NY-SF International Children's Film Festival October 22, 2011

The San Francisco Film Society and the New York International Children’s Film Festival present a three-day celebration of diverse, enlightening, inspiring and entertaining films for kids and teens ages 3–18 and their families. This special showcase includes short, feature, animated and documentary films from around the world with filmmaker guests, an Opening Night party and a school outreach program.

Saturday, October 22
10:00 am Tigers and Tattoos—and More
Karla von Bengston (Denmark 2010)
Maj and her tattoo artist uncle Sonny make a hasty escape after she foolishly engraves her own artwork on a burly customer. They embark on an unexpected adventure, discovering a fairy-filled forest and a circus family with a man-eating tiger. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

12:00 pm Party Mix
This entertaining, thought-provoking and visually stunning collection of animated and live-action short films from around the world includes the NYICFF Grand Prize-winning Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Oscar winner The Lost Thing and the Guinness World Record holders for both the smallest and largest stop-motion animation films. Recommended for ages 7–14.

2:15 pm The Storytelling Show
Jean-Chrisophe Roger (France/Luxembourg 2010)
In this hilarious animated comedy, a brother and sister enter their father in a reality-show TV contest, where dads compete to tell the best bedtime stories. Inspired by the filmmaker’s childhood memories, it’s a raucous tribute to the joys of imagination and the limitless possibilities of storytelling. Recommended for ages 7 and up

4:15 pm Girls’ POV
This eye-opening and engaging selection of short films celebrates the trials and triumphs of girls from different cultures, countries and backgrounds. Featuring NYICFF jury-award winner Chalk and BAFTA winner I-Do-Air, the program steers through a wide range of issues and emotions from friendship and rivalry to jealousy and love, from arranged marriages to eating disorders. Recommended for ages 9–16.

7:00 pm Echoes of the Rainbow
Alex Law (Hong Kong 2010)
Set in 1960s Hong Kong, this graceful and poignant story about the family of an illiterate shoemaker focuses on his eight-year-old son, nicknamed Big Ears, who idolizes his older brother and dreams of being an astronaut. But when a family tragedy strikes, Big Ears must learn how to deal with love and loss, good times and bad. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Sunday, October 23
10:00 am Kid Flix Mix
Perfect for youngest audiences, this colorful and musical mix of the best animated films from around the world features chatty birds, beatboxing cats and one very hungry pig. From Slovakia to Spain, filmmakers demonstrate a range of styles, using everything from hand-drawn to computer-generated animation and mixed media collage with characters made from patterned fabrics, burlap and buttons. Recommended for ages 3–6

12:15 pm Sandman and the Lost Sand of Dreams Director in person
Sinem Sakaoglu, Jesper Møller (Germany 2010)
Ever wonder where you go when you sleep? In this fantastical stop-motion adventure, six-year-old Milo is transformed into an animated character and swept into a secret nocturnal world on a mission to thwart the nefarious schemes of Habumar, creator of nightmares. Recommended for all ages.

2:45 pm Chandani: The Daughter of the Elephant Whisperer
Arne Birkenstock (Germany/Sri Lanka 2009)
Chandani dreams of following in the footsteps of her father and becoming the first female mahout—a guardian of wild elephants. Set in the Sri Lankan tropics, this is a stunning true-life tale of ambition, tradition, gender bias, familial bonds and playful pachyderms. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

5:30 pm Aurélie Laflamme’s Diary Director in person
Christian Laurence (Le journal d'Aurélie Laflamme, Canada 2010)
Aurelie Laflamme suspects she’s an alien. But she’s really just a teenager navigating the strange conventions of adolescence on planet Earth. Facing teachers, tampons, fake tans and first crushes, she’s an endearingly awkward French-Canadian version of a Judy Blume character. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Audience members of all ages will be invited to vote for the best feature and best short film of the Festival. Discussion guides will also be available for select films as a resource for parents to utilize when talking about the Festival films with their children.

Official Website: http://sffs.org/Screenings-and-Events/Fall-Season-2011/NY-SF-International-Childrens-Film-Festival.aspx