Feature Films, Shorts, Workshops, and Presentations

The Providence Children’s Film Festival (PCFF) returns this February for its sixth year showcasing exciting films, workshops and presentations for eleven days between February 12 to 22. Coinciding with the February 2015 school vacation, the Festival presents the highest quality independent films for ages 3-18, but are sure to appeal to all audiences with compelling stories and worldwide adventures. Responding to popular demand, organizers are offering more hands–on workshops for children ages 6 to 14 than ever before on the weekend of February 7^th & 8^th.   On February 16, young filmmakers (up to 12^th grade) will share their work with the community at a special public screening and forum. The number of post-film discussions, venues and seats are also increased this year.

 

Bringing the world to Rhode Island and fostering film literacy

In just six years, PCFF has become one of the nation’s top multi-day film festivals dedicated to programming for young audiences, now rivaling children’s film festivals in New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles.

This year’s programming is as international as ever and brings to area youth a wide range of storytelling and experiences from around the globe, including France, The Netherlands, China, Brazil, U.K., Sweden, Denmark, Japan, and Germany. The Festival will also feature a variety of genres and forms—classic cinema, live action, animation, and documentary—paired with an expanded offering of “Film Talks,” PCFF’s own brand of post-screening discussions that aim to deepen understanding of subject matter and foster critical thinking skills.

Some highlights of the 2015 Festival:

• THE OKEE DOKEE BROTHERS Through the Woods: An Appalachian Adventure (Music Documentary) – All ages.

GRAMMY® Award-winning Americana Folk musicians, the Okee Dokee Brothers, composed the songs for Through the Woods while hiking sections of the Appalachian Trail. Join them on their journey in the wilderness as they hike, camp and compose some foot stomping, knee slapping music.

• ANTBOY (Comic book super hero comes to life.) – Ages 8 and up.

A young boy bitten by a very special ant is suddenly endowed with incredible powers, and learns that with great power comes great responsibility.

• BELLE AND SEBASTIAN (1960’s TV series turned feature film) Ages 8 and up.

Set during WWII in the Snowy Alps, a young boy and a giant mountain sheepdog become friends and have their loyalty to each other and their village put to the test.

• ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL (Cesar Award 2014 – Best Documentary) Ages 8 and up.

Follow four incredibly inspired young students from four different countries as they display heroic effort and overcome physical obstacles to get themselves to school on time each day. This award-winning documentary travels through Kenya, Patagonia, Morocco and India and leaves you in a state of awe.

• FINN (Family Feature Film) Ages 10 and up.

A young boy mourning the loss of his mother finds solace and a passion for music while his father insists he play soccer. Why?! The answer to this mystery will make you want to watch again.

Films will screen at four venues conveniently located in one neighborhood: Metcalf Auditorium in the RISD Museum Chace Center, 20 North Main Street (returning venue); Gilder Center for the Arts – Wheeler School. 216 Hope Street (new venue); Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts at Brown 154 Angell St. (new venue), and Avon Cinema, 260 Thayer St. (new venue).

Tickets go on sale in mid-January 2015.

Thank you to our 2015 Grant Funders, Sponsors, and Community Partners.   

 

Explore the World at This Year’s Providence Children’s Film Festival, February 12-22, 2015

Click here for more details here.

Please join us for a grown-ups only evening of complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, sparkling conversation, a live auction and a preview of 2015 festival selections!

Friday, November 14, 2014
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Aurora Providence – 276 Westminster Street

• Dutch and Silent Auction
• Wine generously donated from Campus Fine Wines
• Delicious hors d’oeuvres provided by Fireworks Catering

Click here to RSVP!

We will be auctioning off a dinner for 6 compliments of Fire Works Catering, a PCFF birthday party, tickets to a grown ups only special evening of shorts, as well as framed limited editions silk screen festival prints from 2012, 2013, 2014, and the upcoming 2015 festival! Read more about the auction below!

 

Lindsay Shaw is the Children’s Librarian at The Providence Athenaeum, an independent, member-supported library housing and conserving a wide-ranging collection of materials.  The Athenaeum is also an important part of the larger Providence community, providing opportunities for members and others to come together for cultural programming and social interaction.

Eric Bilodeau was raised in the family movie business in Rhode Island (The Bristol Cinema, The Castle Cinema, The Meadowbrook Cinema and the Cable Car Cinema & Cafe). He developed a strong sense of film programming in both commercial and art houses. Running the Cable Car Cinema for 18 years gave him the experience to sharpen his skills in a multitude of film genres. After selling the Cable Car Cinema in 2007, Eric was hired as the Director of Programming for the Newport International Film Festival until he became the Director of Film Programming for the Providence Children’s Film Festival in 2010.

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Thank you to our sponsors: Fireworks Catering | Campus Fine Wines | Bottle Rocket Design | DES Printing | Providence Picture Frame | Providence Athenaeum

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Submit Your Film

The CALL FOR ENTRIES for the 2015 Providence Children’s Film Festival is now open.

The PCFF programming committee looks for films with content that speaks positively to children, teens, and families of diverse ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities. We seek films that are entertaining and challenging to young minds. We select films that are both appropriate and important for young audiences to see—light, comical, and uplifting stories, but also films with tragic, difficult, and thought-provoking themes.  A film does not need a “story-book” ending. PCFF welcomes foreign films with subtitles, documentaries, animation, and experimental films that give young audiences a wider perspective on the diversity of world cultures and art forms.

General submission details HERE.

Are you a youth filmmaker under the age of 18? Submit your film to the YOUTH FILMMAKER SHOWCASE (YFS)

PCFF is committed to nurturing the work of young filmmakers and so is proud to present a program of films all made by youth—from around the world—and to provide an opportunity for young filmmakers to talk about both the fun and the challenges they face following the YFS screening.

Youth Filmmaker submission details HERE.