Ever wonder where you go when you sleep? In this beautifully animated stop-motion film, six-year-old Milo finds himself transformed into an animated character and swept into Dreamland, a secret nocturnal world of enchantment and adventure. There he sets sail in a magic car/boat through deliciously bizarre dreamscapes (full of giant chocolate bunnies, birthday cake women, cotton clouds and papier-mâché mountains) on a mission to try to upend the schemes of the nefarious Habumar, creator of nightmares, who has threatened children everywhere by stealing the Sand of Dreams. This sumptuously handcrafted film is perfect for youngest audiences, with its playfully inventive characters immersed in brilliantly colorful dreamscapes. Knowing that it took one day to create an average of 2.5 seconds of film action can contribute to appreciating this film technically. It took three years to make.
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
What if you found something that made you wonder if you really know your dad? In tracing Kattaka’s quest to answer this question, “Wintertochter” unfolds into a road movie (from Berlin deep into Poland) about friendship between different generations and nations and the courage to face life’s difficulties. Through her inspiring trip, she comes to realize that history can shape identity, family isn’t always biological and the choices we make now can affect our future for the better.
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.
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.
“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
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?
Set in scenic but strife-ridden Kashmir, “Tahaan” tells the story of an eight-year-old boy who tries to gain back his beloved pet donkey that has been sold along with his family’s possessions to pay the family debt. He wanders village and countryside, navigates border checkpoints, negotiates with merchants and money lenders on his quest – and is recruited to hurl a grenade into an army compound. Lush cinematography and a recurring chorus of Sufi singers add texture to this tender fable.
Three countries. One passion. Three hundred bodies — climbing, reaching the sky to build a human tower.
In Mumbai, India, a team of men attempt to break the Indian record for biggest human tower at the one-day Dahi Handi Festival. In Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain, a group of castellers ( climbers) formed by men, women and children share their passion with the world following a tradition that goes back 400 years. A legendary coach takes his passion to Santiago, Chile, hoping to empower and help the local groups to improve their performances while unifying them as a community.
The film cuts between the three countries, leading to a major climatic scene that will take your breath away and keep you on the edge of your seat. All it takes is one shaky foot and the human tower falls, sending hundreds of bodies tumbling in the rain or into the mud or onto the crumbling pavement of a forgotten neighborhood. A passion beyond race, borders, and ages. A global story of fearless skills heart-pounding suspense and also of human connection.
Why Make Human Towers? Human towers are medicine for the soul. You risk your life for a moment of sublime camaraderie and community. Trust is paramount. All it takes is one shaky foot and the entire tower falls, sending you and hundreds of others tumbling into the air, onto each other and then onto the pavement. Building human towers is more than a quirky attraction, more than an international sport and more than a refuge for lost youth. It’s more even than a thirst for the glory of winning. A human tower, when done right, represents an unparalleled passion for human connection that goes beyond race, borders and ages. In this sense, the world’s best human tower builders represent all of us — all people, all communities, all nations — in our hope for a better future.