Encounters: Day Four

The last full day of the Encounters festival brings another packed programme. Full listings are below. Note that features in the Shorts2Features strand are listed separately. Remember too that admission to all standard screenings is pegged at just £5.

09:30 We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

Watershed Cinema 1

Based on the bestselling bedtime book, written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt follows the intrepid adventures of siblings Stan, Katie, Rosie, Max, the baby and Rufus the dog, who set off on an expedition in search of bears.

10:00 Autism Friendly Screening: Oska Bright

Watershed Cinema 3

Encounters have teamed up with Oska Bright Film Festival to present an autism friendly screening, mixing animation, music films, documentary and drama. Sometimes going to see a film can be a challenge for autistic or learning disabled audience members. The lights will be kept on at a low level, with reduced sound levels and allowance for increased levels of movement and noise.

10:00 VR 1: Electric Relaxation

Waterside 3

10:30 Who Let the Dogs Out – The Reksio Anniversary Programme

Watershed Cinema 2

On the occasion of his 50th birthday: Encounters presents the best adventures of Reksio – beloved Polish children’s dog.

11:00 Children’s Jury Award

Watershed Cinema 1

Exciting selection of new short films from around the world chosen by young people for young people. Working with the film education charity Into Film, a programming workshop was delivered with the students of Downend School in Bristol. This unique approach to creating the children’s programme allows us to present the best possible line-up of films suitable for younger audiences. Into Film is a nation-wide charity that places film at the core of the educational and personal development of children and young people aged 5-19.

11:30 VR 2: Excursions

Waterside 3

12:00 VS1 Retrospective

Watershed Cinema 3

A look back on VS1’s film archive, highlighting VS1 creative productions that have delivered quirky, comic, and emotional films reflecting the lives of the Deaf community.

12:30 The Best of Poland – presentation of the best Polish series for children

Watershed Cinema 2

This year Polish animation celebrates 70 years, that’s why Polish Animation Producers Association present the newest Polish children’s productions from all over the world. During this one hour block you can try to check what to do when you can’t go for your dream camping holiday. You can ask are hippos and weasels material for detectives? Do trolls live only in Finland? And why sometimes when we are sad, is it best to just cuddle?

13:00 Revolting Rhymes

Watershed Cinema 1

Based on the much-loved children’s book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake, Revolting Rhymes takes the classic fairy tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, The Three Little Pigs, Jack & the Beanstalk and Cinderella, then mixes them together and serves them with a mischievous twist.

13:00 VR 3: Scenario

Waterside 3

13:30 VS1: Deaf Networking

Waterside 2

14:00 DepicT!

Watershed Cinema 3

DepicT! is Watershed’s super short filmmaking competition challenging filmmakers from across the globe to create an imaginative and original short film of 90 seconds or less. The competition is a unique opportunity for emerging talent to get exposure for their film and the support they need to take their career to the next level. This is a chance to experience this year’s shortlist on the big screen and meet some of the talent behind the twenty shorts selected from over 500 entries and 66 countries. The showcase is followed by DepicT! Drinks in the café/bar sponsored by St Austell Brewery.

14:30 Making of the Red Turtle

Watershed Cinema 1

‘The Red Turtle’ has been described as ‘eloquent, profound, moving’ by Mark Kermode and is one of the most outstanding animation feature films of recent years. In this special session, the director Michaël Dudok de Wit　will discuss some of the processes, ideas and challenges involved in making this great film and also his collaboration with Studio Ghibli.

14:30 VR: Another Gaze

Waterside 3

16:00 Deaf Shorts Showcase

Watershed Cinema 3

Following on from the success of last year’s Sign of the Times programme, this year Encounters is introducing a new Deaf Shorts award. The films selected for this programme feature the representation of Deafness not as the main form of conflict but as part of a wider narrative. The filmmakers come from both Deaf and hearing backgrounds however the end results present a unique representation of the Deaf community in the 21st Century. Programmed in partnership by Deaf filmmaker and artist, David Ellington, and Festival Director, Rich Warren, this programme will be introduced in BSL.

16:00 VR Lates: Together

Waterside 3

One of VR’s most exciting qualities is its powerful ability to foster feelings of intimacy. In her Together strand, guest curator Catherine Allen sets out to reclaim intimacy in VR from commercial VR porn’s male gaze. Experience work at the cutting edge of VR culture that takes you through different stages of a relationship. In curating Together Catherine sets out to demonstrate what VR is capable of in terms of showing the nuances of human relationships, sensuality and sexuality.

17:30 VR 1: Electric Relaxation

Waterside 3

18:00 Awards Ceremony

Watershed Cinema 1

18:30 Spanish Deaf Shorts

Watershed Cinema 3

Putting the spotlight on Spanish shorts with deaf themes and content. These popular films take a look at Spanish cultural style and identification.

19:30 Closing Party

Café/Bar

19:00 VR 2: Excursions

Waterside 3

20:00 The Final Girls present Strange Creatures

Watershed Cinema 1

The Final Girls celebrate the grisly, gruesome world of body horror. Tales of cannibalism, decay, extreme body modification and all those lovely bits in between. Often misrepresented as pure shock value, these films pose deeper questions of gender, sexuality and body issues, confronting us with the grim reality that our ideas of body image may be more fraught than ever.

20:30 Aki Kaurismäki: Selected Shorts

Watershed Cinema 3

Though best known for his features, Aki Kaurismäki’s unique style and worldview are equally at view in the numerous short films he has directed since the early 1980s. The creator of approximately 16 shorter pieces, the self-taught Finnish filmmaker’s short work radiates melancholy and sophisticated minimalism.

20:30 VR 3: Scenario

Waterside 3