Animate! 2013

All for Claire, Simon Mckeown, 8 mins, 2010. This exciting animation features disabled dancer Claire Cunningham, and explores issues of empowerment and rejection. It won Best Experimental Film at Deaffest 2011, and was also screened on the BBC Big Screens in 2010 and 2011 and at the 2011 New York City International Film Festival. Created for DaDaFest 2010. Together! with DaDa.

An Ageing Thing, Lauren Nicholas, 2 mins 47 secs, 2012. Narrated by Charles Nicholas. The story of my Grandfather who has macular degenera- tion and is registered blind. By telling his story I hope to help others facing similar difficulties. First Prize Winner at the Shape Open Exhibition 2012.

Macropolis, Joel Simon, 6 mins, 2012. The story of two toys with impair- ments discarded from the factory production line. Coming to life, they rebel and chase the factory delivery van in the hope of rejoining their friends. Lost in the unfamiliar, urban big city, they are overwhelmed by the challenge ahead. Shot in an unusual combination of stop-motion, CGI and time-lapse photography, this short film is animated directly on the streets of Belfast. Funded by Unlimited through the National Lottery as part of the Cultural Olympiad. Together! with ADF

Wee Wise Words, Joel Simon, 5 mins, 2010. Children from Ireland give their opinions on the subject of the environment – opinions that are fresh, insightful and sometimes surprising. Watch as we discover that mice could soon become extinct due to too many mousetraps, and recycling could save the orangutangs. Together! with ADF

Personalisation, Cooltan Arts, 6 mins, 2013. Original animation made by CoolTan Arts participants exploring the pros and cons of ‘personal budgets’.

Personalisation & LGBT, Cooltan Arts, 2 mins, 2013. Short film made by CoolTan’s LGBT group exploring issues for the LGBT community in accessing ‘personal budgets’.

Henry and Sunny, Orla Russell-Conway, 15 mins, 2009. A bittersweet story of love and how society can stand in the way of two peoples’ happiness. A clown falls in love with a soap opera actress. The clown represents a marginal group within society. Shot in black and white to focus on the human side of the clowns and divert attention away from the stereotypical clown image which is synonymous with colour and make-up. Funded through the Arts & Disability Awards Ireland.

Petra’s Poem, Shira Avni, 4 mins, 2012. Follows Toronto-based artist Petra Tolley as she performs a candid soliloquy about what it feels like to be “in the middle.” Petra, who has Down Syndrome, draws from her emotional experiences of living and working in the flux between societal order and personal chaos. Employing rotoscopy, hand-drawn animation techniques and subtle stereoscopic 3D, the film captures Petra as she engages the camera with unflinching directness and dignity.

Autistic Dissonance, Eric Bent, 4mins, 2011. A young animator shares the often confusing experiences of growing up with autism.

Sick Bitch Crips ‘Dance’, Katherine Araniello, 2013. SBC (Sick Bitch Crip) have mutated into three digitally manipulated personas and bring to you their first ever dance video. Commissioned by the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies.