Wednesday 22 July - Tuesday 1 September

Small World, a new international animation festival based at The Civic providing an exciting opportunity to see some of the world's best current animated short films.

There are over 30 short animated films in the 2009 Festival created by animators and artists from around the world including the UK, USA, France, Japan, Canada, Hungry, Switzerland and Norway, many of which are Oscar winners and nominees.

The Festival will play across three screens created within The Gallery@:

The Awards Screen

Showing work nominated for awards in 2008 and 2009; including Disney Pixar's engaging tale of a magician’s assistant who won’t play ball in Presto and the 2009 Oscar winner La Maison en Petits Cubes directed by Kunio Kato, a mesmerising reflection on the different stages of life.

International Screen

Showing work from all across the globe, featuring Granny O'Grimms Sleeping Beauty from Ireland and The Cat Piano from Australlia.

Anglo-French Student Screen

Showcasing the best work by students from the Royal College of Art in London and Supinfocom in Valenciennes,  Facteur Mineur considers the fate of miners at a closing pencil mine who won’t leave quietly.

Small World 2009 aims to engage audiences with its varied themes, beautiful visuals and wide range of animation techniques. The films included cover a diverse selection of ideas and stories.

Also showing within the Festival are 7 films from AnimateTV. Originally screened on Channel 4 during September 2008, these films employ a range of techniques from rotoscope to timelapse and explore a number of themes to represent the freshest artistic talent from the UK.

More information about the festival including The full programme schedule for the whole Small World Festival is available at www.smallworldfest.co.uk.