2014 festival film list
ALL AGES
Academy Award Nominee, Best Animated Feature
ERNEST AND CELESTINE
All Ages / France, 2012 / French with English subtitles / Dir. Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, Benjamin Renner / 80 min
In a world of children’s films largely dominated by action-packed 3D animation, Ernest and Celestine’s old-fashioned charm, simple message about the value of friendship, and magical watercolors stand out. Little mice are taught to be afraid of bears, but when Celestine’s dream of meeting one is realized, the lumbering, grumbling Ernest proves to be the best friend an open-minded mouse could ask for. From the creators of Triplets of Belleville and The Secret of Kells.
NOTABLES:
Winner of Cesar Award for Best Animated Feature 2012
Seattle International Film Festival 2013 – Winner Films4Families Youth Jury Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Winner — Best Animated Feature 2013
MOON MAN
All Ages / France, 2012 / dubbed in English / Dir. Stephan Schesch / 96 min
Bored and all alone in the sky, the Moon Man hitches a ride to Earth on a passing comet. His arrival is mistaken as an attack from outer-space by the Earth’s arrogant president. Meanwhile, the world’s children are unable to sleep without seeing the Moon Man in the night sky, leading our protagonist to enlist a sympathetic scientist to help with his return to his rightful place. Moon Man’s quirkiness and slower pace set it apart from the frenetic energy of so many other animated films. With nods to Rube Goldberg, Picasso, and Escher, and delightful set pieces that use recordings by Louis Armstrong and Iron Butterfly, the picture unfolds with a sense of discovery that will draw young and old alike into the earthbound adventures of its unlikely lunar hero.
NOTABLES:
“Dazzling. The movie’s offbeat charm sets it apart.”
-Sherri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter (read article)
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO
All Ages / Japan, 1988 / In English / Dir. Hayao Miyazaki / 86 min
One of the most endearing and internationally renowned films of all time, a film that Roger Ebert called “one of the five best movies” ever made for children, My Neighbor Totoro is a deceptively simple tale of Satsuki and Mei, two young girls, who move with their father to the countryside, while their mother convalesces in a nearby hospital. They soon discover that the surrounding forests are home to a family of Totoros, gentle but powerful creatures who live in a huge and ancient camphor tree and are seen only by children. Based on Miyazaki’s own childhood imaginings, Totoros look like oversized pandas with bunny ears, the largest of which takes the girls on spinning-top rides through the tree tops, introduces them to a furry, multi-pawed Catbus—a nod to Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat—and ultimately brings the two of them much closer together as sisters.
Beneath the film’s playfulness and narrative simplicity lie depths of wisdom. As with much of Miyazaki’s work, at its core My Neighbor Totoro is about human-kind’s relationship to the Earth. The film is infused with an almost spiritual reverence for the power of nature (a philosophy tied to the ancient Shinto belief that every object in nature has a soul). Everything that surrounds us, from light-dappled tree groves, to the marvelous clouds, echoes the density and lusciousness of life. Protected by the Totoros, we know no harm will come to our two heroines in the forest’s sunlit glades and mysterious shadows. The girls may be awed by the power and majesty around them, but they understand instinctively that nature has no malice. The viewer is left with a sense of wonder at the beauty, mystery, and preciousness of the world all around us. Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of Japan’s masterpieces of animation.
SAFETY LAST!
All Ages / USA, 1923 / Dirs. Fred Newmeyer, Sam Taylor / 73 min
One of the most famous shots in silent comedy: a man in a straw hat and horn-rimmed glasses, hanging from the minute hand of a clock twelve stories above the street, and yet, not many people have seen Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last! The comic genius of silent star Harold Lloyd is eternal. Chaplin is the innocent Tramp, Keaton the stoic outsider, but Lloyd—the modern guy striving for success—is us. With its torrent of perfectly executed gags and astonishing stunts, Safety Last! is the perfect introduction to this other luminary of the silent era.
FOR AGES 8+
ANINA
Ages 8+ (bullying, nightmares) / Uruguay, 2013 / In Spanish (English subtitles) / Dir. Alfredo Soderguit / 78 min
A playground fight leads to a journey of self-discovery in this delightful animation from Uruguay. Called to the principal’s office, 10-year-old Anina Yatay Salas (as named by her palindrome-loving father) is given a black envelope and told not to open it for the whole week she is suspended from school. Calling it the weirdest punishment in the history of weird punishments (she looked it up), our young heroine is tormented by what the envelope might contain and her active imagination conjures up all sorts of possibilities.
NOTABLES:
Uruguay’s 2013 official submission to the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
GABRIEL
Ages 8+ (threatening situations, family tragedy recollected) / Poland, 2013 / Polish (English subtitles) / Dir. Mikołaj Haremski / 90 min
Gabriel is a story of friendship and teenage dilemmas, with a touch of both mystery and comedy. A family tragedy left 12 year old Tomek growing up with his grandparents from infancy. His desire to meet his father inspires a road trip full of dangerous adventures. A mysterious friend (Gabriel) with impeccable timing keeps the journey alive. The closer Tomek gets to his father, the closer he discovers the secret of Gabriel.
NOTABLES:
2013 Cinerockom International Film Festival (Malibu) Winner:
Best Photography, Best Original Score, Best Young Actor, and Best Feature Film
GATTU
Ages 8+ (disciplinary slapping) / India, 2011 / Hindi with English subtitles / Dir. Rajan Khosa / 80 min
A charming and intriguing kids’ film from India, Gattu is about an orphan being raised by a strict Uncle constantly frustrated by his nephew’s inability to focus on work. Gattu is obsessed instead with kite-flying, and in particular with defeating the mysterious Kali, a black kite that rules the skies. To do this, Gattu is prepared to steal, lie, and even go to school! The only problem—he is illiterate. Nonetheless, our hero takes up the challenge, proving anything might be possible when the will is strong enough.
NOTABLES:
Nominated, 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Award—Best Children’s Feature Film
Winner, 2012 Berlin Int’l Film Festival, Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk—Special Mention
ONCE IN A LULLABY
Ages 8+ / USA, 2011 / Dir. Jonathan Kalafer / 86 min
The fifth-grade chorus of PS22 on Staten Island became a YouTube sensation when their teacher started posting videos of them singing. Their rousing renditions of pop songs soon earned them a national legion of fans, as well as the attention of Academy Awards producers. This joyous documentary follows the talented and diverse group of kids and their energetic instructor, as together they tackle creative differences, lost voices, and homesickness on their way to appearing in the finale of the 2011 Academy Awards ceremony. The transformative power of music shines throughout.
NOTABLES:
2012 Woodstock Film Festival–Audience Award
2012 New Jersey International Film Festival–Best Documentary
2012 Tribeca Film Festival–Official Selection
2012 Aspen Film Festival–Official Selection
2012 Gotham Awards–Nominated for Audience Award
2012 Toronto International Film Festival Children’s Festival–Official Selection
WOLF CHILDREN
Ages 8+ / Japan, 2012 / In English / Dir. Hosoda Mamoru / 117 mins
Fans of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, it’s time to expand your horizons! This beautiful modern day fairy tale is the latest animated feature from Hosoda Mamoru (Summer Wars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time). Wolf Children is an exquisite fantasy about a single mom, Hana, who had the misfortune of falling in love with a wolf man. He was kind and considerate, but given to roaming the streets at night on four legs—which is how he comes to a tragic end. Alone, Hana learns to care for kids who have the plucky charm of young humans, but the unpredictability and appetite of growing puppies. With its gorgeous animation and sensitive, multifaceted direction, this is a funny, exhilarating and touching film about nature, nurture, and the call of the wild. It’s ideal family viewing—and equally suited to wolf packs.
NOTABLES:
Animation of the Year, 2013 Japan Academy Prize
Best Animated Film, 2013 Mainichi Film Awards
FOR AGES 10+
CLARA AND THE SECRET OF THE BEARS
Ages 10+ (tense moments, witch burning) / Switzerland, 2013 / German (English subtitles) / Dir. Tobias Ineichen / 93 min
So you know right away, the “Bears” in the title have nothing to do with cuddly, saccharine anthropomorphic animations. The Swiss Alps provide the backdrop for this intriguing tale that reaches across centuries to unite two girls in a shared quest. Clara, a 13-year-old with an affinity for nature, discovers an ability to see through time when touching certain objects around the farm. She “senses” the peril of another young girl 200 years before. In working to lift an ages-old curse, Clara bravely attempts to repair both the past and the present.
NOTABLES:
Winner! Children’s Jury Award, Montreal Int’l Children’s Film Festival 2013
Winner! Best Film Audience Award, Children’s Int’l Film Festival of Krakow 2013
GOLD STAR CHILDREN
Ages 10+ (emotional effects of losing a parent) / USA, 2013 / Dir. Mitty Griffis Mirrer / 58 min
This documentary directed by Rhode Island’s own Mitty Griffis Mirrer (a gold star child herself) takes an intimate look at American children who’ve lost a parent to war. The film follows the parallel journeys of two generations of grieving children; recent war orphans, who’ve lost parents serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia, learn to heal alongside the now adult-child survivors of the Vietnam War. Gold Star Children gives meaning and shape to how America understands those who sacrifice in service to their country and the children and families they leave behind.
NOTABLES:
Film has appeared on national news channel CNN
MAIDENTRIP
Ages 10+ (cursing, like a sailor) / USA, 2013 / Dir. Jillian Schlessinger / 82 min
This fascinating documentary charts the adventure of Laura Dekker, a 14-year-old Dutch sailor, who set out alone on a two-year voyage to fulfill her dream of becoming the youngest person ever to sail around the world. The journey was not without controversy, but Maidentrip is pleasantly free from the hysteria that surrounded Laura for over a year. It presents her trip in a judgment-free manner. It neither suggests (as it understandably could) that 14 is an alarmingly young age to traverse the mightily unforgiving Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, nor takes a blindly positive “Ra! Ra! Go Laura!” position (as would be tempting, given that Laura proves herself an admirable rebel in many ways).
Laura is portrayed as an independent outsider, at once open-hearted, enviably confident, and a bit prickly, sick of what she sees as daily life in Holland—which she rounds up succinctly: “Get money, get a house, get a husband, get a baby, then die.” She pines for a truly outsized adventure. While other young record-holding sailors completed the round-world trip without lengthy stops at ports, Laura gives herself two years for the excursion, so that she can soak in the land-bound culture of the different climes where she alights (among them French Polynesia, Australia, the Galapagos Islands, and South Africa). Low-key yet lyrical, Maidentrip illustrates in vivid colors the mundane as well as the magnificent moments at sea and underscores the courage of one young woman, battling the elements—and the courts—and enjoying every minute of it.
NOTABLES:
Winner of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Audience Award 2013!
LE TABLEAU *RETURNING FAVORITE*
Ages 10+ (some scenes of threatened violence) / France, 2012 / French with English subtitles / Directed by Jean-François Laguionie / 78 min
In partnership with RISD Museum and Gallery Night Providence, PCFF is bringing back one of last year’s audience favorites for a command – and free! – performance. Le Tableau is set within the world of an idyllic, but incomplete painting, long ago abandoned by its painter before completing his work. In his absence, the figures in the painting have taken over the narrative to serve their own ends. After the screening, you will be invited to explore, with the guidance of museum educators, RISD’s own collection of All-Dones, Sketchies and Halfies!
WADJDA
Ages 10+ (what might need explaining: polygamy, arranged marriages) / Saudi Arabia, 2013 / In Arabic with English subtitles / Dir. Haifaa Al Mansour / 98 min
10-year-old Wadjda challenges deep-rooted Saudi traditions in a determined quest to buy a bicycle. When everything goes against her plans, she sees one last chance in her school’s Koran recitation competition and the large cash prize for first place. The first film ever shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, Wadjda is the story of a girl determined to fight for her dreams. Written by Razor Film Produktion GmbH
NOTABLES:
“A sharply observed, deceptively gentle film, reportedly the first feature ever directed by a Saudi woman. The movie presents the facts of its heroine’s life with calm authority and devastating effectiveness. With impressive agility, WADJDA finds room to maneuver between harsh realism and a more hopeful kind of storytelling. There is warmth as well as austerity in Wadjda’s world, kindness as well as cruelty, and the possibility, modestly sketched and ardently desired, of change. Buoyant.”
-AO Scott,NEW YORK TIMES
“The film marks a huge triumph for its female director…a remarkable film twice over.”
-Kenneth Turan, LOS ANGELES TIMES
“It’s always fascinating to discover what can make us happy, both as moviegoers and citizens of the world. WADJDA does the trick…funny and touching in equal measure.”
-Joe Morgenstern, WALL STREET JOURNAL
Audience Choice Award
Windstorm
WINDSTORM
Ages 10+ (use of expletives, adolescent struggles) / Germany, 2013 / In German with English subtitles / Dir. Katja von Garnier / 101 min
Misfit German teenager Mika is sent to live in the country with her stern grandmother (who happens to have been an Olympic equestrian). One of her grandmother’s horses, Windstorm, is just as unhappy with the world around him as Mika is with hers. Together, they find a sense of happiness that gets them through several über-dramatic ordeals. It will be difficult not to get drawn into this tale that is part Horse Whisperer & part Karate Kid, with a pinch of National Velvet.
THE ZIGZAG KID
Ages 10+ (mature subject matter: mental illness) / Belgium, Netherlands 2013 / English, Dutch, French (English subtitles) / Dir. Vincent Bal / 95 min
The 12-year-old son of the world’s greatest detective embarks on a rollicking adventure to solve the mystery of his long lost mother’s true identity in this family-friendly, action-packed film. Growing up without knowledge of his mother’s mysterious fate leads Nono, on the eve of his bar mitzvah, on the most significant investigation of his life. The Zigzag Kid uses wit and humor to explore the sometimes complicated relationships between right and wrong, and how these inform love and loyalty—in a modern, beautifully filmed tale that speaks frankly to both adults and tweens. Plus, a family film that features Isabella Rosselini?!
NOTABLES:
Audience Award – Best Feature, Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival 2013
Golden Elephant Award – Best Screenplay, Int’l Children’s Film Festival in India 2013
Grand Prix Award, Kyoto Int’l Children’s Film Festival 2013
Winner – Young Audience Award, European Film Academy 2013
Audience Award – Best Feature, ANDkids World Film Festival 2013
Opening Night Film, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 2013
FOR AGES 13+
Special Jury Award
DRUID PEAK
Ages 13+ (expletives, intense bullying, alcohol abuse, threat of suicide) / USA, 2013 / Dir. Marni Zelnick / 111 min
Set against the backdrop of the wolf reintroduction program in Yellowstone National Park, Druid Peak is a coming of age story about a troubled teenage boy who finds a home tracking wolves in the wild lands of Wyoming.
Sixteen-year-old Owen isn’t just rebellious—he’s a bully with a mean streak. Growing up in coal country West Virginia, he struggles against the claustrophobia of small town life, lashing out against school and family. But when his actions lead to the death of a friend, Owen is sent to live with his estranged father, Everett, a biologist on Yellowstone’s wolf reintroduction program.
At first, Owen wants no part of this new life. Then he comes face to face with a Canadian grey wolf. The creature’s deep, penetrating gaze startles him, stirring something long dead inside his own self. Sensing the first signs of change in his son, Everett encourages Owen to collect some basic data about the wolf he saw and its family pack–the Druid Peak pack. Owen’s small assignment grows into a passion and his own life becomes deeply tied to the Druid Peak wolves and their struggle for survival. When a change in government policy threatens the animals, Owen must decide how far he will go to protect the wolves, his father, and the place he has finally come to call home. A coming of age story with a conservation twist, Druid Peak is a film about the human soul’s need for wild things, and the challenges of holding onto them.
Writer/Director Marni Zelnick was awarded a $100,000 production grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for work on this film. Shot on location in West Virginia, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Utah, Druid Peak stars Andrew Wilson (Rushmore, The Royal Tennenbaums), Spencer Treat Clark (Mystic River, Gladiator), Rachel Korine (Spring Breakers, Septien) and the wolves of Wasatch Rocky Mountain Wildlife (White Fang, Into the Wild).
WUNDERKINDER (“CHILD PRODIGIES”) *RETURNING FAVORITE*
Ages 13+ (Holocaust setting with threatening situations, implicit violence and deadly outcomes.) / Germany, 2011 / In German with English subtitles / Dir. Marcus Rosenmuller / 96 min
Last year’s PCFF winner for the Best Feature is back by popular demand! Wunderkinder tells the tale of three exceptionally musically talented children (ages 12-13), who develop a deep and genuine friendship, extending beyond their different religions and nationalities. The two Jewish children, Larissa and Abrascha, are both virtuosos—one on the piano and the other on the violin. Hanna, a young German girl, is also extremely gifted. Living in Poltava in the Ukraine in 1941, they all share one great love: music.
Unexpectedly in 1941 Hitler unleashed Operation Barbarossa, the Invasion of his ally, the Soviet Union. Without warning, the children and their equally bewildered families face all the terrors of flight and death. Wunderkinder is a furious, terrifying thriller, where the chases all have the threat of the deadliest of consequences. Lovingly directed as a poem to lost innocence, Wunderkinder is not a “children’s film.” It is a film from a child’s perspective that might help families talk about the loss and destruction of World War II and the horror of the Holocaust. The film is dedicated to the memory of the half million children who perished in the Holocaust.
NOTABLES:
Winner of the 2013 PCFF Audience Best of Festival Award!
Atlanta Film Festival 2012 Audience Award Best Narrative Feature
Audience Award Best of Fest, L.A. Jewish Film Festival 2012
Audience Choice Award, Stony Brook Film Festival 2012
1st Prize Sao Paulo Jewish Film Festival 2012
Youth Jury Award Reel 2 Real Vancouver 2013
PROGRAMS OF SHORTS
PARTY MIX 2014 & CINEMA CIRCUS
Every year PCFF welcomes compilations of the best short films from other major festivals around the country. This year we’re especially delighted to be able to bring to Providence the best of the New York International Children’s Film Festival in Party Mix 2013 and the best of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival in Cinema Circus. Both reels include short animations, live action, documentaries, and experimental films. These shows are bound to be popular, so get your tickets early!
- CINEMA CIRCUS
All ages / multi-national, 2011-13 / English, musical, or no dialogue / various lengths totaling 50 min - PARTY MIX 2014
Ages 8+ / multi-national, 2011-12 / English, musical, or no dialogue / various lengths totaling 70 min
PARTY MIX 2014
Alimation
France, 2011 /Experimental / Dir. Alexandre Dubosc / 3 min
Spinning cakes create zoetrope animation effects—giving viewers new insight into the origins of cameras, projectors and animation…as well as a major craving for dessert!
At the Opera
Argentina, 2011 / Animation / Dir. Juan Pablo Zaramella / 1 min
Juan Pablo Zaramella (creator of last year’s Luminaris) brings us his new film about a particularly moving night at the opera. Guaranteed to move you to tears!
Choir Tour
Latvia, 2012 / Animation / Dir. Edmunds Jansons / 5 min
It’s a wild free-for-all when a famous boys’ choir breaks away from their conductor while on tour in Seoul and causes mayhem in the hotel. Cool graphic design, wonderful visual humor and music, beautiful music!
The Fox and the Chickadee
Canada, 2012 / Animation / Dir. Evan DelRushie / 8 min
Mr. Fox thinks he has Chickadee right where he wants her: trapped and ready to be eaten. But the cunning little Chickadee knows where the farmer hides the key to the chicken coop. If only Mr. Fox will cooperate, the two can work together to steal that much larger and more delicious feast.
Fresh Guacamole
USA , 2012 / Animation /Dir. PES / 2 min
PES is back with this latest (and Oscar®-nominated!) take on the culinary arts… pass the chips! From the creator of past NYICFF favorites Western Spaghetti, The Deep, and Game Over.
Grandmother
Colombia, 2012 / Animation /Dir. Carlos Smith Rovira / 8 min
When sleeping at her grandmother’s house in the countryside, a little city girl becomes spooked by the wrinkled, weather-worn old woman and the unfamiliar surroundings. In this beautifully animated fable she learns that it is our roots that give us strength.
I’m Going to Mum’s
New Zealand, 2012 / Live Action / Dir Lauren Jackson / 13 min
Poor Jacob. His newly divorced parents insist on dressing him in ridiculous clothes to spite each other – and the continual changing of outfits becomes a parade of absurdity. With his parents’ feuding getting worse by the day, Jacob resorts to desperate fashion measures to assert his identity.
Lola
France, 2011 / Animation / Dir. Franck Janin / 6 min
Two dolls in a toy store are separated when a customer decides to buy one of them. In search of his lost partner, the other embarks on an emotional journey around the world.
Paper Touch
Taiwan, 2011 / Animation / Dir. Hui-ching Tseng / 5 min
Paper cutouts and corrugated cardboard burst into origami action to create a hybrid pinball-pachinko machine in this gorgeous and highly imaginative stop-motion short.
Snack Attack
USA, 2012 / Animation / Dir Andrew Cadelago / 5 min
Waiting to board the train, an old lady just wants to eat her cookies in peace. But the young punk on the platform next to her seems intent on sharing her snack… or is something else going on here?
Subway Train
USA, 2011 / Animation / Dir. Garrett Davis / 4 min
Set to the funky beats of the Pop Ups, this music video features oddly morphing animals on their morning commute – and one epic pan-flute solo!
Summer Bummer
USA, 2011 / Animation / Dir. Bill Plympton / 2 min
From world-renowned animator and friend-of-the-festival Bill Plympton, a man with a case of shark paranoia has second thoughts before diving into his pool, reminding us that the greatest fear is fear itself…right?
The Vacuum Kid
USA, 2011 / Documentary / Dir. Katharine Mahalic / 10 min
A charming 12-year old boy shares his unusual passion for vacuum cleaners.
CINEMA CIRCUS
A determined tinkerer builds a vending machine with some surprising inner workings. The world’s largest stop-motion animation follows a fisherman out at sea. Some magical books lovingly guide a book lover through life. A generous light warms a struggling flower. Meet some circus cats and their funny and caring handlers. Unexpected manners emerge when an old lady and a young man are both hungry for cookies!
Big Plans
Switzerland, 2011 / Dir. Irmgard Walthert / 3 min
Gulp
UK, 2011 / Dirs. Sumo Science / 2 min
I Love Rock & Roll
South Africa, 2011 / Dir. Brent Dawes / 5 min
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
USA, 2012 / Dirs. William Joyce & Brandon Oldenburg / 14 min
Chow Down
Germany, 2010 / Dirs. Burkhard Finckh & Matthias Daenschel / 4 min
Snow
USA, 2011 / Dir. Corrie Francis Parks / 1 min
The Light
Japan, 2010 / Dir. Yuta Sukegawa / 8 min
Moscow Cat Theater
USA, 2008 / Dir. Marilyn Argelo / 3 min
Fish Wish
Canada, 2007 / Dir. Josephine Gutianjo / 2 min
Love Earth
Taiwan, 2012 / Dir. Hui-Ching Tseng / 3 min
Snack Attack
USA, 2012 / Dir. Andrew Cadelgo / 5 min
YOUR SHORTS ARE SHOWIN’ (YSAS) 2014 EDITIONS
PCFF proudly presents this year’s YSAS programs. We have compiled three age-appropriate reels of short films that were either invited or submitted and selected by our jury. Included is a wide assortment of animation, live action, and musicals! Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance at the screenings.
YSAS: KINDERGARTEN
All ages / multi-national, 2011-13 / English, or no dialogue / various lengths totaling 60-70 min
YSAS: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Ages 10+ / multi-national, 2011-13 / English, or no dialogue / various lengths totaling 60-70 min
YSAS: MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL
Ages 13+ / multi-national, 2011-13 / English, or no dialogue / various lengths totaling 60-70 min
YSAS: KINDERGARTEN EDITION
Between
USA, 2013 / Dir. Carla Ricci / 2 min
Ahco on the Road
Korea-USA, 2013 / Dir. Soyeon Kim / 9 min
Slowly But Surely
USA, 2013 / Dir. Eli Balser / 12 min
Scared is Scared
USA, 2013 / Dir. Bianco Giaever / 8 min
Morsey & Mop
Singapore, 2013 / Dir. Janet Chia / 7 min
Is Your Hair Made of Donuts?
USA, 2013 / Dir. Soren Sorensen / 12 min
Twins in a Bakery
Japan, 2013 / Dir. Mari Miyazawa / 5 min
Marrs
Singapore, 2013 / Dir. Matt Lim / 5 min
Alligator Stroll
USA, 2013 / Dir. Sandra Boynton / 6 min
Daddy ABC
United Kingdom-United Arab Emirates, 2013 / Dir. Hamad Alawar / 6 min
Lami
France-Japan, 2013 / Dir. Christophe DeFaye / 3 min
Tootles
United Kingdom, 2013 / Dir. Zach Hurwitz / 5 min
YSAS: ELEMENTARY EDITION
Virtuous Virtuell
Germany, 2013 / Co-Dirs. Thomas Stellmach & Maja Oschmann / 7 min
Shame and Glasses
Italy, 2013 / Dir. Allessandro Riconda / 7 min
My First Spellbook
United Kingdom, 2013 / Dir. Gavin Laing / 11 min
*AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD!*
The Amber Amulet
Australia, 2013 / Dir. Matthew Moore / 23 min
Reflections
Israel, 2013 / Dir. Alon Ziv / 5 min
Gnosis
USA, 2013 / Dir. Tamarra Hahn / 5 min
My Strange Grandfather
Russia, 2011 / Dir. Dina Velikovskaya / 9 min
Much Better Now
Switzerland, 2012 / Dir. Salon Alpin / 6 min
YSAS: MIDDLE/HIGH EDITION
Grandpa and Me & a Helicopter to Heaven
Netherlands, 2012 / Dir. Asa Blanck & Johan Palmgren / 17 min
Azza
Netherlands, 2012 / Dir. Saskia Gubbels / 17 min
Duct Tape Surfing
Australia, 2013 / Dir. Mark Tipple / 5 min
Dancing With Style
Netherlands, 2012 / Dir. Xander de Boer / 17 min
Hugh Jackman Saves the World
Australia, 2013 / Dir. Lee Chambers / 3 min
Emmeline
United Kingdon, 2012 / Dir. Daniela Pasquini / 7 min
Felix
Germany, 2013 / Dir. Anselm Belser / 1 min
*SPECIAL JURY AWARD!*
The Hero Pose
USA, 2013 / Dir. Mischa Jakupcak / 12 min
HEAR THIS! (…and more)
In this program PCFF presents three high quality, yet very different films about young people and deafness. Two films (Matilde and Through Ellen’s Ears) are about girls of different ages demonstrating how they overcome obstacles that a hearing person might be unaware of. The third story (Hear This!) is told from a boy with hearing who has two deaf parents. Together these films offer perspectives that are not often depicted in films. The emotional impact spans from frustrating to heartwarming to inspiring.
MATILDE Ages 8+/ Italy, 2012 / Italian with English subtitles / Dir. Vito Palmieri / 10 min
THROUGH ELLEN’S EARS Ages 8+ / The Netherlands, 2013 / Dutch with English subtitles / Dir. Saskia Gubbels / 19 min
HEAR THIS! Ages 8+ / The Netherlands, 2013 / Dutch with English subtitles / Dir. Soulaima El Khaldi / 16 min
Hear This!
Ages 8+ / The Netherlands, 2013 / Dutch with English subtitles / Dir. Soulaima El Khaldi / 16 min
Tristan (10) and his family live in Kudelstaart. Their family is an unusual one because both Tristan’s parents are deaf, while Tristan himself can hear just fine. Tristan is great at talking to deaf people, but other people find it difficult or sometimes even uncomfortable. This stands in the way of Tristan’s father becoming the coach for Tristan’s football team. The club says his father can never be a good coach. Tristan thinks that’s nonsense. His father is a brilliant football player; he even plays for the Dutch national team for the deaf. Tristan is confident that his dad would make a good coach and that his team members would feel the same way, if he were just once given a chance to prove himself.
Through Ellen’s Ears
Ages 8+ / The Netherlands, 2013 / Dutch with English subtitles / Dir. Saskia Gubbels / 19 min
Eleven-year-old Ellen doesn’t speak with her voice but with her hands. She uses sign language because she is deaf. Ellen has to decide which secondary school to attend. She doesn’t want to go to the boarding school for the deaf like other deaf children. She would much rather go to an ordinary school or to the school for the hard of hearing, just like her best friend Myrthe, who is hard of hearing. But will she be admitted there?
Matilde
Ages 8+ / Italy, 2012 / Italian with English subtitles / Dir. Vito Palmieri / 10 min
Though Matilde tries hard to focus in class, she still struggles to follow the teacher’s lessons. Inspired by her mother’s hair salon and her daily walk by the local tennis courts, Matilde decides to take matters into her own hands and create a learning environment that suits her needs.
YOUTH FILMMAKER SHOW & PCFF WORKSHOP FILMS!
All Ages / 60-70 min
PCFF is committed to nurturing the work of young filmmakers and so is proud to present a program of films all made by youth—from around the world—and to provide an opportunity for young filmmakers to talk about both the fun and the challenges they face. The quality may vary, but a passion for filmmaking is evident in each and every selection in this program. The up-and-coming artists hail from as far away as Australia to as near as your own backyard. There will be time after the show for Q&A and discussion with those filmmakers who are able to attend. Please join us!
PCFF Workshop Films
Work from all six workshops will be presented on one continuous reel. Running time: 6 – 8 mins.
Robot and Boy
USA (RI), 2013 / Dir. Dylan Itkin & Ethan Itkin / 24 min
The Golf Story: A Short Film
USA (RI), 2013 / Dir. Cameron Harrington / 3 min
COPZ
Australia, 2013 / Dir. Tara Amoroso-Phillips & Madison Paynter / 5 min
Transforming the Rails
USA (RI), 2013 / Dir. Thomas Saccoccio / 7 min
Bad Day
USA (MA), 2013 / Dir. Salome Tkebuchava / 19 min
The Girl, The Boy and The Bucket
Australia, 2013 / Dir. Paige Ford / 6 min
Cat Power
USA (WA), 2013 / Reel Grrls Workshop / 1 min
Breaking the Mirror
USA (WA), 2013 / Zenia Pakker-Kozicki, Lily Reed & Ellie Dynes / 3 min