Having just lived through 80 minutes watching a Shakespearean classic turned into a story involving garden gnomes, I am not exactly itching to head out to see the next 3D “blockbuster” Hollywood has lined up for my kids.
But if I can get us to New York City this month, I’ll be sure to include a trip to the Children’s International Film Festival to catch some of the best and brightest films for kids from around the world.
If you’re in town, lucky you, here are a hundred great reasons to head to the movies this weekend.
Starting March 4, The New York International Children’s Film Festival runs all month in six cinemas across the city, with a little something for the youngest movie watchers all the way up to those “drop me off around the corner” teens.
Scrolling through the full-length movies and shorts, I’d have a hard time picking just one to attend. Instead of hitting the much-hyped Mars Needs Moms, I’d head to France’s hand-drawn A Cat in Paris which looks adorably sweet and blessedly non-3D. And the Chinese animated The Dreams of Jinsha (shown above) calls to mind the amazing work of Hayao Miyazaki, though I will love learning more about Chinese history and mythology in this subtitled tale.
Not all the films are animated, as in Echoes of the Rainbow starring a little boy who runs around the streets of Hong Kong with a goldfish bowl on his head (yes, really).
Since most of these films are new to me, I appreciate the age recommendations listed for each, and I also love that there are a collection of short films especially for coming-of-age girls ages 10+. Movie goers can also vote for their favorites which will be revealed at the NYICFF Awards at the end of the month.
All of a sudden, March in the city sounds pretty fun, doesn’t it? -Christina
Check out the full slate of films, movie times and ticket information for the New York International Children’s Film Festival at the NYICFF website. All-access VIP passes are available for purchase if you want to experience the whole thing.
If you’re in the Toronto area, the Sprockets Film Festival for Children takes place in April. They have a fantastic lineup of films this year including a sneak peak of a hugely anticipated Pixar film!
Dates are April 5-17 and it runs at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on King St. in Toronto. This Festival is presented by the same group that organizes the Toronto International Film Festival. Check it out…
https://tiff.net/sprockets