Bristol Encounters International Film Festival returns to Watershed and the Arnolfini this November (16th to 20th) to showcase the best short film and animation talent from around the world. The UK’s only gateway to the Academy Awards®, BAFTAs, Cartoon d’Or and European Film Awards. The festival will showcase 180 new films from emerging and established talent from 31 countries in competition across strands Animated and Brief Encounters.
Highlights in this year’s competitive programme include: A Gun for George, directed by, and starring Matthew Holness of Garth Marenghi fame; A new work An History of Civilisation by esteemed experimental filmmaker Andrew Kotting (Gallivant, This Filthy Earth); Luminaris by the award winning Argentinian animator Juan Pablo Zaramella; Ella, the South West Digital Short by Screen International’s Star of Tomorrow Dan Gitsham; Long Distance Information, the debut drama from Douglas Hart, previously of The Jesus and Mary Chain starring Peter Mullan (Neds); Apele Tac by upcoming German filmmaker Anca Miruna Lazarescu; Pitch Black Heist, featuring recent Venice Film Festival winning actor Michael Fassbender and cinematographer Robbie Ryan; Bertie Crisp by recent NFTS animation Graduate Francesca Adams starring Kathy Burke (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Tamsin Greig (Tamara Drewe); Tony Grisoni, screenwriter of Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, presents his new short film The Pizza Miracle.
For the past 12 years Mark Cosgrove, Head of Programme at Watershed has had the challenging responsibility of selecting the Brief Encounters competition programme from the 1,800 submissions received every year. From 2012 Mark will be passing the programming baton on to work as the Artistic Director of the Festival. This opens up an exciting new opportunity for a Short Film Programmer which will be advertised by the festival shortly. Alongside the board and Managing Director, Liz Harkman, Mark will focus on the overarching creative vision for Encounters as it moves into a future of exciting technological and creative opportunities. More news on these developments to be unveiled in 2012.
Mark Cosgrove says “Programming Encounters has been a great source of inspiration and perspiration: Inspiration because it never ceases to amaze me that each year such brilliant new filmmaking talent appear, perspiration because I never want to say no to a film. From next year I will be relinquishing the perspiration but will be soaking up the inspiration as I work to develop the scope of the festival in my new capacity as Artistic Director.”
To accompany the competitive programme and to celebrate all things brief and animated the Festival hosting a series of gala events, industry symposiums, workshops, special guests, free activities, live music and much more;
Big Ideas, Big Screen with Francine Stock, presenter of Radio Four’s The Film Programme, presented in association with the Festival of Ideas;
Directors UK present a special focus on Bruce Robinson, the man behind the definitive vision of British hedonism Withnail and I, will discuss his 40 year career and his new film The Rum Diary;
Studio AKA, the animation company behind the acclaimed Lloyd’s TSB campaigns, present a studio profile of their recent work;
Laurent Million, from the International Animation Film Festival of Annecy, presents his personal playlist of animated love songs;
The National Film and Television School will be delving into the mind of a cinematographer with Brian Tufano (Trainspotting, Adulthood) and Stuart Harris;
Festival favourites Desert Island Flicks return with a champion of animation to discuss their favourite and most influential films; BAFTA Masterclass present an intimate insight into the life and workings of a celebrated figure from the British screen.
The headline events continue with film and music fusions from the Bird Man of Alkijazz Tony Orrell and Scissor Sister’s Musical Director and Keyboard player John (JJ) Garden, who will perform an exclusive live accompaniment to a selection of silent and experimental films and animations. The Cube Cinema with be offering a slice of Bristol’s eccentric and electrifying arts scene and hosting a series of dynamic events including The Magical Misery Tour, a live VJ set inspired by cult horror classics from People Like Us.
Taking short film out of the cinema and onto the streets, the festival presents a series of unusual short film experiences free to the public, including the fabulous Vintage Movie Bus screening archive shorts, and a boutique pop up cinema on Bristol’s trendiest high-street, screening daily shorts by talent from across the city.
The full festival programme, Delegate registration and online tickets sales will be available from 4 October. For more information visit www.encounters-festival.org.uk
