Jojo, a lively 10-year-old with a difficult home life marked by a volatile father and an absent mother, finds solace in an abandoned baby jackdaw (“kauw” in Dutch). Through the special friendship he builds with the bird, the bond between Jojo and his father will be strengthened or broken. That it sometimes takes one death to accept another could be one of several messages this sensitive, but at times challenging, film has to offer.

REVIEWS:
“In a field dominated by many ambitious and weighty films, the Dutch submission for this year’s foreign language Oscar is appealing for its modesty… The film rests on the two splendid performances at the center. (JoJo) Rick Lens has to hold our attention for every minute of the film, a feat that he accomplishes effortlessly. The actor is completely convincing in his moments of joyous abandon as well as others of frustration and rage. He’s endearing without ever turning cloying, and this is surely a tribute to the skill of director Boudewijn Koole. Loek Peters is equally compelling as Jojo’s rather helpless father. The moments when Peters’ character responds to Jojo with brutality are disturbing, but we always understand the anguish that underlies the character’s anger.” – The Hollywood Reporter (12/7/12)

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.

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 wildlands 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 Spencer Treat Clark (“Mystic River,” “Gladiator”), Andrew Wilson (“Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums”), Rachel Korine (“Spring Breakers,” “Septien”) and the wolves of Wasatch Rocky Mountain Wildlife (“White Fang,” “Into the Wild”).

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” and part “Karate Kid,” with a pinch of “National Velvet.”

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 Mamoru Hosoda (“Summer Wars,” screened at PCFF 2011; “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.

** Rhode Island Premiere **

From the director of one of the first PCFF films ever brought to Providence (Academy Award-nominated THE SECRET OF KELLS), this film is a captivating animated adventure inspired by the ancient Irish legend of the selkies, magical beings who live as seals in the water and as humans on land. A young brother and sister must unlock the magical secrets of their ancestry in order to find their way home.

Director Tomm Moore’s follow-up to the Oscar-nominated THE SECRET OF KELLS is a beautiful and seamlessly crafted animated feature. A similarly haunting score matches haunting visuals. The fluid animation is emphasized by striking watercolor backgrounds that enable the beautifully realized hand-drawn characters to pop from the screen. The variety of the textures, shadows and forms that appear on screen is entrancing. Much like Kells, Moore’s second feature reinforces or underscores his reputation as a champion of Irish culture, language and mythology. While it’s a children’s film first and foremost, it will also delight adults and animation lovers alike. The predominant themes of loss and love in writer William Collins’ story are joined by several particularly interesting metaphors, including the importance of the perpetuation of Irish language, culture and mythology. SONG OF THE SEA is a touching story of loss on a multitude of levels; the loss of innocence, the loss of a loved one, and the loss of a rich and deep culture that the film ultimately celebrates.

In May 2013, the Okee Dokee Brothers embarked on a month-long trek on the Appalachian Trail. They hiked, camped, met mountain musicians, and wrote the songs that make up their second adventure album, Through the Woods. As a follow-up to their Grammy Award-winning album this documentary invites viewers and listeners along for a journey full of camping, old-time mountain music, miles of hiking—and a few shenanigans.

As childhood friends growing up in Denver, Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing were always exploring the outdoors. Whether rafting down their neighborhood creek or discovering hiking trails through the Rocky Mountains, Joe and Justin were born adventurers. Now, as the GRAMMY® Award-winning Okee Dokee Brothers, they have put this passion for the outdoors at the heart of their Americana Folk music and this film.

Joe and Justin record and perform family music with a goal to inspire children and their parents to get outside and experience nature. They believe this can motivate kids to gain a greater respect for the natural world, their communities and themselves. The three-time Parents’ Choice Award winners have garnered praise from the likes of NPR’s All Things Considered and USA Today, and have been called “two of family music’s best songwriters”. Their nationwide fan base is drawn to their witty lyrics, strong musicianship and unique folk style. By appealing to the musical tastes of the entire family and recognizing that kids deserve quality music, the Okee Dokee Brothers are working full-time to advance the family music genre.

Many films have been made about kids going to extraordinary lengths to avoid school. This stunningly shot documentary (Cesar Award Winner 2014) captures the stories of four children (Kenya, Patagonia, Morocco and India) and their herculean efforts to get TO school. Instinctively, they know that their well-being, and in many ways survival, depend on knowledge and education. This is a film parents might cite the next time their children complain about getting up for school on a Monday morning.

Jackson crosses the Kenyan savannah on foot, heeding his father’s advice, “If the elephants see you, they will kill you! Run away!”; Carlito rides horseback across rocky, scrub-covered plains and rushing rivers; Zahira treks over treacherous Atlas Mountain passes in Morocco with her classmates supporting one another; Samuel depends on his brothers to push his wheelchair over sand dunes and through swamps of southern Bengal. While the breathtaking cinematography reveals the splendor of their homelands, the dangers of these voyages keep you on the edge of your seat. At the heart of this unforgettable film are the children’s resilience and their unstoppable yearning to learn and improve their lives.

GET LOCAL: Family Services Rhode Island: The Walking School Bus
Family Service of Rhode Island’s Walking School Bus provides routes to and from school. The initiative ensures that each child living within a mile of the school, who needs to walk arrives on time and returns home safely, even when a family member is unable to walk with him or her.  The Walking School Bus serves Bailey and Fogarty elementary schools in Providence’s South Side neighborhood.To learn more about this program and/or to become a volunteer, click here.

There is perhaps no cinematic bond stronger than that of the friendship between a boy and his dog. For this reason, the novel “Belle et Sébastien” by actress and author Cécile Aubry has endured since the 1960s, inspiring several films, television series, and even the name of a Scottish indie music ensemble.

In this latest film adaptation by Nicolas Vanier, the setting has shifted to World War II on the French/Swiss border. Sébastien (Félix Bossuet) lives with his grizzled grandfather in a vertiginous mountain village and crosses paths with a giant, filthy Pyrenean mountain dog the locals call “The Beast” for allegedly killing livestock. Sébastien, however, sees something good in the misunderstood canine and eventually befriends the animal, naming her “Belle.” Their budding friendship is put to the test when Nazi occupiers march into town looking for members of the French Resistance who are guiding Jewish refugees to neighboring Switzerland. With their intimate knowledge of the nooks and crannies of the alpine valleys, Belle and Sébastien help point the way to safety, with the merciless SS officer, Lieutenant Peter, tracking them every step of the way.

Using 35mm film and jaw-dropping scenery from the Haute Maurienne-Vanoise region of France, Belle et Sébastien is a charming homage to the beloved live-action nature films of Disney, but with a pulse-pounding World War II subplot that will enthrall audiences of all ages.