Opening Night - 20 years celebration and a tribute to Paul Bush (15*)
London International Animation Festival
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, LIAF pays tribute to this truly remarkable, utterly gifted, endlessly inquisitive artist and a panel discussion with several friends and colleagues.
We’ll be celebrating our 20th birthday in style with an opening night two-part line-up. We’ll be kicking off with an advance screening of a collection of films from across the 2023 festival line-up. Part two of our opening night is a tribute programme dedicated to the work of master animator Paul Bush who sadly passed away earlier this year.
There would be very few in the world of independent animation that have not encountered the work of British master animator Paul Bush. Beyond being the loveliest and most gentle of souls, Paul was one of those incredibly rare breed of animators who roamed freely and with a truly experimental heart across a broad spectrum of animation techniques – routinely setting new standards in them all and inspiring others to try their hand.
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Booking fees
£1.50 booking fee per online/phone transaction.
No fee when tickets are booked in person.
Booking fees are per transaction and not per ticket. If your booking contains several events the highest booking fee will apply. The booking fee may be reduced on certain events. Members do not pay booking fees.
Programme
Part one: some mystery films from across the 2023 LIAF line-up
Your first chance to see a small selection of some of the stunning films screening in competition this year. Films will be revealed on the night.
Part two: tribute to Paul Bush
His Comedy
The poet Dante is taken by Virgil through the gates of the city of desolation and into the centre of hell. What he sees is not simply an apocalyptic vision of the punishment that awaits sinners after death but also the very real horrors committed by human hands on earth.
UK 1994 Dir: Paul Bush 8 min
Still Life with Small Cup
A radical reworking of an etching by the Italian artist Giorgio Morandi, brought to life by engraving frame by frame directly into the photographic emulsion of colour filmstock.
UK 1995 Dir: Paul Bush 4 min
Furniture Poetry
The film-maker accepts the challenge of the philosopher and changes not only a table but also chairs, shoes, jugs, teapots and almost everything else lying around his house.
UK 1999 Dir: Paul Bush 5 min
Secret Love
A music clip for Percy Grainger's extraordinary orchestration of a gory Nordic folk song - Father and daughter who wreak havoc on each other and everyone around.
UK 2002 Dir: Paul Bush 3 min
While Darwin Sleeps
3,000 multi-coloured and glowing insects star in this mescaline vision dreamt by Charles Darwin.
UK 2004 Dir: Paul Bush 5 min
Paul Bush talks
Paul Bush tries to talk about the making of While Darwin Sleeps and his aspirations for cinema but all the time the film itself tries to take over and in the end completely overwhelms him.
UK 2006 Dir: Paul Bush 2 min
Lay Bare
A composite portrait of the human body, revealing it as it is only rarely seen in our most intimate relationships – erotic and comic, beautiful and vulnerable.
UK 2012 Dir: Paul Bush 6 min
Dir: Paul Bush 7 min
The Five Minute Museum
A history of man made objects from stone age to the age of plastics, photographed at museums in the UK and Switzerland.
UK 2015 Dir: Paul Bush 7 min
Stupidity Soliloquy
The making of The Five Minute Museum and the importance of stupidity in the creative process.
UK 2015 Dir: Paul Bush 2 min
Elegy
A film of stone and light – just stone and light.
Switzerland/UK 2017 Dir: Paul Bush 6 min
Ride
A masterful stop-frame homage to the iconic motorcycle design and culture of the 1950s and 60s.
Portugal 2018 Dir: Paul Bush 6 min
The Making of Orgiastic Hyper-Plastic
An introduction about the making of Paul’s last short film.
UK 2020 Dir: Paul Bush 4 min
Orgiastic Hyper-Plastic
An elegy to a love affair that has gone sour, a fond farewell to that most beautiful material that has enslaved our planet – plastic.
UK/Denmark 2020
See more film for less
Cinema 1
Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.
Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS
Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.
We’ve plenty of places for you to relax and replenish, from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus
Access
Level access from the Pit floor foyer only to the two boxes (see Mobility below). All other seats lead off stepped aisles.
Mobility
Two boxes at the rear of the auditorium each have space for one wheelchair user and a companion. Please book early and ask for these seats.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs may be taken into the cinema – please tell us when booking, to ensure your seat has enough space. If you prefer, you may leave your dog with a member of the foyer staff during the performance.
Hearing facility
There is an induction loop in the auditorium. You can use this by adjusting your hearing aid to the ‘T’ setting.
For more access information, please visit our Accessibility section.
