40 years of Royal College of Art Animation + filmmaker discussion
Still from ‘Anyway’ Dir: Run Wrake 4'15
Doors: 8.30pm
40 years ago, Royal College of Art launched its animation programme as a new department emerging from illustration, design, and film. Since its founding in 1985, RCA Animation has navigated vast changes in technology, culture, and education, yet one constant remains: a deep commitment to experimentation and innovation.
Unlike courses designed to feed industry pipelines, RCA Animation pursues a broader vision—the cultivation of filmmakers, artists, and auteurs. This ethos has produced generations of award winners, studio founders, educators, and cultural changemakers who continue to expand the possibilities of animation with work that is personal, political, and technologically adventurous.
This programme has been selected by LIAF from over 1000 films in the RCA’s archive of student work, and was co-curated with Dr Carla Mackinnon (RCA tutor) and Rory Waudby-Tolley (RCA Associate Lecturer). The selection speaks to the diversity of the RCA archive, ranging from comedy and drama to documentary and innovative experiments with material and form. It includes early work by key figures in UK animation, and internationally acclaimed short films that have stood the test of time.
A panel of filmmakers will take to the stage after the screening to discuss their work. Panel to be announced in November.
Total running time: 105 mins (75 mins + 30 mins screentalk)
Films:
Anyway
A frenetic, Dada-tinged collage of cut-up animation and sound. Looped drawings, colour photocopier zooms and a layered soundtrack of classical, spoken word, and breakbeats mirror the chaos.
UK 1990 Dir: Run Wrake 4'15
Reel to Reel
The story of a relationship through a journey of rhythm, movement and colour, moving from abstract to human form.
UK 1992 Dir: Sarah Cox 3’15
Mr Jessop
A man goes shopping and skilfully adapts to the city.
UK 1994 Dir: Brian Wood 8’15
Dog
A young boy longs for reassurance about how his mother died. To protect each other, he and his father hold their agony inside, where it festers.
UK 2001 Dir: Susie Templeton 5'40
Collision
Islamic patterns and American quilts and the colours and geometry of flags as an abstract field of reflection.
UK 2005 Dir: Max Hattler 2'20
Pingpongs
Marital ping-pong.
UK 2006 Dir: George Gendi 5'25
Fly on the Window
What if I was somebody else, but only for a couple of seconds?
UK 2009 Dir: Nikita Diakur 7'05
The Eagleman Stag
If you repeat the word 'fly' for long enough it sounds like you're saying 'life'. This is of no help to Peter. His answers lie in the brain of a beetle.
UK 2010 Dir: Mikey Please 8'55
My Dad
Inherited opinions. Inherited isolation. A depiction of a dad's influence on a young boy's life. His judgmental character mixed with the boy's fondness for his dad prove to be a toxic mix that tears away at a world of opportunity and experiences.
UK 2014 Dir: Marcus Armitage 5'50
Small People with Hats
A violent and enigmatic social allegory of death, power and revenge where little folks in headgear find themselves in very odd situations.
UK 2014 Dir: Sarina Nihei 6'45
Barbeque
A surreal, visceral depiction of the circular coping process of sexual trauma.
UK 2017 Dir: Jenny Jokela 5'35
West Question East Answer
Communication can be difficult when cultural and historical backgrounds are so distant. A Korean grandmother and her German granddaughter try to work it out.
UK 2018 Dir: Dal Park 6'25
Something More
An experimental animated documentary that explores the causes of youth violence, and more specifically the impact of knife crime in London through the lens of a mother raising her 8 year old son
UK 2022 Dir: Mary Martins 4'35
Still from ‘Barbeque’ Dir: Jenny Jokela 5'35
The London International Animation Festival (LIAF 2025) - the UK’s largest and longest-running animation festival is back with 10 days of amazing screenings, talks, discussions and events from November 28 to December 7. We are delighted that LIAF is once again returning to the Horse Hospital for 4 nights and 9 extra special screenings - with several visiting local and international animators attending to talk and introduce their films.
The full festival programme is available at https://liaf.org.uk/
