If there were such things as candy for your eyes, “Tales of the Night” would be it. Your vision will be tempted by the detailed day-glo backgrounds bursting with color and kaleidoscopic patterns. Director Michel Ocelot (“Azur & Asmar,” PCFF 2011) blends history with fairytale as viewers are whisked off to animated enchanted lands full of dragons, werewolves, captive princesses, sorcerers and enormous talking bees. The “tales” are six fascinating and exotic fables woven together, each unfolding in a unique locale, from Tibet, to medieval Europe, an Aztec kingdom, the African plains and even the Land of the Dead.

REVIEWS:

“Instantly timeless! A triumph of intricate craftsmanship!” – Variety
“Stunning! Newcomers to Ocelot’s work will be filled with wonder!” – Screen Daily
“Both a worthy successor to the first four films by Michel Ocelot, and a proposal for an innovative new approach that transcends the boundaries of animation.” – Cahiers du cinema

It is safe to say you have not seen a film like this before. “EEP!” is based on a book with a familiar premise: An unexpected central character appears whose mere presence inspires the people she meets to reflect on their own lives to find more happiness. The ethereal and acclaimed actress Kenadie Joudin-Bromley takes this movie to another place. By using what some could see as a physical obstacle –primordial dwarfism – this Canadian eight-year-old creates a character you will remember lovingly.

In this imaginative and beautifully shot film, a bird watcher finds a little living creature in the grass under a tree and no adult bird around to claim her. He brings her to his wife, who insists this will be their child to raise. They name her Beedie and we follow her quick growth into bird/human maturity. When Beedie follows her instinct to flock with other birds, the attempts to bring her back bring many people together in wonderful, often comic, ways.

There are no special effects used for this tiny bird child — except her feathered arms. Beedie, played by Kenadie Jourdin-Bromley, has primordial dwarfism, suffered by less than 100 people in the world. Born at 2 1/2 lbs and not expected to live more than a few days, she has defied the odds.

As the PCFF film jury ballots were coming in, not only was this film very highly scored, many commented that this should be our opening night film: and so it became! Academy Award-nominated French animator Dominique Monfery celebrates the joy of reading in his imaginative feature. Seven-year-old Nat can’t read, making his inheritance of Aunt Eleanor’s collection of books immensely disappointing. Despite his love of having Eleanor read to him, his disinterest encourages his parents to sell the books to a greedy collector – after which Nat discovers that they were all first editions and furthermore, that their fictional characters come to life. If the books leave the library, the characters will fade into oblivion and leave the world without stories forever.

After he is magically shrunken to the size of the storybook characters, Nat joins Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and other classic literary friends in a race against time to return the books to the library. Unfortunately, even if the books get back to the library, Nat is the only one who can read a secret incantation that will save his tiny friends. With its creative narrative, colorful animation and an uplifting musical score, “Eleanor’s Secret” will quickly win the hearts and imaginations of avid readers and film lovers alike.

What is it that makes night so mysterious? What makes us fall asleep and dream? In “Nocturna,” a colorful group of creatures work to make nighttime a magical place where anything and everything is possible. Tim’s unexpected visit to this world leads him to explore strange new places led by his new found friends in his search for the lost stars. This very creative Spanish film has the feel of “The Triplets of Belleville” if it were directed by Tim Burton.

Travel to the wilds of Africa for a folktale that will enchant the entire family. An elder tribesman spins an epic, fireside tale of tribal history, captivating young listeners from the start with the birth of a white lion named Letsatsi. His white fur sets him apart from the other lions, making him an outcast in his pride and a target for predators. For the Shangaan people, a white lion is legendary, a messenger from the gods. A young Shangaan tribesman named Gisani takes it upon himself to protect Letsatsi at all costs. As he matures, he needs to survive on his own, learning from other lions on his way across the South African plains and into the realm of the most dangerous predator: a human trophy hunter.

Shot on location in South Africa, “The White Lion” inspires awe with its lush scenery and intimacy with its wild subjects. Young audiences will love the beautiful wild animals and dramatic suspense, while older audiences will plumb the depth of a unique coming-of-age story that is creatively told with an appreciation for the natural world.

“A Shine of Rainbows” resembles a live-action Disney film from the 1950s, with its boundless enthusiasm for gentle adventuring, warm domestic bonding and tragic turns of fate. It serves as a nice change from films focused on the ills of modern youth or weighed down by bathroom humor. Tomas is a shy eight-year-old who’s been adopted and taken to a remote island in Ireland. He and his ornery father (Aidan Quinn) develop an emotional bond after experiencing a tragedy together.

Reviews:

“Hey, what’s not to like about cute orphans, baby seals, sweet moms and gruff dads with hearts of gold? And rainbows? If your heart is going thumpety-thump at such a prospect, here is the movie for you. No, I’m serious. And kids may really love it.” – Roger Ebert

Blonde, blue-eyed, white-skinned Azur and black-haired, brown-eyed, dark-skinned Asmar are lovingly raised as brothers by Asmar’s gentle mother, who tells them magical stories of her faraway homeland and of the beautiful, imprisoned Djinn Fairy. The boys are separated by Azur’s brutal father and do not meet again until they are young adults. Grown-up Azur, now a blind beggar, and Asmar, a dashing horseman, are reunited as adversaries on a dangerous quest to find and free the Djinn Fairy.

Magic, fantasy and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes in this sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times. To complete a magical illuminated manuscript, young Brendan must overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest through an enchanted forest beset by barbarians. Will his determination and artistic vision conquer darkness and show that enlightenment is the best fortification against evil?

Exploring her grandmother’s old villa, 10-year-old Stella is suddenly catapulted 100 years into the past on a fantastic time journey. She lands in the same villa and meets Clementine, a girl her own age, whom she recognizes as her great-grandmother. But there is no time for reminiscing: The family faces ruin, the villa is to be sold, and Clementine must relinquish her dream of studying to become a doctor – unless, of course, the children find the Star of the Orient.

Despite Alfie’s close-knit, loving family, he’s always felt that he didn’t quite fit in. On the night of his seventh birthday, he finds out that he was right—he’s actually a werewolf! Alfie tries to keep this new identity a secret, but his brother, Timmie, finds out and tries to convince him to use his awesome powers against the school bullies. As Alfie thinks carefully about the consequences of using his powers, he learns even bigger lessons about balancing his life while accepting the werewolf within.