London International Animation Festival Celebrating a world of animation for kids
19 - 21 January 2024
In the Playhouse
Kids & Families
Ages 2 - 14 | This January school holiday, the London International Animation Festival is coming to Sydney for the very first time, with a showcase of the best children's animations full of visually dazzling joy, from all around the world.
| Date | Time | Age |
| Friday 19 January | 10am* | 2 - 6 |
| Friday 19 January | 12pm* | 2 - 6 |
| Friday 19 January | 2pm | 6 - 10 |
| Friday 19 January | 6pm | 10 - 14 |
| Saturday 20 January | 10am* | 2 - 6 |
| Saturday 20 January | 12pm* | 2 - 6 |
| Saturday 20 January | 2pm | 6 - 10 |
| Saturday 20 January | 6pm | 10 - 14 |
| Sunday 21 January | 10am* | 2 - 6 |
| Sunday 21 January | 12pm* | 2 - 6 |
| Sunday 21 January | 2pm | 6 - 10 |
| Sunday 21 January | 6pm | 10 - 14 |
*Same animations shown at the 10am and 12pm sessions.
Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
Standard | $15 |
$8.95 booking fee applies per transaction
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection.
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
The authorised agency for this event is Sydney Opera House. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the frequently asked questions below.
Sydney Opera House Insiders
9am, Tuesday 1 August
Become a Sydney Opera House Insider to receive exclusive pre-sale access
What’s On e-newsletter on-sale
9am, Wednesday 2 August
General Public tickets on-sale
9am, Thursday 3 August
In English
Wheelchair accessible
There are a number of wheelchair and companion seating locations available.
To book accessible seating contact Box Office via email or telephone on:
+61 2 9250 7777 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm AEST)
Find out more about accessibility at Sydney Opera House
Age & Run Time
Over the three days, four sessions are available per day. Your ticket is valid for one session. See which session best suits you:
10am: Recommended for ages 2-6
12pm: Recommended for ages 2-6
2pm: Recommended for ages 6 - 10
6pm: Recommended for ages 10 - 14
Each session will run for 60 minutes, features a variety of animations per session.
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our Child Safety Policy.
Like childhood, animation is full of wonder!
In need of an escape from the Summer sun? Join us at the Sydney Opera House for the Australian premiere of the London International Animation Festival for kids.
Our Playhouse has been transformed into a cinema for you and the family to enjoy the best of independent animation from across the globe. From stop-motion, claymation, 2D and 3D CGI and everything in between, get comfy in your seats and ready to travel to faraway lands and mysterious planets.
Grab some popcorn and get involved in the fun free foyer animation play activations before or after your movie session, as we roll out the red carpet for this big screen celebration!
This carefully curated programme for our littlest film critics contains the most wonderful animated short films from all around the world. There’ll be talking animals, heartwarming friendships, fun adventures and wondrous tales to spark everyone's imagination.
Sydney Opera House presents
My Name is Fear
The fear that lives in your head wants to give an interview. Maybe you and Fear can become friends, or maybe there is a reason to be scared of Fear.
Germany 2021 Dir: Eliza Płocieniak-Alvarez 5 min
Swing
In a world of toys a wooden robot feels lonely. When another robot appears their relationship starts to blossom.
Spain 2022 Dir: Ignasi Tarruella 5 min
Bellysaurus
A tiny dinosaur dreams that she is a big scary dinosaur. When danger strikes, she learns it’s what’s on the inside that counts—literally.
Australia 2021 Dir: Philip Watts 8 min
Fox for Edgar
Edgar is not getting a lot of attention and affection from his parents, as they prefer spending time with their smartphones and laptops than with their son.
Germany 2021 Dir: Pauline Kortmann 8 min
Meta
Interconnection, form, function, flow: all these big ideas about change and growth sprout in playful ways when creatures shape shift and dance to the rhythm of discovery.
Germany 2022 Dir: Antje Heyn 4 min
The Adventures of Goar
An undersea explorer called Goar dives into the bottom of the sea to save her robot friend.
China 2021 Dir: Sergio Lu 6 min
Heartwood
Midge is hiking in the woods with her boring father. When she decides to leave the monotony of the hiking trail to set off on her own adventure, she makes a magical discovery.
UK 2021 Dir: Clara Schildhauer, Reyes Fernández 4 min
How Shammies Travelled
Hankie proposes to travel around the house with eyes closed. Space under the table suddenly turns into a dragon’s cave and the stairs into snowy cliffs.
Latvia 2021 Dir: Edmunds Jansons 6 min
Lost Brain
Every time Louise the crocodile sneezes, she loses part of her brain, until she cannot perform simple tasks and becomes trapped inside her own apartment.
Switzerland 2022 Dir: Isabelle Favez 6 min
The Smortlybacks Come Back!
In a barren world TamLin of the Little People travels with his herd of splendid smortlybacks in search of greener pastures.
Switzerland 2022 Dir: Ted Sieger 8 min
Archie
Archie is devastated to learn of the death of his aunt. He makes the long journey to the home she’s left him in the Outer Hebrides and a new day brings renewed hope for Archie and his dog.
UK 2019 Dir: Ainslie Henderson 4 mins
Bench
A heartwarming story about friendship, love and sandwiches.
UK 2020 Dir: Rich Webber 2 mins
Laika and Nemo
Nemo looks different. Nobody else wears a diving suit and such a huge helmet. But then he meets Laika, an astronaut.
Germany 2022 Dir: Jan Gadermann, Sebastian Gadow 15 min
Tony the Tiny Pony
Listen up cowboys, cowgirls and cow-everybody else too: gather round to hear the story of a tiny pony named Tony.
New Zealand 2019 Dir: Ned Wenlock 4 min
Polar Bear Bears Boredom
From bored bears to other otters, delightful wordplay—in both English and Japanese—guides this story through the deep blue sea.
Japan 2021 Dir: Koji Yamamura 7 min
Pig
A group of animals hook up a power grid to the socket-shaped snout of one big, sleeping pig.
Netherlands 2022 Dir: Jorn Leeuwerink 8 min
Mishou
A helicopter full of noisy tourists lands in a place of snow and ice. A quick round of selfies and then they’re off again, leaving behind a tiny dog who is adopted by four Arctic hares.
Germany/Bulgaria 2020 Dir: Milen Vitanov 8 min
Latitude du printemps
An abandoned dog by the side of the road, a young astronaut wannabe and a professional cyclist and the connection between all three.
France 2020 Dir: Various 7min
The Most Boring Granny in the World
Greta has the most boring grandma in the world. When she falls asleep on the sofa, Greta gets the idea to play ‘funeral’ with her, initiating a sensitive conversation about death and memory.
Germany 2022 Dir: Damaris Zielke 7 min
A Film About a Pudding
Ronin’s dropped groceries start to mix and bubble, transforming into a small pudding. Over the next few days, the pudding grows bigger and bigger.
UK 2021 Dir: Roel Van Beek 9 min
Burry Man
When a Pictish farm is besieged by an endless winter, an adolescent girl must defy her father and his traditions to venture out beyond their family glen in search of a mysterious figure, the Burry Man.
UK 2022 Dir: Simon P Biggs 6 min
Migrants
Two polar bears are driven into exile due to global warming. They encounter brown bears along their journey, with whom they try to cohabitate.
France 2021 Dir: Various 8 min
A Stone in the Shoe
A student arrives in his new class. He is not a student like the others – he is a frog in a class of rabbits.
France 2020 Dir: Eric Montchaud 12 mins
Choir Tour
A world-famous boys’ choir goes on tour. In the hands of their conductor they are obedient but when he gets trapped in an elevator they become playful children.
Latvia 2012 Dir: Edmunds Jansons 5 mins
Flipbook Animation Creation Station
9.30am – 3.30pm
Inspired by the London International Animation Festival? Want to become an animator? Free to all children, adults, and families, join us to create your very own flip book animation at the Flip Book Animation Creation Station!
Here you can learn step by step how to draw and create your own stories, brought to life with animation.
Other information
Venue information
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer.
Getting here
The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see their website for details.
Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six min walk to the Opera House.
Covid-safe information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We remind our audiences and visitors to please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We have a number of safety measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. While face masks are no longer required, we ask all our patrons and visitors to practise good hygiene. Please stay home if you feel unwell and read more about our flexible ticket options.
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Frequently asked questions
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Babies aged 0-2 years old at the time of a performance may be seated on an adult’s lap. Children 2 years and older will need to hold a standard ticket.
Children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a face mask.
The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.
Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend. If you can no longer attend because you are unwell, or have been in contact with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, the Opera House has introduced flexible ticketing options to help you. Find out more about flexible ticketing options.
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and Western Foyers. The public lift to the foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres consistent with COVID-safe rules.
The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our Child Safety Policy.
The Opera House has also developed a Child-friendly Code of Conduct to engage with our youngest visitors.
You may also like
A Forest in the City
Ages 4+ | This interactive performance uses full scale colourful projections, digital technology and dance, and comes direct to Sydney Opera House from Italy.
The River That Ran Uphill
Ages 8+ | In 2015, Cyclone Pam ravaged the South Pacific. Edgell Junior, a Ni-Vanuatu man from Pentecost Island experienced and survived Cyclone Pam and its aftermath. Based on his lived experience, this moving production emphasises the importance of community cooperation and resilience.
Grug and the Rainbow
Ages 2+ | In a magical adaptation of Ted Prior’s beloved picture books, Grug and the Rainbow sees our grassy little friend embark on an epic adventure to bask in the colours of the illusive rainbow.