LIFOA

Saturday 6 March 2027, 18:30 GMT · McKillop Institute, Lochwinnoch

Short animated films from around the world, screened in a Scottish village.

LIFOA is proudly part of the Lochwinnoch Arts Festival. It is run by a team of local people.

Any kind of animation can get in: hand-drawn, stop-motion, clay, cut paper, puppets or CG. We choose films for their story and how well they're made.

The audience votes for one prize on the night and a jury decides the other three. Screenings are at the McKillop Institute, Main Street, Lochwinnoch, PA12 4AJ.

Each winner also keeps a one-off trophy made by a local craftsperson.

• Technique

  Any animation technique, from any country. Augmented reality — real footage combined with animation — is welcome too.

• Deadline

  Entries close on 31 January 2027. We announce the finalists on 14 February, and the jury judges them between 14 and 28 February.

• Length

  Films can run for up to 15 minutes.

• Age

  Films must have been completed in the last 24 months, on or after 31 January 2025.

• Language

  Films can be in English, subtitled in English, or have no dialogue. Silent and abstract films can enter.

• No gen-AI

  Films made substantially with generative AI are not eligible.

• Platform

  Enter through FilmFreeway once our page opens. Entry costs £5, and fees go back into the festival.

• Under 18

  Entry is free, and you can win the Junior Award.

• Poster

  Finalists send us a poster, which we print at A2 and hang for the night. We auction the prints for charity at the end of the evening.

• Permission

  By entering, you confirm you have the right to enter the film and agree that we can screen it at the festival. Finalists also agree that we can print and auction their poster.

• Selection

  Grown-up themes are fine. The programmers make the final choice.

FilmFreeway page opening soon

Every finalist's poster goes on the wall.

On the night, every finalist's poster is printed as an A2 silk print and hung on the wall. At the end of the night we auction them and give the money to charity. We announce finalists before the festival.

Questions, press, programming — drop us a line.

Or email hello@lifoa.art directly.

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