Highlights include About a Mother, a new folktale with echoes of Shel Silversteins The Giving Tree, Disney/Pixars sweet Piper, and the latest in 360º storytelling in Googles touching father-and daughter-journey Pearl by Academy Award® winner Patrick Osborne.

This years show includes an expanded selection of fresh student films from leading animation schools in the U.S., Belgium, Canada, Korea and Russia. This is not surprising, since the most interesting and groundbreaking work is being done at these hotbeds of creativity. Featuring techniques ranging from hand-drawn to stop-motion to the latest computer-generated imagery, the 16 extraordinary films in this program were created by animators from Belgium, Canada, France, Israel, Korea, Latvia, Norway, Russia, Scotland, the U.K., and the U.S. Their themes range from gay issues and civil rights, to deeply felt personal stories, to the wacky humor that animation does so well. Many have garnered awards from prestigious festivals around the world.

See website for complete descriptions.