AND THE AWARDS GO TO...


BEST OF FEST LIAF09:
'Muto' by Blu (Italy)

BEST FILM: BRITISH PANORAMA
'Rapunzel's Flight' by Gustavo Arteaga

> For full results, click here

Get ready to feast your eyes and ears in an eleven-day blast of exceptional animation from around the world in the 6th edition of the London International Animation Festival. This will be your only opportunity in London to see such a comprehensive line-up of current animated short films in competition and specially curated programmes that highlight recent productions and absolute gems from the archive. LIAF aims to challenge and inspire audiences with thematic, aesthetic and technical diversity from award winners, outstanding industry veterans and those wonderful newcomers who are exploring their talent on screen for the very first time.

> Opening Night at the Renoir - Sneak Peek Screening including Mary and Max premiere
> Paper Bag party/screening
> International Competition Screenings
> Technique Focus – Sand Animation – a truly stunning programme
> Claude Cloutier: Special Guest
> Edouard Salier: Special Guest
> Croatian Animation Celebration
> The Bug Trainer – Ladislas Starewitch, the pioneer of puppet animation
> Pritt Parn Special: 'Life Without Gabriella Ferri'
> The British Panorama
> International Panorama Screenings
> Animated Documentaries
> Siggraph Asia 2008 Highlights
> Best Of The Next – The International Graduate Animation Festival
> Museek - Music Video Panorama
> Late Night Bizarre
> Children and Families Screenings
> Best Of The Festival

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Opening Night at the Renoir: Sneak Peek Screening


Mary and Max | Adam Elliot | Australia, 2009

We take a collection of the hottest films from competition, mix them with some of our favourite classics from the special programmes, add in a glimpse of the top new British films and round out the whole shebang with the first screening on English soil of Adam Elliot’s stunning feature-film ‘Mary and Max.
> more info

Paper Bag party/screening



Paper Bag host the opening LIAF party with their own idiosyncratic brand of music, word and song. Check out The Brothers McLeod nattering about their film Codswallop, see some amazing animated shorts especially selected for the opening plus music from The Morning Orchestra and DJ Kelvin Andrews.
> more info

International Competition Screenings


Eyelash | Marcel Hobi | Switzerland, 2008, 8'00

9 different screenings of the best recently released films selected from the 2000+ entries received from all over the world. Every technique, every imaginable subject, every genre. The LIAF International Competition screenings are the backbone of the festival line-up and your up-to-date snapshot of the incredibly diverse, eclectic and vibrant independent animation scene. In addition to 6 ‘open’ International Competition screenings there will also be programmes in competition that focus specifically on the longer animated form, the digital community and abstract animation.
> more info

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Technique Focus - Sand Animation


Take It Easy / No Corras Tanto | Cesar Diaz Melendez | Spain, 2008, 4'45

Each year LIAF focuses on a specific technique. In 2009 we take a closer look at sand animation. This involves an animator placing and moving coloured sand, salt and other powders on a light box and using hand brushes, air brushes and an array of other tools to create thousands of wonderfully textured pictures that make up the finished film. To showcase this technique, we have put together a programme which mixes the very best of recently released sand animations carefully blended with a collection of classics from the last 25 years.
> more info

Claude Cloutier - Special Guest


Isabelle au bois dormant / Sleeping Betty | Claude Cloutier | Canada, 2007

“Like a mash-up of 1790s William Hogarth, 1950s Chuck Jones and 1980s Kyle Baker”
(Animation World Magazine)
LIAF is extremely proud to present the acclaimed Canadian animator, Claude Cloutier, who will present a programme of his work and influences and a talk about how he got to where he is today. His most recent film ‘Sleeping Betty’ (2008) was a huge audience favourite at LIAF 08 - a major undertaking with 7,000 illustrations created with brushstrokes and India ink.
> more info

Edouard Salier - Special Guest


“In France they say I’m a hard sell” – Edouard Salier
LIAF is extremely proud to present Edouard Saliers’ first visit to London to talk about and screen a retrospective of his work. A legend in underground film circles, over the last 10 years, Edouard has created a wide range of graphic and experimental works, including short films, music promos, TV idents and installations.
> more info

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Zagreb Film Tribute


Surogat/Ersatz | Dusan Vokotic | Croatia, 1964

Zagreb Film has been creating superb animation since the early 1950’s. Predominantly hand-drawn, these films form one of the most significant collections of work existing in the world of creative animation. This tribute screening will include Dusan Vokotic’s 1964 Academy Award winning Surogat/Ersatz, along with films from some of Zagrebfilm’s top directors including Dovnikovic, Grgic, Dragic and Mimica.
> more info

New Croatian Animation Panorama


Ana Husman | Plac / The Market | 2006, 9'00

Complimenting the historical focus of the Zagrebfilm Tribute screening, this program of recently released Croatian animation (one of our Competition Programs) shines a spotlight on the new generation of filmmakers. Inspired by the rich history of animated films passed down to them from Zagreb Film, they make the most of the advantages offered by the latest technology to create stunning new works.
> more info

The Bug Trainer – Ladislas Starewitch,
the pioneer of puppet animation

Ladislas Starewitch (1882-1965), Europe's answer to Disney and a pioneer of puppet animation, is one of the most forgotten film geniuses. ‘The Bug Trainer’, an amazing 53-minute feature, explores Starewitch’s creative ideas and concepts of his work, along with opinions from film critics and other animation directors to help us understand why he is still considered one of the greatest creators of the animation world.
> more info

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Pritt Parn Special: 'Life Without Gabriella Ferri'



Priit Parn is truly one of animation’s living treasures and we're delighted to screen his new film 'Life Wthout Gabriella Ferri', made with his wife Olga. The programme will open with Priit and Olga’s first collaboration: ' I Feel A Lifelong Bullet In The Back Of My Head'.
> more info

The British Panorama


Rapunzel’s Flight | Gustavo Arteaga | 2008

One of our most important programmes, the British Panorama will once again bring together a collection of films from The UK’s established and emerging animators. Many of the animators attend the screening and this is your chance to see where animating in the UK is at and to meet some of the artform’s creators.
> more info

International Panorama Screenings


Spare Change | Ryan Larkin & Laurie Gordon | Canada 2008

Three sessions of films will form the hub of this night of panorama screenings, 26 short films in all, chosen from the 2,000 plus entries submitted to LIAF 09. They will all screen on the same night and you, the audience, get to vote on your favourite film, with the winning film being re-screened at the Best of the Festival session on the final night of LIAF 09.
> more info

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Animated Documentaries


Liver Good Life | Chris Hemming | UK 2009,

When you think about it, animation is a great tool for creating documentaries. Perhaps the camera couldn’t be present during the action; perhaps the action is invisible to a live action camera or maybe the documentary ‘story’ just needs some extra special style to make it compelling or easier to understand. This collection of films makes best use of the fluid and imaginative properties of animation to get their stories across.
> more info

Siggraph Asia Highlights


This Way Up | Smith & Foulkes | UK, 2008, 8'35

Our annual look at Siggraph returns to LIAF 09 but this time with a twist. LIAF co-director Malcolm Turner spent a week in Seoul going through the finest digital animation submitted to Siggraph and from this outstanding vantage point created this amazing collection of his very favourite moments. These films showcase the state of CG animating as presented at the motherlode of all things digital, Siggraph Asia – the largest and most important digital animation events in the world.
> more info

Best Of The Next – The International Graduate Animation Festival


IO | Alex Ward, Rob Nelson, James Swindells | UK 2008

This one-night festival of three distinct programmes of animation from more than 60 film and animation schools provides a special platform for young and emerging animators from the UK and around the world. One ticket gets you in to the entire night’s screening and you are welcome to come and go if you need a break. The first screening starts at 7pm and there is a new screening each hour on the hour until all three programmes have been shown.
> more info

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Museek – Music Video Panorama


Rock My Boat – Dntel | J Coburn, T Hicks, W Perrens | UK 2006

44 of the world’s best and most innovative music videos in two 90 minute programmes – hand-picked by the Museek Festival in Russia.
> more info

Late Night Bizarre


I Live In The Woods | Max Winston | USA, 2007, 3'45

Pretty much what it says on the can – a compendium of the strangest or funniest (not always the same thing) films drawn from the 2000+ submissions we received. Expect smatterings of mindless violence, intriguing alternative views of the world, a few gutbusters and a visual overload or two. A LIAF tradition nowadays and a reminder – if one is needed – that animation knows no imaginative boundaries!
> more info

Children and Families Screenings


Lost and Found | Phil Hunt | UK 2009

An extremely strong year for engaging, creative animation that can be enjoyed by our youngest audience – without a toy sales pitch in sight. LIAF stakes its claim for the hearts and minds of the next generation of animators, cinemagoers and film lovers with this collection of films, which aim to show kids what animation is REALLY all about. We promise a mix of giggles and awe.
> more info

Best Of The Festival
The whole week wraps up with a collection of films chosen by panels of judges, audience votes – and maybe one or two by the Festival Director. This screening always sells out and is repeated later in the evening.
> more info

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