Welcome to our annual deep-dive into the dark heart of animation. Here you will find films featuring maggots, skeletons, dead flies, a world of rot, a visceral and discombobulating depiction of a classroom crush and a disturbing Virgin Mary figurine taking a weird, wobbly walk. Step in, take a seat, turn out the light and get ready for our annual showcase of all manner of dark, creepy, strange, violent and spooky films.

Independent animation is an art form that continues to thrive and develop as a breath-taking medley of styles, materials, techniques and production – from hand-drawn, paint on glass, collage, sculpture, cut-outs, puppets, abstract to some of the more interesting developments in CGI – all of which can be seen at this year’s LIAF.

We’ve emerged from under the pile of 2,400 entries to put together a series of screenings that showcase the best 86 new films from 41 countries around the world. They can be funny, dramatic, bizarre, subdued, scary or autobiographical. The one thing they have in common is that we think they’re the pick of the crop. 8 international competition programmes. Every technique, every genre, every style – this is your annual window into the international indie animation universe.

Total running time: approx 89 mins

For more information please visit http://www.liaf.org.uk/

A Kind of Testament

A young woman comes across animations on the Internet that have been created from her private selfies. An unknown female with the same name confesses to identity theft. But death is quicker than the answer to the question: “Why?”

France 2023 Dir: Stephen Vuillemin 16’25

The Wooden Ghost

A terrifying experience of flesh, blood, wood and feathers as a sculptor carves a statue of a young woman.

Czech Republic 2023 Dir David Daenemark 11’15

Fur

A weird, creepy crush gone mouldy.

USA 2022 Dir: Zhen Li 6’30

Drifter

The story of an astronaut detached from his space station, taken into an infinite drift throughout the universe. Freed from time and space, Drifter takes a dive into the unknown, in search of the ultimate freedom.

Belgium 2022  Dir: Joost Jansen 14’50

An End to War Enough

From World War II to the refugee camps of the 6-Day War, from the attack on the Mostar bridge to cars set on fire in the war in Syria - a world without war is another Utopia that we cannot wait for any longer.

Italy 2022 Dir: Simone Massi 4’40

Such Miracles Do Happen

One day all the statues in the town come to life and set off in the same direction. A captivating world in which ugliness is attractive and otherness is mysterious and magical.

Poland 2023 Dir: Barbara Rupik 13’50

Tang

A woman awakes in a dark and unrecognisable world, seemingly deserted. As she tries to find her way out, she encounters grotesque-looking creatures made from lumps of flesh. Desperate to escape, she begins to re-examine her fate.

South Korea 2023 Dir: Kim MinJeong 6’30

The Cactus

A man, troubled by a severe nervous system disorder, finds himself paralysed in a remote and hostile environment after an accident.

Brazil 2022 Dir: Ricardo Kump 10’25