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.
Filmed against the sweeping landscapes of the remote Mongolian mountains on the Kazakhstan border, this story of self-discovery introduces us to Bazarbai, a 12-year-old nomadic boy who dreams of joining his brother in the city of Ulan Bator to make his fortune. His father, however, has other plans: to teach his son the trade of eagle hunting, a generations-long family tradition. Bazarbai does indeed travel to the city, carrying his father’s aging eagle with him. When the bird is taken from him, the boy realizes his strong bond not only with the bird, but also to his family. A metaphor for his own life’s path, Bazarbai’s journey leads him through dangers and temptations to finally accept responsibilities he must claim as his own. The cinematography plays a crucial role, as we are dazzled and moved by spectacular scenes of soaring eagles in their native habitat.
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
This suspenseful story carries a strong warning about the Internet as it is evolving today. When one computer-savvy teenager unwittingly cracks a security code to an international site that most people use every day…havoc ensues. With ingredients of uncommon-nerd heroes, Takeshi Murakami-designed internet avatars and of course, teenage crushes: This film will keep you glued to your seat, laptop, Smartphone …
Kenji, a teenage math prodigy, is recruited by his secret crush for the ultimate summer job – passing himself off as her boyfriend for four days during her grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration. But when Kenji solves a 2,056-digit math riddle sent to his cell phone, he unwittingly breaches the security barricade protecting OZ: a globe-spanning virtual world where millions of people and governments interact through their avatars, handling everything from online shopping and traffic control to national defense and nuclear launch codes. Now a malicious AI program called the Love Machine is hijacking Oz accounts, growing exponentially more powerful and sowing chaos and destruction in its wake.
This intriguingly intelligent cyberpunk/sci-fi story is a visual tour-de-force, especially the amazing world of OZ: a hallucinatory pixel parade of cool avatar designs, kung fu jackrabbits, toothy bears and a bursting rainbow of colors.
REVIEWS:
“A stunning mixture of hand-drawn and CGI visuals in an endlessly colorful world filled with grotesque, razor-sharp toothed avatars. Its thematic ambition and dazzling visual style ultimately make it one of the more rewarding anime efforts to reach these shores!” – Hollywood Reporter
“A whirlwind of a film! Further proof Japan does grown-up children’s stories better than the United States!” – The New York Times
In a week-long comic journey, young Ravi sets out to make a Bollywood film with his schoolmates; writes a ransom note; casts a heroine; uses creative ways to engage his friends in his film during the ever-stressful exam season; reveals the darker side of his friends and family; and keeps his mother thinking that all his hard work was towards his final exams. Set in a middle-class India, where the pressure of examinations is the most defining aspect of a parent and child’s life during school years, this movie deftly balances humor with life lessons.