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Enter the Brainbox (18*)

Emerging Film Curators

,Barbican Cinema 1
an animation of a woman looking into a hand-held mirror

Explore the bizarre minds of animation's underground in a screening of rare shorts and forgotten gems, plus a pre-recorded animation demonstration

If animation allows us to see our most private thoughts, these filmmakers have explored further than most would dare. From the candy-coloured worlds of legendary underground animator Amy Lockhart, to the thoughtful observations of acclaimed filmmaker Joanna Priestley, these shorts introduce us to the dreams and nightmares of animation's brightest voices. 

The screening includes a pre-recorded demonstration from the curator, Christopher Childs, as he animates a paper cut-out character in real-time, demystifying the strange process of bringing inanimate objects to life.

Tagged with: Cinema Emerging Curators 2020

Approx. 63 min

 

We’ve brought in measures to keep you safe, in line with government guidelines. 

We’re keeping to the 2m rule and have fewer available seats in Cinema 1. We’ve also reduced the number of screenings, so that we can clean regularly, and make sure that entering and exiting is safer and simpler. It’s essential for you to wear a mask and book your tickets before you come. 

In line with government advice for seated venues, you can only sit in the same seating cluster as someone from your own household/bubble. We ask you to not swap seats when you arrive so we can maintain a safe distance between you and other groups.

Programme

Pencil Booklings 
An animator has a chat with her cartoon characters, as they gradually take over the film’s narrative.
USA 1978 Dir Kathy Rose 14min

Voices 
The director guides us through her anxieties about the future, her body and filmmaking itself. 
USA 1985 Dir Joanna Priestley 4min 

I Don’t Protest, I Just Dance My Shadow
An animated essay that explores the joys and frustrations of being a black female animator. 
UK 2017 Dir Jessica Ashman 5min

It’s All in the Mind
An immersive journey through the drawings and sketchbooks of artist/filmmaker, Eden Kötting. 
UK Dir Eden Kotting 3min 

Save Me 
An experimental trip through the disorientating thoughts of the filmmaker, from shrinking vegetables to late-night talk shows. 
UK 1994 Dir Stuart Hilton 6min

Boogodobiegodongo 
A surreal wander through a colourful world of blaring sounds and shape-shifting creatures. 
UK 2012 Dir Peter Millard 4min

Walk for Walk 
A crowd of paper cut-out characters parade through a candy-coloured landscape, in Lockhart’s legendary surrealist film. 
Canada 2005 Dir Amy Lockhart 10min 

Love and Theft 
Iconic characters of animation history, from mainstream to underground, morph into one another in this exploration of pop-culture and our sub-conscious. 
Germany 2010 Dir Andreas Hykade 7min

Jukebox 
The daydreams of a young man turn into a visual explosion of pop-art designs and soul music. 
UK 1994 Dir Run Wrake 5min

Café Bar 
A woman struggles to find common ground during a date, as their communication problems visually morph into vast landscapes and terrifying monsters. 
UK 1975 Dir Alison De Vere 5min

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Barbican Cinema 1