ANIMATED WORLDS

Hand-drawn Latvian animation, award-winning argentinian stop-motion, paper cutouts from Japan and last year's Oscar winner for best animated short are  just a few of the offerings on display in this decidedly global collection of animated films.

LIFE AND STUFF (dir. Kumar Satkunarasa, UK, 2011)

A lifetime's worth of experience is distilled into five potent minutes in this funny, philosophical animated short by a British university student.

LUMINARIS (dir. Juan Pablo Zaramella, Argentina, 2011)

An employee in a lightbulb factory works on a complicated scheme in this imaginative argentinian stop-motion short.

CALDERA (dir. Evan Viera, USA, 2011)

In this beautiful, melancholic CGI animation, a girl decides to quit taking her depression medication and see the world on her own terms.

GRANDMOTHERS (dir. Afarin Eghbal, Argentina/UK, 2011)

A politically charged stop-motion animation highlighting the tragic consequences of Argentina's military occupation in the late 1970s.

SEVEN MINUTES IN THE WARSAW GHETTO (dir. Johan Oettinger, poland, 2012)

A blend of dolls and subtle CGI, this Polish short delivers exactly what its title promises, with an eye for detail and grim realism.

THE BASKETBALL GAME (dir. Hart Snider, Canada, 2012)

A former albertan recounts one of his more bizarre childhood memories in this NFB animation about a shameful part of modern Alberta history.

MANY GO ROUND (dir. Yoshihisa Nakanishi, Japan, 2011)

A beautiful collection of hand-cut paper objects perform a hypnotic dance in this endearing Japanese animation.

KASPAR (dir. Diane Obomsawin, Canada, 2012)

Inspired by the life of Kaspar Hauser, this offbeat animation shows a boy making sense of the world after growing up in a cave.

BON VOYAGE (dir. Fabio Friedli, Switzerland, 2012)

A charming, light-hearted pen-and-paper doodle that criticizes the harsh realities faced by refugees, Bon Voyage charms and criticizes at the same time.

THE MAKER (dir. Christopher Kezelos, Australia, 2011)

A creature awakes to find a set of instructions and a timer already counting down. A brief, stylish look at the desire to create.

URSUS (dir. Reinis Petersons, Latvia, 2011)

A motorcyle-riding circus bear pines for the simpler days before the big top in this wonderfully hand-drawn allegory.

THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE

(dir. William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, USA, 2011)

Winner of Best Animated Short at the 2012 Academy Awards, this CGI charmer is an ode to the power and beauty of good literature.