Brighton International Animation Festival 2026 Unveils Expanded Programme, VR Hub, New Comedy Strand and Emma Calder Retrospective
Skwigly
The Brighton International Animation Festival is set to take place for the fifth year running on Friday 24th, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April 2026.
The festival is one of only 4 BAFTA qualifying animation festivals in the UK, putting Brighton on the map for animation!
The festival is a fantastic celebration of contemporary animation, this year is expanding to Brighton’s iconic Brighton Dome venue. 2026 introduces new programme You’ve Got to Laugh and a VR Hub for the first time, allowing participants to experience animation in an interactive 360 setting. Other film programmes include New Generation the best of new grad talent and an annual LGBTQ+ programme, Brighton International Animation Festival being the only animation festival in the UK that encompasses queer themes. It is also the only UK festival to host an Augmented Reality exhibition alongside the programme – this year the theme is Revolution so expect to see a whole array of characters brought to life on the walls of Brighton Dome! All films are captioned with BSL interpreters at all screening events, making it fully accessible for deaf & hard of hearing.
2026 Jury Panel
Golden Wolf is an award-winning creative agency founded in 2013, with offices in London and New York. The studio has built a global reputation for crafting bold motion & design that blends unconventional humour with youthful energy. Golden Wolf’s portfolio spans commercial campaigns, social content, AR/VR experiences and more. Known for its fast-paced visual dynamism and shareable impact, the creative agency’s approach blends emerging technology with artistry and strategy. They will also be delivering this years industry talk!
Nina Gantz is a BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated Dutch animation director based in Brighton. She graduated from the National Film and Television School, where she made her short film Edmond, which went on to receive a BAFTA and the Sundance Film Festival award for Best Animated Short. Her most recent film, Wander to Wonder, premiered at the Venice Film Festival and has since been recognised with several awards, including a second BAFTA, a BIFA, an Annie Award, and Best Animated Short at SXSW, as well as an Oscar nomination. Alongside her independent films, Nina also directs commercials with the production company BlinkInk.
Amy Ashton is the co-founder and director of BlackFrame, a newly launched initiative that amplifies Black talent in animation. Working as a freelance producer with 11+ years of industry experience under her belt, Amy has produced a wealth of content including commercials, children’s series and music videos across both live action and animation. Amy has dedicated herself to promoting diverse talent with a focus on championing the incredible variety of Black artists and crew that the industry has to offer.
She will also be hosting the Women In Animation meet up on the Saturday!
You can book tickets HERE for the jam-packed three-day programme, including:
New Generation
Look out for the next generation of filmmakers in this showcase of the best cutting edge of talent from both UK and International. Recovery, washing up and queer identity are just some of the topics covered by this new generation of filmmakers, expect to see work from countries including Iran, France and Australia through to UK.
The Female Gaze
In second wave feminism Laura Mulvey presented the concept of The Male Gaze. This programme subverts this and presents a selection of films either presenting the female experience or the world through the eyes of a female director. Including documentary, narrative and experimental from countries including Palestine, Netherlands and UK.
Puppet Stories
Puppet based stop frame animation was pioneered in the early twentieth century in the former eastern bloc countries including former Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. We can still see the influence of these pioneers today in this selection of narrative based figurative films from countries including Mexico, Brazil, Armenia through to UK. Expect beautiful craft and tactile puppet making.
Visit the Brighton International Animation Festival website for more information and keep updated by following @brightonanimation on Instagram.
Festival Schedule & Summaries
Friday
1 – 3pm Cartoon County talk
Presuming Eds (upstairs), London Rd Brighton
Tickets are free but need to book!
BIAF will be collaborating with Cartoon County hosting a discussion and screening with animator and comic artist Majid Adin.
Majid Adin is an award-winning animator, best known for his video made for a rerelease of Elton John’s iconic song Rocket Man and “Women, Life, Freedom” (2024). He is currently working on his first graphic novel Hamid and Shakespeare, inspired by his experiences of being imprisoned and politically exiled from Iran.
Cartoon County has provided an umbrella for meetings, exhibitions, workshops, comic fairs and comic artists’ participation for over 30 years.
3.30 – 5.30pm 360 Life Drawing
Brighton Unitarian Church, New Road, BN1 1UF
Join Leo Crane from Packed Lunch to draw the nude and create a 2D 360 turn around animation. You’ll be encouraged to consider movement in a series of sequential poses, before capturing a single pose from multiple viewpoints. At the end of the session, you will have the chance to animate your drawings with a simple smartphone app. All materials are provided, just bring your smartphone!
6 – 8pm Festivus meet up
Alcampo Lounge, London Rd Brighton
No ticket needed – just show up!
FESTIVUS is a regular animation industry meet up and they will be coming to mingle with us in Brighton! Come down and have a drink and meet some new animation friends and contacts, (at the private area of Alcampo Lounge when you walk in to the left). From humble beginnings in the back streets of London in the early 2000s, the FESTIVUS community has grown over 20 years, via regular in-person events and an active social media presence, to being a hub of animation talent, with over 11,000 global members.
Sat 25th April – BRIGHTON DOME STUDIO THEATRE, 29 New Road, Brighton
- 11.30 New Generation 75’
- 1.30pm Artists Film 76’
- 4pm Industry talk – Golden Wolf 60’
- 4 – 6pm Women in Animation meet up, Dome Gallery Bar
- 6pm The Female Gaze 76’
- 8pm You’ve Got to Laugh 71’
Sun 26th April – BRIGHTON DOME STUDIO THEATRE, 29 New Road, Brighton
- 12pm The Natural World 73’
- 2pm Puppet Stories 74’
- 4pm Emma Calder retrospective
- 6pm Queer as F++k 73’
- 8pm Long shorts/closing night awards 60’
Industry talk – Golden Wolf
This years industry talk will be with Golden Wolf! Come down with questions, learn more about their studio and the animation industry!
Golden Wolf is an award-winning creative agency founded in 2013, with offices in London and New York. The studio has built a global reputation for crafting bold motion & design that blends unconventional humour with youthful energy. Golden Wolf’s portfolio spans commercial campaigns, social content, AR/VR experiences and more. Known for its fast-paced visual dynamism and shareable impact, the creative agency’s approach blends emerging technology with artistry and strategy.
WIA meet up – Dome Gallery Bar
Join jury member Amy Ashton as she hosts a WIA (Women in animation) meet up in the Dome bar area in the festival hub 4 – 6pm.
Free – just show up!
The Female Gaze
In second wave feminism Laura Mulvey presented the concept of The Male Gaze. This programme subverts this and presents a selection of films either presenting the female experience or the world through the eyes of a female director. Including documentary, narrative and experimental from countries including Palestine, Netherlands and UK.
You’ve Got to Laugh
Introducing the first ever comedy programme to BIAF! When the world is turning dystopian it’s good to laugh, these collection of films contain a more light hearted comedic perspective of the world. Expect amorous tooth brushes, sushi parties and judo dogs in this collection from countries including Singapore, Austria through to UK.
Sunday
The Natural World
Nature, the environment and creatures of the earth are the focus of this programme. Expect tigers, whales and woodland forests in this programme from countries including Ireland, Canada and Bulgaria through to UK.
Puppet Stories
Puppet based stop frame animation was pioneered in the early twentieth century in the former eastern bloc countries including former Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. We can still see the influence of these pioneers today in this selection of narrative based figurative films from countries including Mexico, Brazil, Armenia through to UK. Expect beautiful craft and tactile puppet making.
Emma Calder retrospective
The Brighton International Animation Festival is honoured to host a retrospective of our friend the great British Animation legend Emma Calder. It will include new film House of Love which she was working on when she sadly passed away and was finished by her team, an extract of which was part of the 2024 AR exhibition. Emma was part of the festival the last couple of years, winning Best UK film in 2023 for Beware of Trains, and participating in the AR exhibition in 2024.
As well as developing her own career Emma was a massive figure in UK animation pioneering for change, notably working with the Animation Alliance.
This retrospective will showcase earlier works through to ‘Not Daft’ a piece on hearing loss she was also developing alongside House of Love when she passed away. Behind the scenes talks both formally from Animate Projects and informally at London Animation Club are interspersed throughout the programme to illuminate the works further.
Thanks to the Pearly Oyster team and Emmas family for assisting in putting together this material.
There will be a panel discussion with some of her team after the screening:
Harriet Titlow – Producer, Sofia Negri – Animator, artworking, Luke Ramsay – Lead compositor, animator, artworking
Queer as F++k
Queer as F++K is back! Special curated out of competition annual programme of Queer Animation that explores an array of contemporary queer culture. Expect trans identity, parental relations and cosmic kisses in array of narrative and documentary films from countries including Taiwan, Argentina and Italy through to UK.
Long shorts/closing night awards
Long Shorts programme followed by awards ceremony – find out who the judges have chosen for Best International, Best UK, Best Student film and Best AR award!
Followed by drinks, mingling and great chat.
With support of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery in order to bring this project to more audiences across the UK.