The festival will be recruiting for a new head of programme as Mark Cosgrove steps up to become artistic director in 2012.

180 shorts from 31 countries will screen at Bristol Encounters International Film Festival which runs November 16-20.

The competition line-up, chosen from over 1800 submissions, includes Matthew Holness’s A Gun for George, Andrew Kotting’s An History of Civilisation, Argentinian animator Juan Pablo Zaramella’s Juan Luminaris, Screen Star of Tomorrow Dan Gitsham’s Ella, Douglas Hart’s Long Distance Information, Anca Miruna Lazarescu’s Apele Tac and Bertie Crisp by recent NFTS animation Graduate Francesca Adams starring Kathy Burke and Tamsin Greig.

Tony Grisoni, screenwriter of Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas will also be presenting his new short film The Pizza Miracle.

This year’s edition will also include a series of gala events, industry symposiums, workshops and live music.

Bruce Robinson will be attending the festival to talk about his 40-year-career, including Withnail And I and his new film The Rum Diary.

Meanwhile, the festival’s head of programme Mark Cosgrove is to take on the post of artistic director from 2012, working alongside the board and managing director Liz Harkman. The festival will shortly be recruiting for a new film programmer.