Since the dawn of cinema puppet animation has provided some of the most mesmerising films ever made and puppet animators have been among the most revered. Breathing a kind of life into inanimate puppets is a very special form of magic and this programme showcases the continuing vibrancy of this technique.
Puppet films should always look like they were handmade. The movements are not always clean, super smooth and flawless. The characters in the films should ‘feel’ real…. because they are! It is these quirks and wonderful little imperfections that make these films so special and define some of the most important elements of a puppet film.
These 9 thought-provoking, moving and downright loopy short puppet films have been made by some of the most talented independent animators in the last few years from their different bunkers around the world proving that tangible and physical stop-motion and puppet animation is alive and well and in rude health in the 21st century. Long may it prosper!
Several filmmakers will be in attendance to introduce their films at the start of the screening.
Cartoon Physics – Ru Kawahata, Max Porter, Switzerland, Netherlands, France
When a four-year-old girl discovers a dead bird in the garden, her mother is swept into a world where reality unfolds like a cartoon. A meditation on a mother’s attempt to protect her daughter’s sense of wonder.
2026 10’50 min
If you buy an online ticket for this programme, this film is only viewable in the UK.
Unplug – Comandante Bebé, Spain
Yoni has a single mission: to clean himself up and quickly return to his next class. That’s how he will (quite literally) plunge into an unknown dimension: his own body.
2026 10’00 min
The End – Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Sweden, France, Denmark
A tale of death and existence set in a large, international airport.
2026 17’10 min
Nun – Ekaterina Kuznetsova, Czech Republic
In a strictly synchronized convent, a new nun’s tiniest misstep sparks the sudden appearance of a mysterious tattoo. As panic sets in and secrets unravel, the calm routine fractures – revealing a sisterhood that moves to a dark, hidden rhythm of its own.
2026 8’20 min
Death’s Peak – Willy Fair, UK
Desperate for connection, David digs up his brother’s corpse. With their trusty red wagon, they ascend a treacherous mountain in pursuit of their childhood dream.
2025 9’00 min
Ivar – Markus Tangre, Norway
Noticing her husband Ivar’s new scent, Anne lies awake at night with a nagging question: should she leave him?
2025 4’25 min
Deep End – Puzhen Zhang, UK
One summer in early-2000s China, a shy preteen girl confronts her fear of water — and human connection — when she forms an unexpected, magical bond in the deep end of the pool.
2026 7’40 min
Two ice creams please – Jasmine Elsen, Belgium
During their holiday, two young women get lost in a rainforest. After wandering around for days, their irritation with one another grows. While dreams about ice cream increasingly creep into their reality, they become conscious of their own vulnerability.
2026 12’15 min
If you buy an online ticket for this programme, this film is only viewable in the UK.
Uka-Uka – Henri Veermae, Estonia
Battling boredom, a little boy gets trapped in the boot of a car. When he gets out, he’s no longer the same.
2026 11’55 min
Our Funding Partners
With Special Thanks to The Elf Factory, official sponsor of LIAF 2026.
With Special Thanks to the Arts Council England
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 Puppet Theatre Barge is a unique, forty-seat marionette theatre on a converted barge based in London. The theatre presents puppet shows for children and adults and is moored in Abingdon-on-Thames, Little Venice and Richmond-upon-Thames throughout the year find out more.
Online, Puppet Theatre Barge
