5 Things to See as a Film Lover at MAF 2025!

5th November 2025

There are so many exciting opportunities for film lovers at MAF to dive into animated films, discover how they’re made and talk to the teams behind them. My name is Katie and I’m a great admirer of animated films that focus on complex narratives and push the boundaries of the medium in their storyboarding, camera work or colour scheme, no matter their audience type. Some of my best-loved animated films include ‘Into the Spider-Verse’, ‘Klaus’ & ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’. From special film screenings, to memorable workshops revealing what happens behind the scenes, here are my personal favourite picks of events to see at MAF 2025.

To get your full tickets and passes for MAF: Click the Link Here

Pick 1: The Last Blossom

A deeply moving and thoughtful animated experience, The Last Blossom reflects on the life of Minoru Akutsu, an elderly prisoner experiencing solitary confinement, who begins a trusting dialogue with a talking flower in his cell. You may recognise the director (Baku Kinoshita) from his other work, Odd Taxi. The Last Blossom is a more melancholy piece, but it still balances its grounded drama with some characterful, comedic moments between the two distinct characters. If you love Japanese art & Ghibli-Esque stories, The Last Blossom is one not to miss!

To get screening tickets for ‘The Last Blossom’: Click This Link

Time: Wed, 12 Nov – 18:20
Venue: HOME – Cinema 1

Pick 2: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

This absolutely gorgeous PG animated film expresses childhood nostalgia and wonder through its intense, vivid colour palette and soft, gentle art style. Our main character, Amélie is a young toddler, discovering her conscious life for the first time after tasting a piece of white chocolate. You’ll truly feel like you’re looking through the eyes of Amélie in the colour scheme, camera work, and her own verbal narration of her world, but within this is an emotional, character-driven story surrounding Amélie and her family. This is definitely a precious film that is worth seeing.

To get screening tickets for Little Amélie or the Character of Rain: Click This Link

Time: Mon, 10 Nov – 18:30
Venue: HOME – Cinema 2

Time: Wed, 12 Nov – 10:30
Venue: HOME – Cinema 1

Pick 3: Angel’s Egg

Returning for its 40th anniversary special, this cult classic screening of Mamoru Oshii’s (Ghost in the Shell) Angel’s Egg is packed full of gothic, hand-painted backgrounds and complex character & sci-fi animations. The atmosphere of Angel’s Egg may feel eerie & apocalyptic, but it is also steeped in symbolism, with a thematic narrative featuring a young girl protecting an egg, who finds companionship alongside a boy looking for a bird he met in his dreams. If you’re a fan of vintage, intricate anime such as Vampire Hunter D or Akira, Angel’s Egg will certainly be a film that lives up to expectations.

To get screening tickets for Angel’s Egg: Click This Link

Time: Tue, 11 Nov – 18:30
Venue: HOME – Cinema 2

Pick 4: Artist Talk: Will Anderson

For those with an interest in seeing an artist speaking about their own vision, Will Anderson’s talk about how he approaches his creative process will be an exciting event to see. Will Anderson is a diverse animator and filmmaker, with work ranging from simple, colourful 2D characters, to experimental and expressive 3D films, which have been featured across the BBC, Adult Swim and more. This talk will be a hit for anyone seeking top tips to tackle a project in any medium.

To get tickets for ‘Artist Talk: Will Anderson’: Click This Link

Time: Mon, 10 Nov – 12:15
Venue: Anthony Burgess Foundation

Pick 5: IEA Storyboarding Workshop

If you’ve ever wanted to discover the early stages of how an animated production comes to life, this would be the event for you. This workshop is led by longtime children’s TV storyboard artist Lauren Auty, who has worked on shows such as Supertato and Pip and Posy. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn comedic visual storytelling for young audiences from a top professional in the field, as well as create a short, expressive storyboarding piece of your own. Get inspired and take some pre-production skills home; I absolutely recommend booking this workshop!

To get tickets for ‘IEA Storyboarding Workshop’: Click This Link

Time: Thu, 13 Nov – 11:00
Venue: HOME – Event Space

Time: Thu, 13 Nov – 13:30
Venue: HOME – Event Space

Thanks to our lovely volunteer Katie Thompson for writing this article. Thanks, Katie!