toxic mix that tears away at a world of opportunity and experiences.
2014 5’50 min
Small People with Hats – Sarina Nihei, UK
A violent and enigmatic social allegory of death, power and revenge where little folks in headgear find themselves in very odd situations.
2014 6’45 min
Barbeque – Jenny Jokela, UK
A surreal, visceral depiction of the circular coping process of sexual trauma.
2017 5’35 min
West Question East Answer – Dal Park, UK
Communication can be difficult when cultural and historical backgrounds are so distant. A Korean grandmother and her German granddaughter try to work it out.
2018 6’25 min
Something More – Mary Martins, UK
An experimental animated documentary that explores the causes of youth violence, and more specifically the impact of knife crime in London through the lens of a mother raising her 8 year old son
2022 4’35 min
Our Funding Partners
With Special Thanks to The Elf Factory, official sponsor of LIAF 2025.
Event supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery.
Venue
The Horse Hospital is a three tiered progressive arts venue in London providing an encompassing umbrella for the related media of film fashion, music and art. For more information about The Horse Hospital and how to get there, find out more.
Horse Hospital, Online
