Imagine this. Your name is Gus and you live in the most boring village in the Netherlands. You walk into your bedroom one day and there’s an actual Egyptian mummy sitting on your bed. What do you do? Well, first you jump out of your skin (of course). Then you close your eyes, count to ten, count to twenty…but it doesn’t help. The Mummy is still there!
The Mummy named Dummie (Darwishi Ur-Atum Msamaki Minkabh Ishaq Eboni) died over 4,000 years ago when he was only ten years old. But thanks to the magic of the golden scarab and one lucky lightening strike, he has come back to life as a mummy in a very changed world.
Gus and his father have no idea at first what to do with Dummie. Should they call a museum? The police? They decide to invite him into their family by pretending he is a cousin from Egypt who has suffered bad burns. Gus’ life changes completely as he becomes best friends with Dummie the Mummy. Gus enrolls Dummie into his school but not everybody is happy with this creepy new stranger in their midst.
One dreadful day, Dummie’s powerful golden scarab goes missing and the magic slowly fades away. Dummie falls ill and Gus and his dad fear he may die all over again. Gus must now do everything he can to find the powerful scarab. Who could have stolen it? And can Dummie be saved in time? This dilemma’s resolution brings to light the importance of tolerance, friendship and being part of a community.
In this lighthearted German farce, the citizens of Bollersdorf take great pride in being perfectly average in everything: weight, age, household members and more. Bollersdorf is so average, in fact, that a market research company uses the town as a testing ground. Fortunately, a ragtag group of kindergarteners known as the Coati Gang, doesn’t fall for it. With the help of their grandparents, the gang sets out to make its town “extra” ordinary using creativity, pluck and ingenuity. A hilarious and heartwarming live-action adventure.
No classroom for these kindergarteners: In Switzerland’s Langnau am Albis, a suburb of Zurich, children four to seven years of age go to kindergarten in the woods every day, no matter what the weatherman says. The filmmakers follow the forest kindergarten through the seasons of one school year to make their documentary film “School’s Out: Lessons from a Forest Kindergarten.” This eye-opening film looks into the important question of what it is that children need at that age. There is laughter, beauty and amazement in the process of finding out.
In this new adaptation, Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is seamlessly transported to 1948 Bavaria, post-World War II. Both those familiar with the story and those new to this classic American tale will delight in the characters of Tom and Hacke — two adventurous, fatherless boys who experience the thrill and terror of being on their own in a sometimes dangerous world.
A true-to-life film about fulfilling potential and overcoming destiny, “I am Kalam” has touched hearts across India and worldwide. Chhotu, a bright yet impoverished Rajasthani boy, dreams of gaining an education while he works at a roadside cafe. When he hears an inspirational message from President Kalam, he changes his name to Kalam and commits to studying independently whenever he can. He befriends a local prince, but the two must fraternize in secret. Through their forbidden friendship and a case of misjudged intentions, Kalam struggles to find his place and tries to meet the president. A heartwarming narrative, “I Am Kalam” speaks not only to the dreams of many uneducated children in India but to anyone who has dared to seek a better life for himself.
If heights make you nervous, you might want to find another movie! Tancrède and Julien are two friends on an incredible exploration into the world of free flight. They are pioneers in “highlining” – a vertiginous combination of climbing, slackline and tightrope walking. Using their fearless skills and experience as climbers, the pair push the boundaries of possibility as they embark on a new evolution of their sport. Some would argue it’s art.
Follow their travels from the Verdon gorge to the skyscrapers of Paris and finally to the spectacular cliffs and fjords of Norway, where the pair put weeks into training for their ultimate test. (It’s hard not to think of Philippe Petit).
Divercine International Children’s Festival 2007 Children’s Jury Award; Ene and Tõnis Kask Foundation of the Estonian National Culture Foundation 2006, Best Film; Latvian Film Festival 2007, Best Feature Length Animation;\Mill Valley Children’s Film Fest 2008, Audience Award; TINDIRINDIS International Animated Film Festival 2007, Best Feature-Length Animation
This feature-length animated film from Estonia is a gentle, spirited film full of wacky contraptions, silly/happy songs, and a warm and refreshingly un-cynical sense of humor. Lotte is a cheerful girl dog who lives in Gadgetville, a village crazy about inventing Rube Goldberg-esque machines. The town is abuzz about the Japanese bee Susumu, who introduces Gadgetville to the concept of judo. After the town becomes obsessed with the sport, Lotte and her three friends try to help Susumu get back to Japan to test their new skills in an international judo contest.
Do you have what it takes to be an astronaut? If not, do you have 30 million dollars? It won’t get you onto a NASA spaceship but it will buy a berth on a Russian one. In this documentary, computer game developer Richard Garriott realizes his dream to follow his astronaut dad’s path into space by purchasing a seat on a Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station. “Man on a Mission” shows like never before what it takes to prepare to go to space and how it feels once you get there … and back.
REVIEWS:
“…Man on a Mission will be an exhilarating documentary for anyone interested in space travel, and probably even for those who aren’t. Garriott’s journey is quite interesting and unique, beginning with his days as a young man when he came up with some of his first computer games, to his financial success investing in various companies, some of which are pioneering the idea of space tourism. If Garriott’s life had not been as interesting as it was, this documentary could have suffered, but what we end up with is a really well put together autobiographical snapshot of Garriott, and a captivating view of the Russian space program, from their intense training to the rituals they exact on Garriott before his liftoff into space.
This is a documentary that will ultimately appeal to a very wide audience. Man on a Mission should garner a fair amount of press in part due to the amazing footage of Earth Garriott captured while on his journey. Being a fan of space travel, I can’t recall seeing another documentary that so effectively captures the thrill of space travel. If you have children, I urge you to take them to see this little beauty, as it provides some of the most well-documented material on what astronauts go through during training and while in space, as well as the aforementioned footage. If you’re an adult, Garriott’s financial success story and taste for adventure should inspire you, and will hopefully encourage any naysayers in the United States that space travel is not a waste of tax-payer money, but a necessity that serves many purposes and can help to bolster the pride of a nation.” – as reviewed by Dirk Sonniksen
Sixteen-year-old Chandani has a burning desire: She wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a mahout, a traditional elephant caretaker in Sri Lanka. This is customarily a job only for men; all the other mahouts around her doubt her abilities and oppose her plans. This is a small story with much large implications: If Chandani succeeds, she will be the first female mahout ever. Some of the most powerful scenes are the ones when nothing is spoken.
In a contemporary small town around a closed-down factory, bored ‘tween friends, some from broken homes, are looking for creative ways to spend their time. They build forts, issue dares and tease one another. The Crocodiles is the name of this gang of 11-year-olds and a newcomer (who uses a wheelchair) wants in.
Part Hardy Boys, part “Stand By Me,” part “The Outsiders,” this fast-paced film combines classic elements with a larger message of breaking down stereotypes. Please be warned that the dialogue is stronger than an American audience may be used to. There is a domestic abuse scene. Slurs and stereotypes are expressed. However, this difficult dialogue is not used for shock value. It is part of the larger and more important narrative of kids learning how hurtful their exclusionary actions and hateful words can be, then making amends.