Festival Fever

Close and Caring by Sehnsucht

Part film festival, part art party, this design-led jamboree located in the unassuming university town of Tilburg features artists talks, film screenings, concerts and laid back get togethers, crammed into 3 days. This year the festival starts in Amsterdam, in partnership with top Dutch visual curators, Submarine Channel, who are presenting their online Film Titles project. Highlights from the event include Show and Tell sessions by Minvegas, Jason Bruges Studio and Sehnsucht, whose new spot for MTV features these ridiculously cute and cuddly yeti creatures.

More about the festival Playgrounds

The First Lady of digital film festivals, onedotzero is back at the BFI in November for its 15th edition. A cheeky preview of work which will feature in the programme can be found on their website, and quite a few gems are already up online. The touring festival spans animation, interactive, design and educational projects, here are a few highlights from its upcoming programme.

Robots of Brixton, by Kibwe Tavares (UK / 2010 / 05:36)

A super-impressive debut from Brixton local Tavares, this hard hitting and timely film re-imagines the Brixton riots set in a dystopian future, where robot looters and riot police clash on the streets of South London. Following the recent episodes of looting in London, this film is an ominous reminder of how even recent history can repeat itself.

Hambuster, by Supinfocom Arles students (France / 2010 / 06:53)

Or When Burgers Bite Back. A collaborative project created as the graduate film by this team of French animation students, Hambuster melds all sub genres of B-Movie into one, from a touch of War of the Worlds, a dab of Godzilla and plenty of sauce in the style of Seymour from ‘The Little Shop of Horrors’, this people-munching burger pokes fun at America’s obsession with junk food and might make you think twice before ordering that Big Mac.

Co-directed by Paul Alexandre, Dara Cazamea, Maxime Cazeaux, Romain Delaunay and Bruno Ortolland.

3D No Glasses, by Jonathan Post (Brazil / 2011 / 01:55)

A slick post-produced spoof, which subverts the internet ‘how-to’ format. The instructor, French Director Francois Vogel, explains how he has devised a new form of 3D vision which requires no glasses, simply plug yourself in and flick the remote to play.

Watch the making of 3D No Glasses

Also celebrating its 15th year on the festival circuit, Bristol-based Encounters is regarded as THE festival to get your short into in the UK. Both Oscars and EFA accredited competition for selection into the final programme is high, yet the festival still retains its friendly atmosphere, which is all too often missing at larger film events. Encounters has not yet released its final programme but the following 2 shorts are definite highlights from the previous 2 editions.

Eel Girl, by Paul Campion (UK / 2009 / 05:18)

Back to basics, straight-up horror, just as we like it. A scientist falls in lust with the She-monster he is researching. Working late into the night, he makes the fatal mistake of letting himself get seduced by the sexily gruesome siren. The production values of this short are so good; it looks like a trailer for a high end feature film.

Khoda, by Reza Dolatabadi (UK / 2008 / 04:52)

A stop-frame graduation project comprised of over 6000 paintings which tell the story of a man on the run for his life. The film hums with a foreboding sense of paranoia, never quite knowing if the protagonist is being pursued or is simply going mad.

More about the festival Encounters