This is the first of three 1 hour-long student programmes at The Horse Hospital.
Doors 6pm, Start 6:30pm
Tickets £8-10, or £13-16 for all three “Best of The Next” Screenings
Lights, Camera, Animation! This is LIAF’s annual showcase of the most dazzling animated student films selected from the best animation and film schools from all around the world. This is the first step on the animation ladder for these talented filmmakers, and the first time their wild and wonderful imaginations have been unleashed. Stop-motion, drawn animation, collage, cut-out, CGI, clay, ink and almost every other technique these animators can dream up are all on display here. 34 wondrous films in 3 hour-long programmes from the future stars of our animation universe.
Several of the filmmakers will be in attendance. Come along and help us celebrate this incredible work and to gain insights into their creative processes, inspirations, and the challenges they faced while bringing their visions to life.
Total running time: 66 mins
Please visit https://liaf.org.uk/ for more details
Visiting the Zoo
A glimpse into the lives of three characters who move through the city like animals in a zoo, gradually reconnecting with their primordial instincts - until they erupt in a final confrontation with real animals, breaking free from all social constraints.
Italy 2025 Dir: Maria Zilli 3’50
ISIA Urbino, Italy & ENSAD, France
The Panic Inside
How does a chronic people-pleaser, who struggles to say no to his friends' constant requests, finally learn to set boundaries, confidently say no, and reclaim his personal freedom?
Germany, Switzerland 2026 Dir: Matthias Strasser 8’20
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany
走 (zǒu)
An experimental animated short about language, meaning and moving through the world (one drawing at a time).
UK 2025 Dir: Hannah Wu 3’30
Royal College of Art, UK
What's Your Verdict?
A man and a woman with contradicting recounts of a night out, compete on a televised court show to determine who is telling the truth.
Switzerland 2026 Dir: Persephone Huynh Murphy, Anna Julia Paziewska, Marija Gajic 4’45
Hochschule Luzern - Design, Film und Kunst, Switzerland
About the Line
A playful encounter in the forest takes a dark turn when Anna accidentally kills a rabbit, leaving her desperate to make amends. Her journey through grief and guilt awakens buried emotions, drawing her into the hidden traumas passed down through her family.
Hungary 2026 Dir: Ráhel Gáti 6’40
MOME, Hungary
Hôtel les pieds dans l’eau
At the hotel Les pieds dans l'eau, Rosa, an exhausted chambermaid, dreams of escaping for a moment.
France 2025 Dir: Maya Vriens 5’55
EMCA, France
I'm Looking for Mr. Laser
A short story about following in the footsteps of someone who may or may not exist, mapping the maze of imagination and illusions created by the mysterious Mr. Laser.
Czech Republic 2025 Dir: Laura Boráros 6’40
FAMU, Czech Republic
Reaper
After many years of garbage collecting, Oktave’s routine is upended when, one night, unsettling apparitions disturb his reality.
France 2025 Dir: Cassandra Fenech, Cléa Fernandez Robles, Emilie Friess, Léa Gisbert, Morgane Jama, Aiden Mallet, Axel Pancioni, Émeline Vann La 4’45
Ecole des Nouvelles Images, France
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A current flows within a connection,only to become smoke and vanish in the end.
South Korea 2026 Dir: Sungha Hwang 4’15
Korea National University Of Arts, South Korea
Bootstrapping for the Boobied
A young woman deep in burnout turns to an online self-help guru for wisdom on how to manage stress and a burgeoning attraction to her roommate.
USA 2025 Dir: Stella Chen 12’40
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA
The Happy Pig Brand
Four young piglets go on a workplace visit with their school, getting a sneak peak into their possible future at ‘The Happy Pig Brand’.
UK 2026 Dir: Léo Bournas Milazzo 4’30
University of the West of England