Manchester Animation Festival is the UK’s largest Animation Festival dedicated to the celebration of the animated art form. This year we are so excited to have two of our animation projects selected!

Each year, MAF brings together an international community of animation artists, practicioners, students and enthusiasts to celebrate and delight in all things animation. We are proud to be represented by Room To Read’s ‘Dewmini’ and Back Market’s ‘The Monster’ as part of the festival’s award picks and screenings. ‘Dewmini’ will be screening in the Short Films for Children programme, which is an out-of-competition strand, while ‘The Monster’ is placed within the Animated Commercial Curiosities programme, which is for commissioned films, and will be in competition. The two distinct styles of animation are an apt display of the versatility and talent fostered by Nexus Studios, and are excellent examples of how animation can be used as a powerful storytelling tool.

Dewmini’s Story – A story of a young girl determined to overcome the devastation of drought and support her family.

Directed by Oscar and Annie-nominated Director, Siqi Song, “Dewmini” follows the eponymous protagonist in her home in rural Sri Lanka. The episode is part of a six-part docu-series by Nexus Studios, created in collaboration with global charity, Room to Read, to spotlight their important work with young women from historically low-income communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vietnam.

The Monster – A story of an unlikely pair of puppet heroes, championing conscious consumption.

This endearing story, directed by Johnny Kelly, finds a young girl and the monster of overconsumption confronting the impact of our desire for the new – and offers a different path. The craft behind the story seamlessly blends puppetry, stop motion, 2D and 3D animation to bring each of the characters to life, and highlight the emotion and comedy held within the story. Find out more about our work on ‘The Monster’, here.

The festival offers a variety of unique animation sessions, from animated short competitions to feature films, retrospective screenings, workshops, networking events, panel discussions, masterclasses and screen talks from the industry’s finest – all available for a week of animation indulgence.

For the full lineup of the festival and a place to book your tickets – click here!