The London International Animation Festival

The London International Animation Festival (LIAF14) returns to the Barbican with a whopping 10-day celebratory feast of forums, workshops and over 200 of the best recent, historical and retrospective animation from around the world.

This year’s uncompromising programme promises to inspire and delight - and also challenge the notion that animation is merely for the 3D-CG blockbuster genre. Indie animation is an artform that continues to thrive and develop as a breathtaking medley of styles, materials, techniques and production - from hand drawn, paint on glass, collage, sculpture, cut outs, puppets, abstract, sand/salt, solely digital to some of the more interesting developments in 3D – all of which can be seen at this year’s LIAF.

LIAF 2014’s opening night gala on Fri 24 Oct celebrates the centenary of Scottish-born Canadian animator Norman McLaren with a special programme entitled McLaren’s Influences – to be introduced by fellow animator and Canadian Steven Woloshen. Norman McLaren’s pioneering techniques led him to become one of the world’s most influential animators, whose works were added to the UNESCO Memory of World Programme in 2009.

Steven Woloshen will also deliver a workshop event during the festival as will other world-renowned animators: Andreas Hykade (Germany), Priit Tender (Estonia) and Ulo Pikkov (Estonia).

LIAF14 will also screen the UK Premieres of the acclaimed feature films Rocks in My Pockets – Signe Baumane (USA) and The Boy and The World – Ale Abreu (Brazil) which scooped top awards at this year’s Annecy, France and Ottawa, Canada animation festivals.

LIAF will also present three programmes of animation specifically for children – Amazing Animations for 0-6 year-olds and Marvellous Animations for 7-15 year-olds – and German animator Andreas Hykade will introduce his award-winning series of short films ‘Tom and the Slice of Bread with Strawberry Jam and Honey’.