This programme, From Absurd to Zany, celebrates some of the funniest, weirdest and eye-poppingly nutty films that were entered this year. Forget the mainstream. This is the strange stuff – the offbeat, unruly and gloriously unhinged shorts that live somewhere beyond the edges of normal. Expect deadpan madness, surreal detours, twisted laughs and beautifully bonkers ideas. Come curious. Leave slightly confused.

Independent animation remains a dynamic and evolving art form, showcasing a stunning array of styles, materials, and techniques – from hand-drawn and paint-on-glass to collage, sculpture, cut-outs, puppetry, abstract forms, and innovative CGI. This year’s LIAF highlights the most diverse and exciting developments within this vibrant medium.

After sorting through a huge pile of 2,300 entries, we’ve curated a selection of 75 outstanding new films from 29 countries. These films range from humorous and dramatic to bizarre, subtle, frightening, and autobiographical. What they all share is our belief that they represent the best of the best. These 8 international competition programmes showcase a variety of techniques, genres, and styles. This is your annual glimpse into the vibrant world of international indie animation.

Several filmmakers will be in attendance to introduce their films at the start of the screening.

Please visit liaf.org.uk for more details

I Have A

A man lists the things that he has.

UK 2026 Dir: Rory Waudby-Tolley 4’40

Paradaïz

Welcome to a place where the houses have holes, tomatoes are ticking time bombs and snails wander the streets in search of a safe space.

Canada 2025 Dir: Matea Radic 9’25

Little Boarlet

A little story about a little boarlet.

Japan 2026 Dir: Atsushi Wada 3’35

Unidentified Nonflying Objects

When the world beyond a carefully controlled order begins to seep through its walls, stability starts to rot from within. As reality takes root like wild organic growth, the system faces an inevitable collapse.

Germany 2026 Dir: Sasha Svirsky 12’05

Mucky

In a world where pigs live much like humans, two old pig friends chat over pints when one reveals a radical new life choice: she’s stopped wearing clothes and returned to wallowing in mud, just like her ancestors.

UK 2026 Dir: Christa Jarrold 1’25

Funfair

A young woman struggles with the challenges of adulthood and her aching wisdom tooth. Her inner struggles come to life in a surreal amusement park.

France, Hungary 2026 Dir: Éva Darabos 13’00

Time Flies

A snail is crushed by a car, a dog defecates while a tourist jumps from the tallest skyscraper in the world. A series of slices of everyday life spirals into chaos, culminating in the destruction of daily monotony.

Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Finland 2026 Dir: Tommaso Zerbi 4’35

Babyface

Spoon finds a coupon!

UK 2026 Dir: Sacha Beeley 5’55

Quantum Jump

In a surreal mansion, a servant to enigmatic twins breaks free from their conditioning and outsmarts them – only to plunge into a magical orchard where reality decays into echoes. Amid the ruins of meaning, he discovers the strange promise of renewal.

Czech Republic 2026 Dir: Šimon Mészáros 10’20

Five Orphans

Five orphans walk along a ditch and find dead bodies in a society where protests against the government are on the rise.

France, Japan, Germany 2026 Dir: Sarina Nihei 11’10

A Pint of Bitter

You are trying to enjoy a quiet pint in the pub but a patron and his son seemingly have a problem with your demeanour.

Ireland 2025 Dir: Conor Kehelly 9’00