Encounters announces competition programme

As it gears up to celebrate its 20^th anniversary between 16^th and 21^st September, UK short film festival Encounters has announced its competition programme. 207 films from 30 different countries will vie for numerous awards and possibilities of being nominated for the likes of the Academy Awards, BAFTAs and European Film Awards and the Cartoon D’or.

Highlights of the live action shorts includes Las Isla, Polish filmmaker Katarzyna Klimkiewicz’s collaboration with Dominga Sotomayo which won the Tiger Award for Best Short at this year’s Rotterdam Film Festival. A subtle and beautiful filmic poem, the film has been eagerly awaited since Klimkiewicz won the European Film Award in 2010 for her film Hanoi-Warsaw. There’s also the masterful Norwegian film Money Back Pleasefrom Even Hafnor. A perfectly observed story of a girl accused of theft, its aesthetic of realism and naturalistic performances create a story that speaks of modern prejudice and paranoia.  You can also see Finnish festival favourite Emergency Calls which you can read about HERE.

There will obviously also be a strong UK presence with films such as Keeping Up With The Joneses, Michael Pearce’s BAFTA nominated darkly humorous crime drama starring renowned UK actress Maxine Peake. Also screening will be Nick Jordan’s The Rising which is reviewed HERE.

Animated Encounters will include I Love You So Hard, a madcap UK animation that has already played at the likes of Clermont and Annecy and the subtly brilliant Monkey Love Experiments, a moving animation by lauded UK animator Ainslie Henderson.

Encounters will take place between 16^th and 21^st September in Bristol, UK. Full information can be found on the festival's website.