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Festival Background

Since its first year in 1995, as well as showing a fantastic array of regional, national and international works, Brief Encounters has covered areas as extensive as Australian, French and Irish cinema, a programme exchange with the Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival and special events with Jack Cardiff, Terry Jones and the bolexbrothers.

In 2000, we were honoured to host the first British screening of Beckett on Screen four critically acclaimed screen adaptations of Samuel Beckett plays. This was followed by a Q & A session with three of the films directors Anthony Minghella, Damien O'Donnell and Kieron J. Walsh.

In 2000, Animated Encounters, Brief Encounters sister festival, was launched to promote and celebrate the artform of animation from all over the world. Bristol has clearly defined itself as the capital of animation and proves a perfect host for this highly successful event for more information, see:

Together both festivals form Encounters Film Festivals.