Cardiff Independent Film Festival (CIFF)┬áis a showcase for┬áindependent filmmakers to exhibit both features and shorts. This year’s festival, between the 21-24th April at Chapter Arts Centre, will have a focus on some of the best independent animations from around the world, as well as documentaries, dramas and experimental film. Quench Film editor Sadia Pineda Hameed gives you a preview of just some of the exciting events coming up!
With many of the screenings and events being free, be sure to check out the full schedule here: http://www.cardifffilmfest.org.uk/
and secure your tickets here: http://www.chapter.org/whats-on/
FRIDAY 22nd APRIL
CAN Animation Competition Showcase 1
Animated shorts from around the world, featuring directors from the US, Switzerland and China to name a few, will be showcased over an hour. In varied and unique styles, these films present concepts in beautiful ways in this short form, such as Yaya Xu’s Mirage. The short is a┬ásurreal look at memory, and the way the truth may be lost in it but it’s really all we have to remember.┬áDafna Englander & Raffi Yaniger’s┬áAll the Beautiful Things is also notable; it is┬áa touching animation in the style of illustration and watercolour about a woman reflects on herself in the mirror of a river.
Know Your Freedom (dir. Ghalia Al Aqili & Supriya Srinivas)
A CIFF best feature nominee, Know Your Freedom is a documentary on three UEA sportswomen and their dreams to compete at an international level within their tradition-bound culture. Al Quili and Sriniva document how, to pursue their ambitions, some have to negotiate their identity and relations.
Cesium and a Tokyo Girl (dir. Ryo Saitani)
Nominated for CIFF’s best feature award, Saitani’s vision of live action, fantastical animation and music follows schoolgirl Mimi. Having been struck by lightning, she cross-temporally explores Japan in the company of seven gods in search of her grandmother’s mynah bird. The mixed mediums of the film transports us into Mimi’s wonderful world, and lets us tag along through her captivating adventure.
CAN presents An Evening with Joanna Quinn
Oscar nominated and multiple award winning Director Joanna Quinn talks us through her creative process and gives us an insight into her renowned working technique.
SATURDAY 23rd APRIL
Peter Lord ÔÇô 40 Years of Aardman
This is a special 40th anniversary session for all the family with Aardman Animations Co-Founder and Creative Director Peter Lord. Peter shows and tells us about the renowned animation studio and how they created Morph, Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep and many, many other much loved characters and films.
Broke (dir. Heath Davis)
This Australian feature, nominated for CIFF’s best feature, tells of┬áBK, a disgraced and destitute former rugby hero┬áwho is┬árescued from the streets by an elderly railwayman. Battling a crippling gambling addiction, he seeks to redeem himself with the help of Terri, his number one fan.
CAN presents Animation Competition Showcase 2 
The second showcase of animated shorts from around the world, including the one-minute┬áWelsh┬áfilm┬áDeath in Space┬áfrom Thomas Lucas, about the many ways to die in outer space, and┬áFulfilament,┬áRhiannon Evans’ stop-motion adventure through the brain.
Love/Me/Do (dir. Martin Stitt)
In this dark and claustrophobic psychological drama, Antonia, a high-flying banker and Max, an unemployed actor, begin an uneasy romance which drives them to commit a terrible crime. Nominated for Best British Feature at Raindance 2015.
Kicking Off (dir. Matt Wilde)
Following a poor refereeing decision that results in the relegation of their team, two die-hard football supporters find their friendship tested when one of them takes the hapless official hostage. Winner of Best British Feature at Raindance 2015.
SUNDAY 24th APRIL
Ben Bocquelet ÔÇô The Amazing World of Gumball
CIFF presents an audience with Ben Bocquelet, the creator of Cartoon NetworkÔÇÖs ÔÇÿThe Amazing World of GumballÔÇÖ. Bocquelet will show episodes and give an insight into what is one of the most exciting, ambitious and successful animated series being created in the UK today.
Hossegor (dir. Quentin Valois) 
CIFF Best feature nominee Hossegor┬áis valois’s debut feature, with notable echoes of the French New Wave. It’s premise? Three days. Five youths. Five intertwining stories. A duplicitous girl, a thieving boy, a liar, an introvert and a photographer.┬áNot to be missed.