Celebrate, Showcase, Inspire

Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival is the UK’s longest running competitive platform of its kind and the country's leading gateway to prestigious awards (BAFTAs, Oscars®, European Film Awards, Cartoon d'Or). The festival champions new talent and is one of the world's best-known showcases and breeding grounds for emerging creatives. Offering audiences the best short films and animations on the big screen, Encounters also hosts a variety of eclectic activities for all ages including live music and performance, workshops, talks, exhibitions, outdoor events, pop-up cinemas and much more. Join Bristol's big celebration of short film from 17 - 22 September 2013.

Encounters is seeking a new Operations Manager

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an exceptional person to join the team and contribute to the delivery of the 2013 festival in September. Encounters is looking for an experienced, dynamic and motivated individual to be the Operations Manager.

This role will have primary responsibility for coordinating all technical aspects of the film and events programme, ensuring festival operations and logistics are delivered and recruiting, training and managing approximately 60 volunteers.

The deadline for applications is Monday 1st June.

Encounters Student Campus

Every year our screenings, workshops, masterclasses, talks and networking sessions give top-notch opportunities for students to develop core skills, discover emerging trends and rub shoulders with future employers and commissioners. The 2013 Student Campus programme focus will be on outlining career roadmaps for upcoming filmmakers and animators, including masterclasses on producing, VFX, editing and cinematography in partnership with organisations such as the NFTS and BAFTA.

We are now taking bookings for Student Campus Packages, which include a discounted Student Festival Pass and affordable accommodation.

Become a Volunteer

Encounters aims to provide the best possible experience for each volunteer who generously gives their time to help make our events a success. We offer a variety of positions and roles that provide valuable experience to those trying to break into the film, arts and events industries.

If you're an enthusiastic individual, ready and willing to get stuck into the excitement and buzz of the festival in areas such as guest liaising, marketing, ticketing, ushering, party and event support, we want to hear from you!

Call for Entries

The Encounters Call for Entries is still open for works completed in 2013. Short films and animations are eligible from all over the world, under 30 minutes in length from any genre.

- Final deadline 3 June 2013

For our 2013 edition we're excited to announce the launch of a new showcase and competition for music videos in partnership with and curated by the team behind Soho Shorts! A Best Music Video Award will give a prize of £500 in order to highlight international talent in the format.

Future Encounters

Future Encounters is a showcase of 10 filmmakers whose work demonstrates a distinctive cinematic and/or artistic vision. We believe they are all talent to look out for in the years ahead. All had work screening in competition at the 18th Encounters.

Samuel Abrahams

Writer/Director, UK
'Hold On Me'

After graduating in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art, Samuel started out in TV with a win and a nomination at the Royal Television Society Awards... read full profile

Anna Blandford

Writer/Director, UK
'Goblin Market'

Anna’s creative partnership with co-writer/director Anna Valdez Hanks has culminated in three shorts that have won awards and screened at festivals worldwide... read full profile

Joseph Caruana

Animator, Malta
'The New and the Other'

Joseph is an animator and graphic designer. He graduated with a BTEC-MCAST Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design and a First Class Degree BA (hons) in Animation... read full profile

ISABELLA EKLÖF

Writer/Director, Sweden
'Notes From Underground'

Eklöf is originally from Sweden, where she achieved her first degree in directing at the University of Gothenburg... read full profile

Dan Geesin

Writer/Director, UK
'Elephant Feet'

Dan Geesin graduated from Ateliers Amsterdam in 1996 exploring narrative structures in his short films, music and drawing... read full profile

Nathan Hughes

Writer/Director, UK
'The Claw'

Nathan has broad, multi-platform experience as a creative producer of audio-visual performance, generative software and spectacular son et lumiere events... read full profile

HELGI JÓHANNSSON & HALLDÓR RAGNAR HALLDÓRSSON

Writer/Directors, Iceland
'When Rabbits Fly'

Helgi and Halldór are childhood friends who grew up making silly short films... read full profile

Jessica Knights

Animator
'What Mary Knew'

Jessica graduated this July from UCA Farnham with her film 'What Mary Knew'... read full profile

Andrew McVicar

Writer/Director, UK
'Compulsion'

Having spent his early life in the Middle East, Andrew returned to the UK to study Literature & Film... read full profile

Rosanna Wan

Animator, UK
'Skip Town'

Rosanna Wan is an animator, storyteller and designer. She studied Visual Communication at the UCA in Canterbury... read full profile