This event is part of Forbidden Worlds Film Festival 2026. Visit www.forbiddenworldsfilmfestival.co.uk to see the full line-up as well as buy Weekend/Day Passes.

Dir: Ralph Bakshi | United States | 78 mins | Cert. PG

After establishing his career with extremely stylized, adult fare like Fritz the Cat, animator Ralph Bakshi gained notoriety for the use of rotoscoping (drawing over live action performers) with 1979's Wizards and 1981's American Pop.

His dive into fantasy would continue with his controversial and unfinished animated adaption of The Lord of the Rings, but in 1983, he collaborated with noted artist Frank Frazetta to strip the genre back to its core elements: Good. Evil. And scantily clad women.

With his iconic Conan The Barbarian, Vampierella and assorted Edgar Rice Burroughs book covers, Frazetta was no stranger to muscular warriors, terrifying monsters and the female form, and with Bakshi, the scene was set for the ultimate animated fantasy.

Set in the land of Firekeep, Princess Teegra and her kingdom are under threat from the sinister, rapidly-expanding ice kingdom and its ruthless witch leader Juliana and her barbaric son, Nekron. The only hope for salvation lies with two warriors, Larn and Darkwolf, who must save the princess from constant kidnapping threats as well as hordes of monstrous armies performing Nekron's bidding.

With Bakshi's kinetic style and Frazetta's unique artistic eye, Fire and Ice remains one of the most startling animation epics of all time where savage hordes, horrific beasts and luscious maidens battle for the soul of civilization in a time of good and evil, pleasure and pain!

While the film is rated PG, in the best tradition of 80s fantasy films, it may be too intense for some children, but the perfect gateway for those looking to dive into fantasy animation and graphic novels, without the buckets of sex and gore often found in such material!

The film will be introduced by Aardman Animation archivist Tom Vincent.