BFI announces new LAIKA exhibition and screening series

The BFI has announced details of LAIKA: FRAME x FRAME, a free exhibition showcasing the boundary-pushing art and science behind the studio’s five epic films at BFI Southbank from 12 August to 1 October 2024.

This narratively rich experience will celebrate the stories of LAIKA and the unprecedented level of detail of the physical puppets, intricately crafted sets, costumes and impressive props – some never seen before – from LAIKA’s extensive production archives. The exhibition will be presented alongside Stop Motion: Celebrating Hand-Crafted Animation On The Big Screen, supported by headline partner LAIKA, a major new season running at the BFI Southbank from 1 August to 9 October, featuring free screenings for children under 16.

Using materials from every department of the Portland-based studio, LAIKA: FRAME x FRAME tells the story of LAIKA through the lens of its five feature films to date: Coralline (2009), Paranormal (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo – The Brave Samurai (2016) and Missing link (2019), all of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.

Each film is honored in the exhibition with a key image surrounded by a collection of artifacts including illustrated concept and character design, artistic inspirations, storyboards, costumes, puppets, props, sets, and dynamic digital content that highlight the meticulous attention to detail and boundless creativity that goes into crafting a single image in a LAIKA film. Additional cabinets and drawers allow guests to discover even more treasures, illustrating how a LAIKA film comes together from the sum of its extraordinary parts to create something extraordinary.

The exhibition invites the public to take a look behind the scenes of LAIKA’s films and offers the opportunity to meet first-hand the studio and the talented team behind these creations. New “human-scale” stage reproductions transport visitors from the real world to Coraline’s other garden as they enter the exhibition. Highlights of the more than 700 unique pieces on display include:

CORALINE (2009): Character puppets including Coraline, Cat, Other Father, Other Wybie, Taffy Monster and the Scottish Terriers, developmental models of Coraline, Cat, Wybie, Other Father and Other Mother in the first half of the film, test models of Spink and Forcible in color, developmental parts for the Other Mother puppets, props for the Other World bridge, garden gate, nose tree and Mantis tractor, and props for the Pink Palace apartments from Real World and Other World.

PARANORMAN (2012): Zombie puppets alongside their Puritan counterparts, a Norman armature, Norman models, Neil, Alvin and Salma puppets, paint tests and development pieces by Aggie Prendergast, a set of the City Hall dome and a scale prop of Mitch Downes’ delivery truck.

THE BOXTROLLS (2014): Puppets of Eggs, Winnie, Snatcher, and the Boxtrolls Fish and Shoe, along with models of Eggs, Winnie, Snatcher, Fish, and other Boxtrolls from early development, the film’s pneumatic tube set, and props from the Cheese Guild, Market Square, and Cave.

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS (2016): Puppets including Kubo, Moon Beast, Monkey and Origami Samurai, plus development models of Kubo and Monkey, VFX character puppets and models, a Taiko Drummer diorama, and the Central Avenue set and market props.

THE CONNECTING ELEMENT IS MISSING (2019): Puppets and models of Sir Lionel Frost, Mr. Link and Adelina, plus Link and Yeti puppets on an oil rig, the interior set of the Pullman train, development models of the Pullman train, environmental models and other movie props.

WILD FOREST (2025): A little preview of LAIKA’s upcoming sixth feature film.

In addition to LAIKA’s five films to date, the screening series “Stop Motion: Celebrating Hand-Crafted Animation on the Big Screen” includes King Kong (1933), Jason and the Argonauts (1963), Chicken race (2001), Corpse Bride (2005), The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Anomaly (2015) and many more.

Special guests include filmmakers Henry Selick (Coralline), Chris Butler and Sam Fell (Paranormal), Guillermo del Toro (Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro), Peter Lord (Chicken race), Nick Park (Wallace & Gromit), The Brothers Quay (Crocodile Street), Suzie Templeton (Peter and the Wolf), Barry Purves (Achilles) and Osbert Parker (Clothing), further names will be announced.

Tickets for BFI Southbank screenings and LAIKA’s free exhibition in August go on sale to the public from 4 July. Tickets for BFI Southbank screenings and LAIKA’s free exhibition in September and early October go on sale to the public from 8 August.

Source: BFI