Once again, Encounters brings you the best new short and animated films from across the globe. Encounters is the UK’s leading short film festival combining film screenings, special events, industry masterclasses and workshops in a packed programme of activity over 6 days.

This year they have a new addition to the family: alongside their traditional short film and animation programmes Immersive Encounters will focus on the creativity appearing on non-traditional platforms. Their VR Cinema creates the focus point for this new strand allowing audiences to simultaneously experience 360° filmmaking in a safe, facilitated environment – allowing the focus to be on the content rather than the technology.

As always, Encounters is proudly European. In 2017 they present specially curated programmes of short films from Poland, Turkey, Italy and Croatia. Additionally European shorts will be screened within a Perpetual Cinema located at 20th Century Flicks, celebrating and highlighting Encounters’ strong continental partnership ties. They also put the focus on Deaf filmmaking, with three programmes of Deaf shorts, including a competition programme.

Highlights among their very special guests include leading animators Pierre Coffin, the man behind Despicable Me and the Minions, and Michaël Dudok de Wit, the Academy Award® winning animator behind The Red Turtle. In ‘Holotronica’ they also have an amazing 3D show from Stuart Warren-Hill using his own invention, Holo-Gauze. All not to be missed!

This year you can ‘Festival for a fiver’ with all film programmes priced at £5.00.

Find out more about the festival, see the full programme and sign up to the Encounters newsletter at encounters-festival.org.uk.

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