The London International Animation Festival (LIAF) have unleashed their programme for this year’s edition. Tickets for the festival are on sale now. From the 2nd through 11th of December, the LIAF will be showcasing a spectrum of creative animation at the Barbican, with additional programmes at The Horse Hospital, Close-Up Cinema, and The Whitechapel Gallery.

The LIAF is a year-round celebration of animation and will be a 10 day comprehensive, up-to-date overview of the international indie animation scene encompassing every style, genre, and technique.

LIAF 2016 will include: International Programmes; Abstract Animation Showcase; Animated Features; British Animation Showcase; Retrospectives; Music Videos Session; Late Night Bizarre; Masterclasses; Workshops; Special Guests; Animation Industry Events; Best of the Festival and much more. Here’s five events you might not have thought about to check out during the December festival.

The International Competition Programmes

The LIAF has scheduled 7 different international competition programmes covering the categories of “From Absurd to Zany”, “Being Human”, “Looking for Answers”, “New Japanese Shorts- Beyond Anime”, “Into the Dark”, “Below the Surface”, and “Long Shorts”. These different programmes are the backbone of the whole LIAF mission and have looked through over 2,400 entries in order to put together a showcase of the best 128 new films. This programme celebrates some of the best films of the year- being funny, dramatic, eye-popping, subdued, documentary and, even, autobiographical.

 

Classic Disney Shorts (PG)

This event showcases the history of animation during the 1930’s and 1940’s specifically related to Walt Disney Studios, as well as, encompasses how Disney’s famous characters such as Micky Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy have managed to endure to this day. LIAF has restored all of the films to their full and original glory and most of them will be projected from 35mm prints. Thanks to Garth Burkhard and April Mcilroy at Walt Disney Studios, the LIAF is excited to be able to present such a rare opportunity to experience these films on the big screen. Will be shown at the Barbican.

 

Celebrating Women in Animation + Q&A

On December 9th at 8:00 pm, LIAF will be partnering with Animated Women UK (AWUK) to put on this event to celebrate women in animation and WFX. 50% of the films selected for competition this year were either made by women or have women in major roles attached to them. The LIAF then handed over these films to a select panel from AWUK who have spent several days deliberating over them and eventually creating an 80 minute screening of the best and most recent of the films with an array of  styles, techniques, genres, and stories made by the world’s best female animators in the industry. After the 80 minute screening at the Horse Hospital, a panel of women will host an onstage discussion about what it’s like to be a woman currently working in the industry.

 

Momotaro – Sacred Sailors (PG)

Although it was presumed lost until the mid-’80s, Momotaro resurfaced on VHS in Japan and has now been freshly restored in a 4k scan of the original 35mm negatives. Now, Mitsuyo Seo’s classic is able to be shown again, not looking a day older than when it was first screened in 1945. Momotaro remains- propagandistic material notwithstanding- a timeless achievement in worldwide animation. the LIAF will be hosting this rare chance to see the lost masterpiece that helped anime become how it is now on the big screen. Plus, they will also be showing the supporting film, Kenzo Masaoka’s Spider and Tulip.

 

Ultra Secret Feature! BRITISH PREMIERE

The LIAF has hand-drawn a completely independent production that has only just finished this year by an American-directing duo who are the kings of indie-animated film with a glorious history of filmmaking for many years. Although they can not disclose the title or director of this full-length animated feature film, they guarantee you will not be disappointed and say to expect to see “scathing irreverent humour in the seedy underworld of LA with biker gangs, bounty hunters, strange cults, and all sorts of crazy, sleazy characters.” It will be playing at the Horse Hospital.

The LIAF runs from the 2nd to the 11th of December. Browse the full programme.