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‘Film is like a fluid glass of water. It changes shape and evaporates a bit’: An interview with stop-motion filmmaker Leo Wright

‘Film is like a fluid glass of water. It changes shape and evaporates a bit’: An interview with stop-motion filmmaker Leo Wright

An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Leo Wright’s upcoming stop motion short film: The Dudley Bug
Manchester Film Festival: Animated Shorts (28th March)

Manchester Film Festival: Animated Shorts (28th March)

From plasticine pigs to crime-fighting cats: highlights of the animated short films at Manchester Film Festival.
Interview: Director Tom Hardiman on comedy, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and the edge of the mainstream

Interview: Director Tom Hardiman on comedy, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and the edge of the mainstream

Director of Medusa Deluxe, one of the best British films of the decade, Tom Hardiman joins me to talk all things films and filmmaking
Love, regret and humanity: The Last Blossom explores the lot at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

Love, regret and humanity: The Last Blossom explores the lot at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

The Last Blossom is an intensely human film which reflects on the meaningful moments of a man’s life.
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain review: a beautiful animation with strong heart at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain review: a beautiful animation with strong heart at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is a highly sentimental animated triumph with plenty of feeling.
I Am Frankelda review: what it misses in writing, it gains in aesthetics at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

I Am Frankelda review: what it misses in writing, it gains in aesthetics at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

I Am Frankelda offers a bold concept but does not manage to achieve enough substance.
Pure storytelling perfection takes the form of Arco at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

Pure storytelling perfection takes the form of Arco at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

A favourite for an Oscar, Arco – a unique, heart-wrenching, powerful story – is completely justified in its critical acclaim.
New Animated Voices: Student Animation at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

New Animated Voices: Student Animation at Manchester Animation Festival 2025

A staple of Manchester Animation Festival’s line-up is their New Animated Voices showcase, a screening where they play a curated selection of the best animated shorts.
Steve Henderson talks animation from around the world and the future of the Manchester Animation Festival

Steve Henderson talks animation from around the world and the future of the Manchester Animation Festival

I talk with Steve Henderson ahead of the 11th run of the Manchester Animation Festival.
My week at Manchester Animation Festival

My week at Manchester Animation Festival

One of the highlights on Manchester’s cultural calendar, Manchester Animation Festival 2024 had a great line-up
“Animation Can Be Anything”: In conversation with Manchester Animation Festival director Steve Henderson

“Animation Can Be Anything”: In conversation with Manchester Animation Festival director Steve Henderson

Ahead of 2024’s Manchester Animation Festival, I chatted to Festival Director Steven Henderson about the Festival, Student Films, and Wallace and Gromit
The Boy and the Heron review: Miyazaki’s failure to retire comes to our delight | MAF 2023

The Boy and the Heron review: Miyazaki’s failure to retire comes to our delight | MAF 2023

Hayao Miyazaki returns to screens with The Boy and the Heron, filled with adventure, sincerity and whimsicality it marks itself as the quintessential Miyazaki film
Manchester Animation Festival director Steve Henderson: “Animation for all” |  MAF 2023

Manchester Animation Festival director Steve Henderson: “Animation for all” | MAF 2023

Director of Manchester Animation Festival sits down to talk about this years programme and the threat of distributors and AI in the world of animation
Preview: Manchester Animation Festival | MAF 2023

Preview: Manchester Animation Festival | MAF 2023

Manchester Animation Festival is back at HOME cinema with everything from the long-awaited Chicken Run sequel to Lego stop motion workshops
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On review: Stop-motion mockumentary magic

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On review: Stop-motion mockumentary magic

Both quirky and heartwarming, this mockumentary/stop-motion hybrid delivers profound musings on loss, community, and change, with a healthy dose of laughs on the side
Review: 101 Dalmatians

Review: 101 Dalmatians

Theatre Edtor Jay Darcy reviews 101 Dalmatians at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre – a new musical based on the novel of the same name, which was supposed to premiere in 2020 – starring Kate Fleetwood
May the 4th be with you! – A love letter to Star Wars: The Clone Wars

May the 4th be with you! – A love letter to Star Wars: The Clone Wars

For Star Wars day Investigations Editor Joe McFadden describes why Star Wars: The Clone Wars was so important to him growing up and explains what makes the show so impactful over a decade later.
Manchester Animation Festival 2021: Flee – A humanistic documentary on refugee experience

Manchester Animation Festival 2021: Flee – A humanistic documentary on refugee experience

Danish animated documentary is a therapeutic and cathartic story of an openly gay Afghan refugee
Manchester Animation Festival 2021: My Favourite War

Manchester Animation Festival 2021: My Favourite War

Mila Filipova reviews My Favourite War as a part of the Manchester Animation Festival, held at HOME
Soul: Pixar’s most mature film?

Soul: Pixar’s most mature film?

Don’t let the bright colours and anthropomorphised animals fool you – this is Pixar’s most mature feature to date