Another packed MANIPULATE featured the return of favourite companies and artists Figurentheater Tuebingen (Wunderkammer), The Paper Cinema (Macbeth) and Al Seed (The Fooligan & the Bridges of Madness). Companies new to the festival included the celebrated, award-winning English company Green Ginger (Intronauts), French Compagnie Sacékripa (Vu) and from Finland, Livsmedlet Theatre (Invisible Lands). We also featured a great deal of work created by leading Scottish-based artists. As well as the production Void, created by F/DA & MHz and the welcome return of the very successful Clown Cabaret Special Edition on the last night, audiences enjoyed works in the final stages of progress presented by Tidy Carnage (Nino), Fiona Oliver-Larkin (Salt), Kasia Zawadski (99+) and Hopeful Monster (Transmographiles). In addition, in our ongoing popular Snapshots: [email protected] series, 16 emerging and established Scottish-based theatre makers presented excerpts of work they were in the process of creating. Two highlights of our animated films programme were screenings selected and hosted by leading Polish artist Balbina Bruszewska (Life Journeys – Animated the World) and Colombian Carlos Santa (Contemporary Animation: South American Master).