Founded in 1999, the Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon has charmed the world with its breathtaking films, including the Oscar-nominated The Secret of Kells (2009), Song of the Sea (2014), The Breadwinner (2017) and Wolfwalkers (2020) – yet their features only tell part of the studio’s story. To celebrate Cartoon Saloon’s 25th anniversary, this special programme shines a light on their rarely-screened short films.
From early works such as Nora Twomey’s From Darkness (2002) and Cúilín Dualach (2004) to Louise Bagnall’s Oscar-nominated Late Afternoon (2017) and Paul Young’s Star Wars tale Screecher’s Reach (2023), these shorts have acted as a playground for new talent and a showcase for wildly different styles of animation and storytelling – all while exhibiting the emotional power of the studio’s best work, and their longstanding interest in themes of folklore, memory and family. Programmed by critic, curator and Ghibliotheque co-creator Michael Leader.
Suitable for age 12+
