The festival will run in its new earlier slot this year.

Bristol’s Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival has secured backing from the MEDIA Proramme ahead of its 2012 edition.

The festival, which will run for the first time in its earlier slot of September 18-23, had already picked up funding from the BFI.

The new slot will mean that films screened in the festival will now qualify for the BAFTAs, Oscars, European Film Awards and Cartoon D’Or.