The London International Animation Festival (LIAF) is the UK’s largest festival of its kind with 280 films from 30 countries and with 10 competitive categories, featuring the whole spectrum of creative animation. The magnificent programme will features several British premieres alongside a selection of exciting satellite events, while overall showcasing the very best in new animation from around the world.

The festival will open on 25 October with a preview of For No Good Reason, a film that explores the connection between life and art through the eyes of iconic artist Ralph Steadman who will attend the screening for a post-screening discussion along with Charlie Paul (director) and Kevin Richards (animation director).

Among the many other highlights are the never-before-seen pilot films of the iconic Klasky Csupo Studios in California (who made the original Simpsons shorts, Rugrats and Duckman); a look at the emerging Japanese animation scene, including a masterclass and screening with the most internationally successful short-form auteur animator Koji Yamamura; and from the Czech Republic music video director Tomás Lumák will present his feature film debut Alois Nebel (Czech Republic 2011).

The festival will also be home to a variety of ScreenTalks and special presentations including a 2-day industry event in which topics such as The Future of Animation in the UK and The Art of Animated Film Titles will be explored. There are also several programmes and hands on workshops especially for children including the Make a Spooky Film Workshop in which BAFTA award-winning Kevin Griffiths will guide audiences through the various stages of ‘cut-out’ animation and the art of adding spooky soundtracks.

The festival will wrap up with Best of the Fest, showcasing a collection of the greatest films from LIAF chosen by judging panels and audience votes.

For 11 days the LIAF, which will take place in the new Barbican Cinemas 2&3, will be the centre of the international animation universe.

Tickets and programme information: www.barbican.org.uk/film
Full programme is available online at www.liaf.org.uk

LIAF Opening Gala: For No Good Reason - Thursday 25 October, 6.30pm
A very special screening of For No Good Reason, the brand new feature film exploring the connection between life and art through the eyes of seminal British artist, Ralph Steadman. Johnny Depp pays a call on his friend and hero Ralph Steadman and we take off on a high-spirited, lyrical, raging and soulful journey discovering the life and works of one of the most important radical British artists of modern times. To top the evening off we‘ll follow the screening with an onstage discussion with For No Good Reason Director Charlie Paul and the Animation Director Kevin Richards about the animation processes in the film.

Technique Focus – Live Action / Animation Hybrid (cert 15*) - Thursday 25 October, 9.30pm
Blending live action and animation has come a very long way over the years. This programme showcases some of the most complex – and some of the simplest – examples of this avenue of animated creation.

International Programme 1 (cert 15*) - Friday 26 October, 6.30pm
The best of recently released short animated films from all over the world, carefully chosen from 2000-plus entries. They come in from every corner, they use every technique, they can be funny, dramatic, eye-popping, subdued, documentary or autobiographical. The one thing they have in common is that we think they’re the pick of the crop. There are also competition programmes focusing purely on abstract animation and longer shorts.