Bristol has a thriving alternative cinema scene, giving movie lovers the chance to watch an impressive range of films, often in locations that you would never have dreamed of.
Across the UK, Scalarama – an 'unofficial month of cinema' – is screening cult classics and cultural gems throughout September, and now the twenty-first Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival threatens to push your popcorn consumption to even higher levels.
Taking place from September 15-20, mostly at the Watershed, the festival offers six jam-packed days of film screenings, events, masterclasses, parties and networking events with industry professionals.
The festival will screen 219 short and animated films, chosen from over 2,200 submissions. The 21 programmes each feature between five and 15 short films, from genres including live action, animation, music video, experimental, documentary and comedy.
You can take a look at the full programme here, but we've picked out a few highlights from the many events taking place to give you a taste of what's in store...
Special guest screenings
Huey Morgan
How Film Can't Live Without Music: An Audience with Huey Morgan
Join musician and DJ Huey Morgan as he explores a selection of films, using music as a focus and examining how some films just wouldn't be complete without it.
September 15, 9pm. Watershed. Tickets £8.
Terry Jones presents: Boom Bust Boom
In association with Bristol Festival of Ideas, Encounters will see 'Monty Python’ star Terry Jones present his new documentary, a mix of live action, animation, puppetry and song.
September 16, 7pm. Watershed. Tickets £8.
Desert Island Flicks with Carol Morley
With the recent publication of her semi-autobiographical novel '7 Miles Out', Carol Morley reveals why she's one of the most daring, honest and exciting talents to have emerged from the UK in the past decade. Carol will talk about and show clips from films that have inspired her, alongside clips from her own film work.
September 17, 8.30pm-10pm. Watershed. Tickets £8.
Music and Sound in the Filmmaking Process with Ursula Meir and John Parish
Swiss filmmaker Ursula Meier and Bristol-based musician John Parish, who she worked with on her award-winning feature film 'Sister' (2012), discuss the process of their collaboration and share thoughts on the filmmaking process.
September 19, 7.15pm. Watershed. Tickets £8.
Rude and crude films
Love is Blind
Pro Creations
Pro Creations is a collection of raunchy films that will discover there are many euphemisms for sex and love. Included in the collection are the 'Daphné or The Lovely Specimen' (2014), clay animation 'Sexy Laundry' (2015), trippy cartoon 'Love Soldiers' (2105), short films 'The Bigger Picture' (2015), 'Bad at Dancing' (2015), 'Winds of Change' (2015) and much more.
September 16, 9.45-11.45pm. Watershed. Tickets £5.
Pillow Talk
The second collection of shorts to focus on relationships, these films have been chosen for their gentle humour or artistic sensitivity. Films include 'Sexlife' (2014) about a couple hoping to become intimate again after their first child, and 'Sutterer' (2015), where a man with a cruel speech impediment must face his ultimate fear,
Also included is 'Bachelorette Party' (2015), starring a woman who takes one last night before her wedding to do what she always wanted to do, and 'Love is Blind' (2014), a short film exploring a fresh take on the traditional love triangle.
September 17, 8-9.30pm. Watershed. Tickets £5.
Late lounge
Sit back and try to make yourself comfortable for this outrageous collection of sick and twisted shorts. These films push the boundaries of taste, decency and humour.
This ranges from the peculiar 'Master Blaster' (2014) and the hypnotic 'Rude and Crude' (2014), to the psychedelic 'House of Unconsciousness' (2015), the unsettling 'Teeth' (2014) and dark 'Milk!' (2014).
Not for the faint-hearted or easily offended!
September 18, 10pm. Watershed. Tickets £5.
Animation celebration
Mr Hublot
Cartoon D'or
While there are six separate events dedicated to collection of animations taking place over the course of the festival, the Cartoon D'or is an hour of the best of Europe's animation, featuring winners from this year's competition.
For 2015, this includes 'Kiki of Montparnasse' (2014), an animation about an artist's muse, 'Anatole's Little Saucepan' (2014), and 'Mr Hublot' (2013), the tale of a character with OCD who gains a pet, and 'Boles', which stars a writer who dreams of a better life.
This year's winner is 'The Christmas Log' (2013), the unconventional story of Horse, Cowboy and Indian, whose festive celebrations don't go exactly according to plan.
September 16, 11am. Watershed. Tickets £5.
A Celebration of Halas and Bachelor featuring 'Animal Farm'
This event celebrates the anniversary of the creation of what was once the UK’s biggest and important animation company, Halas and Batchelor, complete with a digitally re-mastered version of the classic ‘Animal Farm’.
September 19, 4pm. Watershed. Tickets £5.
For the kids
The Story of Percival Pilts
Petite Perpetual Cinema
This year, the Perpetual Cinema is turned over to family audiences and offers free, drop-in viewing of a selection of top short and animated films.
With 18 different films showing, including 'Fox Tale', 'Captain Fish', 'Mr Selfie' and 'The Story of Percival Pilts', you can watch as many or few as you please!
September 19, 10am-5pm. Watershed. Free.
Nina Needs to Draw: Kids Workshop with Disney Junior
This illustration workshop is presented by ArthurCox, the producers of popular Disney Junior animation 'Nina Needs to Go'. The masterclass invites children aged four to eight to watch and gain inspiration from episodes of 'Nina Needs to Go', before learning how to draw their own family members and superheroes.
September 19, 11am & 12.30pm. Watershed. Free. Booking required.
Find more cinema reviews and listings here.