WOW FILM FESTIVAL
ABERCON 2026
14th March, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, 10am - 5pm
Abercon, Aberystwyth’s community anime convention, celebrates the power of animation to bring people together. With stalls, games, animation workshops, and a cosplay competition, this is a fun, family friendly event for everybody.
Abercon’s theme this year is ‘myth and magic’.
Abercon is a partnership between WOW Film Festival and Mencap Ceredigion, funded by the National Lottery Communities Fund and hosted by Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Magical Journeys: Animated Shorts (PG/12A tbc)
From bumpy first flights to magical masks, these short animations explore themes of belonging, difference, inner strength and finding yourself. Full of humour, heart and imagination.
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Sat 14/03, 11.30 am
(in cinema)
Drop-in Animation Workshop
A free, drop-in animation workshop running throughout the day.
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Sat 14/03, 10am-5pm
Little Amelie or the Character of Rain (PG)
Directors: Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han, Belgium/France, 78’, English dub
An enchanting tale about curiosity, courage, and the power of human connection based on Amélie Nothomb’s best-selling autobiographical novel, The Character of Rain. Oscar nominated.
Aberystwyth Arts Centre:
Sat 14/03, 2.30pm
(in cinema)
Cosplay Parade
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Sat 14/03, 4.30pm
Stalls, Games, and All-Anime Fun
Organised by WOW and Mencap Ceredigion's animation club.
Supported by the National Lottery Communities Fund.
Aberystwyth Arts Centre:
Great Hall foyer and Theatre Foyer bar, upstairs
Sat 14/03, 10am-5pm
Majical Journery: Animated Shorts
First Flight
Director: Molly Rose Hill, Cymru, 3’49
Full of heart and humour—and a whole lot of bumpy landings—First Flight follows Chirpy’s messy, magical journey to finding their wings. Director Molly Hill embraces her ADHD as a source of creativity.
Filkool
Maral Forouzesh, Iran, 7’
Inspired by the director’s life with her younger brother, who has Down Syndrome, Filkool celebrates acceptance, kindness, and the magic of being different.
Crybaby
Director: Eleri Edwards, Cymru, 11’
As Carys moves out of her childhood home, she battles an angry inner voice. An evocative animated journey through autism, mental health, and reclaiming self-worth, told with pathos and humour.
Liminal Roots
Director: Aliyah Harfoot, Cymru, 4’
A journey through the memories of a young girl struggling to come to terms with the complexity of her mixed-raced identity.
Magical Masks
Made by Ceredigion Animation Club, Cymru, 14’
What do our masks say about us? Made by Ceredigion Animation Club, a group for people with learning disabilities, their friends and families, who meet in Cardigan to share their love of animation.
Passenger
Director: Nia Alavezos, Cymru, 10’
Cora’s life changes forever after a vengeful Spirit appears, growing from her neck.
Parental guidance: contains mild threat and mild bad language
