Seattle's Child

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Northwest Film Forum Announces Children’s Film Festival Line-Up

 

Northwest Film Forum rolls out the red carpet for the ninth year of Children's Film Festival Seattle, the largest and most respected film festival on the West Coast dedicated to children and their families, curated especially for kids ages 3 to 14.

The 11-day extravaganza celebrates the best and brightest in international cinema for children, and will include more than 130 films from 32 countries, including Azerbaijan, Mozambique, Morocco, Indonesia and Iran. The festival will include live performances, animation, features, shorts and hands-on filmmaking workshops, all crafted with care to appeal to the next generation of movie lovers.

The theme of this year's festival is magic, said festival director Elizabeth Shepherd.

"This year, so many international filmmakers have sent us shorts and features that are full of enchantment, intrigue and transformation," said Shepherd, who has directed the festival since its inception. "It will be very thrilling to present this cinema magic to our young audiences. And as always, we're excited to present films that serve as a vibrant, colorful and sensitive bridge to the world beyond Seattle."

Festival opening night is slated for Thursday, Jan. 23, with a world premiere performance of a new score for three films by German pioneer animator Lotte Reinger. These almost never exhibited films, made in the 1920s with masterful, hand-cut silhouette animation techniques, include Doktor Dolittle, the first screen adaptation of stories about talking animals and the benevolent doctor who understands what they say. Seattle musicians and composers Miles & Karina (David Keenan and Nova Devonie) will perform a new composition to accompany the films on guitar, violin, accordion, banjo and other instruments.

Opening weekend also includes a rockin' pajama party on Friday, Jan. 24, with the well-loved Seattle "kindie" band Recess Monkey, and an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast and film smorgasbord on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Festival highlights in 2014 include award-winning feature films from The Netherlands (Mike Says Goodbye and The Zigzag Kid, featuring a performance by Isabella Rossellini), Germany (Ricky: Three's A Crowd and Windstorm), Switzerland (Horizon Beautiful), Azerbaijan (Buta), Mexico (Canela), China (My Avatar Horse) and Poland (Gabriel).

Notable among the short film programs are new children's films from Latin America, a spotlight on films created by indigenous filmmakers from North America and Australia, and several programs of new animation.

Education programs for children during the festival include a hands-on workshop to create films from found footage, taught by local filmmaker Adam Sekuler, and a class in sock puppet movie magic with local animator Clyde Peterson. There will also be a free drop-in animation clinic for kids in the lobby of Northwest Film Forum on the afternoon of Sunday, Jan. 26.

As in previous years, kids will also be decision-makers and VIPs at the festival — this year's Children's Jury, made up of 10 Seattle-area youth ages 10 to 14, will view more than 50 films in competition and award prizes to their favorites.

Admission to most festival programs is $6 for Film Forum members, $8 for children younger than 12 and seniors, and $11 general admission. There is special pricing for opening events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and festival passes will also be available.

To view the full line-up of films, visit the Northwest Film Forum website.

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Northwest Film Festival Staff