At the heart of this programme of extraordinary animation work from the UK is a contemplation on the curious condition of being human - how we govern our emotions, navigate knotty relationships, connect to our surroundings, and find the strength to reject others’ perceptions and live as our true selves.

This selection includes animated works made with a mix of paint, print, found objects, real footage, models, and drawings to create these cathartic and compelling tales for the screen. Featuring new work by EIFF 2022 Powell and Pressburger-Award winner Ainslie Henderson (Shackle) and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Lawrence Chaney voicing the main character in Holly Summerson’s Living With It.

Abigail Addison, Animation Short Films Programmer

Films in running order (c.85 min):

Sweet Like Lemons Jenny Jokela / United Kingdom, Finland / 2023 / 5 min

Sweet Like Lemons is a visual reflection on getting out of a harmful relationship and moving on. The title is a play on the saying 'when life gives you lemons make lemonade', only in this case there is no lemonade to be made but the lemons still taste sweeter than what you left behind.

The Wolf of Custer Tanya J Scott / United Kingdom / 2023 / 7 min

A town loves telling tales about a legendary wolf. One hunter, however, proclaims it’s just an ordinary wolf. He sets out to pursue it but while on the hunt, he begins to witness and understand the power of stories.

World to Roam Stephen Irwin / United Kingdom / 2023 / 12 min

Mother and Father lay the child in his cot at the same time every night. However, come morning, only a shallow crater remains; a baby-shaped depression. The boy was destined to be a wanderer.

A Float Isabel Barfod / Denmark, United Kingdom / 2023 / 3 min

A Float explores subtle modes of refusal through the lens of a Black Queer swimmer in a hostile environment. Set in a Victorian era public swimming pool, A Float follows our protagonist as they access alternate realities, speculated futures and enact small acts of revenge. A Float was commissioned by Film London 2023.

Living With It Holly Summerson / United Kingdom / 2023 / 7 min

Perfectionist Lee must adapt to the imperfect reality of living with an illness – brought to life as a chaotic supernatural flatmate: Bug. A dark comedy animated short about accepting the long-term effects of illness.

The Perpetrators Richard Squires / United Kingdom / 2022 / 15 min

Suburban London, the 1980s. A stranger in the family becomes a ghost child and awakens the monsters and desires of a queer childhood…

Fuar: A Counter-Memory Ezgi Özbakkaloğlu / United Kingdom / 2022 / 2 min

An animation series that draws attention to the collective amnesia of the 1922 Great Fire of Smyrna/Izmir by examining the urban park, Fuar, built on top of its ruins. By layering two different printmaking techniques, drypoint etching and risograph, the project seeks to explore and highlight the contrast between eras and to inform them of each other.

Mum’s Spaghetti Lisa Kenney / United Kingdom / 2023 / 11 min

MC mastermind Poppy and her beatboxing border terrier Snoop are the new kids in town – and they’re ready to make their reputation known. Straight A’s and bubble baths are their way of life – but when confronted by an older crew en-route to her first day at school, Poppy quickly changes her tune.

Waldeinsamkeit Silvana Roth / United Kingdom / 2023 / 4 min

Waldeinsamkeit describes the feeling of spiritual loneliness one experiences when enjoying solitude in a forest, a reconnection with self that is often missing in today's busy concrete city environments. An old lady feels alienated from modern city life, but when she embarks on a magical dreamlike journey she finds wonder and a newfound appreciation for the place she lives in.

She’s My Best Friend (and I Hate Her) Candy Guard / United Kingdom / 2023 / 4 min

Old friends Milly and June wait impatiently for each other outside a coffee shop. The longer they wait, the more annoyed they get, causing past hurts and old resentments to play on their minds.

A Taste For Music Jordan Antonowicz-Behnan / United Kingdom / 2022 / 5 min

Living with a sick loved one can have benefits and problems, a self-reflective documentary inspired by the memories and the record collection of the director's father.

Shackle Ainslie Henderson / United Kingdom / 2022 / 10 min

Three archetypal woodland spirits explore the conflicting human drives of creativity, possessiveness and our desire for status.