Brighton International Animation Festival

Brighton International Animation Festival

Also known as: BIAF
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Brighton International Animation Festival is a not-for-profit event run by animators on the south coast of England. Each April it devotes three days to animated film, combining specially curated programmes with competition screenings, hands-on animation workshops and talks by industry speakers aimed at animators and general audiences alike. Every film is shown with subtitles for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, and a BSL interpreter attends all events.

The competition is open to international, UK and student work, with prizes for Best International, Best UK and Best Student film chosen by guest judges. Past editions have included a Joanna Quinn retrospective in 2023 and a 70th-anniversary screening of Animal Farm in 2024, introduced by Vivian Halas of the Halas and Batchelor estate. The 2027 edition runs 2–4 April 2027, mainly at Brighton Dome.

Country

United Kingdom (UK)

Categories

Animation, Short, Student

Dates

2 April 2027 — 4 April 2027

Awards and prizes

Prizes are awarded in three categories: Best International, Best UK and Best Student film, judged by external guest judges.

Festival rules

All submissions are made through FilmFreeway. There are no premiere status requirements. For the 2027 edition, films must have been made since 2024. Any animation technique and any genre are eligible, including documentary, narrative, music video and experimental work; TV series episodes and pilots are accepted. Mixed-media works must be predominantly animated (around 75% animation). Only completed films are accepted; works in progress and previously submitted films are not eligible. Selected films must provide a version with burnt-in English captions, a downloadable high-resolution export and at least one still image. Submission fees are non-refundable, and the festival does not pay screening fees.

Contacts

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