After sorting through a huge pile of 2,400 entries, we’ve curated a selection of 77 outstanding new films from 30 countries. These films range from humorous and dramatic to bizarre, subtle, frightening, and autobiographical. What they all share is our belief that they represent the best of the best. These 8 international competition programmes showcase a variety of techniques, genres, and styles. This is your annual glimpse into the vibrant world of international indie animation.
This programme, the Abstract Showcase, represents our yearly exploration of abstract and experimental animation. It features 12 short films where animators use a wide range of techniques, from hand-drawn “musical scores” to high-definition computer-assisted imagery. Each film reflects a deep passion for animated movement and showcases the artist’s skill in using colour and crafting non-narrative visuals to captivate the screen.
LIAF is one of the very few animation festivals in the world to devote an entire programme to abstract and experimental animation. We do this because we believe that the tenets that underpin great abstract animation go to the very heart of what it is to create beautiful, frame by frame animated imagery; a form of animated artmaking with a history that reaches back to the earliest days of animation. Also – we do it because we love abstract animation!!
Several filmmakers will be in attendance to introduce their films at the start of the screening.
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The Self and the Other – Chen Ma, UK
An experimental film inspired by Jean-Paul Sartre’s play “No Exit.” a game of perception in which the power of interpretation lies with the viewer.
2024 6’00 min
Wanderers – Muhammad Mustefa Bukhari, Hong Kong
Exploring concepts of fluidity and rigidity through monochromatic, crystalline visuals, delving into the emotional turmoil a wanderer has to engage with when grappling with the ideas of going against the flow.
2025 3’45 min
Toil and Spin – Maureen Zent, USA
The drifting sensations of sleep and the turbulence of sleeplessness. An oarless journey through memory, regret, and restless thought.
2024 5’05 min
The Garden of Electric Delights – Billy Roisz, Austria
Tapping into our sensual pleasures with this experimental interpretation of Hieronymus Bosch’s iconic triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights.
2025 11’45 min
Where Blue Meets Red – Tamás Patrovits, Hungary
Consisting of several dozen original risograph prints, this under-the-camera, straight-ahead animation is improvised to the rhythm of the scores by Hungarian jazz trumpeter and composer Barabás Lőrinc.
2024 4’00 min
Kepler – 891c – Kwan Yau Tse, Hong Kong
Moving from planetary surfaces to deep space, mysterious shapes and spheres guide exploration and slowly return to the surface.
2025 3’15 min
States of Matter – Marvin Hauck, Netherlands
An experimental strata-cut animation crafted entirely from wax and paper. It invites viewers on a meditative exploration of materiality, textures, and movements.
2024 7’00 min
Deluge – Meejin Hong, USA
An ever-evolving landscape where the present inevitably coexists with the past. The slow stampede of a vulnerable mind.
2024 12’05 min
Play – Sabrina Schmid, Australia
Hand-painted film combined with digital animation explores abstraction and concepts of ‘play’ as intrinsic to creative practice.
2025 2’05 min
We The Water – Noah Lüthi, Switzerland
The complex relationship between humans and water. Compelling contrasts between wetness and dryness, fluidity and rigidity, light and darkness.
2024 3’55 min
Simple Random Walks – Larry Cuba, USA
A simple random walk is a discrete-time stochastic process that describes a path generated by a sequence of random steps.
2025 7’10 min
Steen – Chin Yiu Mane Cheung & Pui Yu Sammi Tsui, Hong Kong
A scenic and visual experience of cells and the small organisms that we live amongst, exploring the unknown structure of nature.
2025 3’55 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
Opened in March 2022, The Garden Cinema screens repertory seasons and new releases from around the world. Being truly independent, they choose films that are worth seeing, films you’d be happy to see more than once. Films of all genres that are true to life, well made, that left us feeling better or wiser for having seen them. For more information about The Garden Cinema and how to get there, find out more.
Online, The Garden Cinema
