Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival is the UK’s leading short film and animation festival, and the annual meeting place for filmmakers and industry professionals. Based in Bristol, Encounters runs a six-day festival in September and its main venues are Watershed and Arnolfini, on Bristol’s harbourside.
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Encounters Festival is the leading UK gateway to the world’s most prestigious short film and animation awards, and nominated filmmakers qualify for the BAFTAs, the Oscars, the European Film Awards and the Cartoon d’Or.
Encounters Festival presents an annual International Competition showing the best new short and animated films from around the world, as well as an Industry Forum offering masterclasses, panels and networking for filmmakers and professionals.
History
The festival began in 1995 as Brief Encounters, a one-off event to mark the centenary of cinema. It proved so successful that it became an annual attraction, and has expanded year on year ever since. Animated Encounters was set up in 2001 to celebrate and showcase animation. This younger sibling has enjoyed a rapid rise to global prominence, gaining status as UK representative for the prestigious European Cartoon d’Or. In 2006 the two festivals united as the Encounters Short Film Festival to record-breaking effect.
In 2010 Encounters Festival became a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards Short Film Category. In 2011 Encounters Festival announced a new partnership with the European Film Academy Short Film Initiative, becoming a member of the 15 European festivals that present the nominations for the European Film Academy Short Film Awards.
In 2014 Encounters Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Now
Over 2,000 films are submitted each year, and the curatorial group selects around 200 to screen in competition during the festival. The final selection is approved by the Festival Direction. Short film and animation juries of international film and media professionals select the award winning films, with awards given at the Awards Ceremony on Saturday 20 September 2014.