The Brighton International Animation Festival 2023 will be returning to the city in its full glory in April.
It’ll take place at Latest Music Bar on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th April for the second year running.
The festival is a celebration of iconic animation and showcases the best in the next generation of filmmakers – UK and International.
As well as an extensive programme, this year the festival will include an AR exhibit and the One Bum Cinema Club will be making an appearance. All films are subtitled with BSL interpreters at all events, making them fully accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing.
2023 judge’s prestige panel includes Emmy and Oscar-nominated director Joanna Quinn, who will also be hosting her first UK retrospective at the festival for the first time in years. Barry Purves – whose work ranges from the stop motion 80s Wind in the Willows to feature films like Mars Attacks, and King Kong who will be giving a masterclass on Sunday, and Hannah Lau Walker – a pioneer of women in the animation industry.
Here’s some of the highlights planned for the weekend…
To Be Human – focusing on the human condition. Living with Alzheimer’s, child soldiers, body image and men’s knitting groups are just some of the topics explored in this collection of films from countries including Australia, Egypt through to UK.
The (un)Natural World – Science, the environment and creatures of the earth are the focus of this programme. Expect sea creatures, insect specialists and hot-blooded flowers in the programme from countries including Taiwan, Iran and Sri Lanka.
Wild Characters – Use of personification and exaggeration are some of the joys of designing and working with character within animation. Clocks, clowns, huge sausage dogs and Elton John all feature in this collection of films that all have a character-based focus.
This festival is also one of firsts, featuring Queer As F**K: a special curated programme of Queer Animation not seen in other animation festivals, that explores an array of contemporary queer culture from terfs and gender identity to sex positivity. BIAF will also feature No Planet B – an Augmented Reality exhibition which will be on site to explore between the schedules.
Schedule times, summaries and judge bios below:
Sat 15th April 2023
11am New Generation 72’
1.30pm Joanna Quinn retrospective
4pm Puppet Stories 69’
6pm To be Human 77’
8pm Wild Characters 70’
Sun 16th April 2023
10am 360 life drawing workshop
12.30pm The (un)Natural World 76’
2.30pm Artists film 69’
4.30pm Barry Purves master class
6.30pm Queer as F**k 76’
8.30pm Long shorts/closing night awards
New Generation
Look out for the next generation of filmmakers in this showcase of the best cutting edge of talent from both UK and International. Anxiety, family relations and space travel are just some of the topics covered by this new generation of filmmakers, expect to see work from countries including Canada, Israel through to UK.
Joanna Quinn Retrospective
Joanna Quinn is one of the most iconic British Animation practitioners of recent times. She is renowned internationally for her drawing skills, wonderful characterisations and her humour. The politics of gender and oppression together with her obsessive fascination with exploring the eccentricities of the human body, in particular the female form, are the central themes of her work. Joanna’s films have won many awards including 4 BAFTA’s, 3 EMMY’s and 3 OSCAR® nominations. Come down and see a full screening of her works from the beloved Beryl films through to the cultural commentary of Britannia. She will undertake a Q+A after the screening so come with questions!
Puppet Stories
Puppet based stop frame animation was pioneered in the early twentieth century in the former eastern bloc countries including former Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. We can still see the influence of these pioneers today in this selection of narrative based figurative films from countries including Uruguay, Finland through to UK. Expect beautiful craft in both tactile and digital puppet making.
To Be Human
This programme focusses on the human condition. Living with Alzheimer’s, child soldiers, body image and mens knitting groups are just some of the topics explored in this collection of films from countries including Australia, Egypt through to UK.
Wild Characters
Use of personification and exaggeration are some of the joys of designing and working with character within animation. Clocks, clowns, huge sausage dogs and Elton John all feature in this collection of films that all have a character based focus. Expect music videos and both short films from Hungary, Germany, Croatia through to UK.
360 Life Drawing Class
Join Leo Crane from Figuration to draw the nude and create a 2D 360 turn around animation. You’ll be encouraged to consider movement in a series of sequential poses, before capturing a single pose from multiple viewpoints. At the end of the session, you will have the chance to animate your drawings with a simple smartphone app.
The (un)Natural World
Science, the environment and creatures of the earth are the focus of this programme. Expect sea creatures, insect specialists and hot blooded flowers in the programme from countries including Taiwan, Iran, Sri Lanka through to UK.
Artists Film
The joy of animation is its diversity of the medium both in form and ideation. This collection of films explore more experimental and non-linear approaches to animation including charcoal erasure animation, CG through to cut out from countries including USA, Belgium through to UK.
Barry Purves masterclass
Barry is a veteran of 45 years involvement with stop motion, working on popular TV series ranging from The Wind in the Willows and Twirlywoos, through to feature films Mars Attacks! and King Kong. He will give a presentation on his work and career including screening of new film No Ordinary Joe.
Queer as F++K
Special curated programme of Queer Animation that explores an array of contemporary queer culture from terfs and gender identity to sex positivity.
Visit the Brighton International Animation Festival website for more information and keep updated by following @brightonanimation on Instagram.
