Written by Julieta Gozalo
Has the quarantine left your family bored with nothing to do? Here’s a film festival made for the whole family to enjoy! The 37th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF), presented by FACETS – a nonprofit that connects people to independent ideas through transformative film experiences – will run this month from the 13th through the 22nd. This year’s Official Selection will present 262 films from 52 countries, including 20 features and 242 shorts.
CICFF is only one of two Oscar qualifying children’s film festivals in the world. According to their website, CICFF “strive[s] to support the work of talented and dedicated filmmakers by showcasing international films of the highest quality and awarding prizes in multiple categories of production formats and genres. The film experiences of young viewers are deepened through a broad range of programs which extend festival film viewing into discussion and learning.”
Check out a preview of films that will be made available this year:
All American Kids
Director: Ariel Poster
Grades 3-5, 20 minutes, USA
Synopsis: Pen Pals Melina in Manhattan and Laila in Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico share their cultural pride and career aspirations. Melina dreams of becoming a wildlife photographer. When she meets a photographer for National Geographic, Melina realizes she can start in her own backyard. Then, talented athlete and would-be sports leader, Laila interviews a successful baseball manager and learns what it takes to be the first female MLB manager when she grows up.
Still from Ahlan Simsim.
Ahlan Simsim
Director: Tamer Naber
Grades K-2, 27 minutes, USA
Synopsis: The exciting new series Sesame has produced for Arab-speaking countries dealing with issues like empathy, and displacement. Additionally, it explores the fascinating local cultures – as only Sesame can. In this episode, the friends learn how to identify and manage big feelings — with lots of fun, laughter, and learning along the way.
Are You Tougher than Your Ancestors?: Cameleers – The Original Ghan Trains
Director: Brad Gustafson
Ages 11-13, 25 minutes, Australia
Synopsis: Are You Tougher than Your Ancestors? is a fun and immersive living history series that pits the skills of today’s kids against the adventures of children from Australia’s past to find out how they measure up! Fun and fast-paced, the series challenges modern kids to walk in the shoes of a child from another era. Diving into new worlds, they learn as much about themselves as they do about history… and unearth some unexpected skills in the process! In episode 5, Ezekiel and Nathaniel guide a camel train through Australia’s harsh desert country following the route taken in the early 1900s by teenage Afghan Aboriginal cameleer, William Satour.
Are You Tougher Than Your Ancestors? still shot.
Our Lady of the Nile (featured in cover photo)
Director: Atiq Rahimi
Ages 15+, 93 Minutes, France/Belgium/Rwanda
Synopsis: Rwanda, 1973. Our Lady of the Nile is a prestigious Catholic boarding school perched high on a hill, where teenage girls are groomed to take their place with the Rwandan elite. With graduation on the horizon, they share the same dormitory, the same dreams and concerns. But throughout the country, as well as within the school, deep-seated ethnic antagonisms are stirring. The story is set during Hutu rule, where there was a quota limit on including Tutsi students. Slow-burning resentments are fueled until one leader makes a terrifying decision that changes these young girls’ lives and the entire nation forever. Based on the acclaimed French-language novel by Scholstique Mukasonga.
Still from the film Man Up.
Man Up!
Director: Benjamin Parent
Ages 16+, 88 minutes, France
Synopsis: Tom is an introverted 16-year-old, ready to start at a new high school. Tom plays by the rules and just wants to fit in and not disappoint anyone. As always, he can count on his popular older brother, who’s destined for a sports future. Best of friends, Tom can always rely on Leo for advice and tips. Especially important are his older brother’s social strategies: how to integrate with the “right crowd”, as well as how to navigate difficult situations, both on the basketball court and off. His advice for the long-term and on a daily basis is invaluable, as only a big brother’s can be. However, at some point it becomes clear that Tom must learn to be there for himself and not lean on his mentor. Can he truly “man up”?
To purchase single tickets, school and group tickets, or public passes, visit https://cicff.eventive.org/welcome. Please note, due to virtual screening restrictions, the films in this festival will only be accessible to those located in the Chicagoland area including Cook, Lake, and DuPage Counties in Illinois.