Category: CFFS 2018

Family Days (CFFS 2018)

Sat, Jan 27, 2018 @ 3:30 PM
Sat, Feb 10, 2018 @ 11:30 AM

Ages 9+. 83 min.

We all need someone to watch over us, and in these films from seven very different countries, we meet kids, parents and siblings who teach each other important lessons about love, understanding and growing up.

Short Films in this Program:

 

Vida

US premiere! A little girl named Vida is sent away by her mother in order to survive World War II.

(Andrea Popovic, UK, animation, 2016, 5 min, Serbian with English subtitles)

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Riceballs

A father and a son find love and cultural identity firmly squeezed into a Japanese riceball. Watch the trailer >

(Shingo Usami, Australia, live action, 2015, 10 min, English and Japanese with English subtitles)

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Someone Good will Find You

Seattle premiere!  A well-intentioned Chinese immigrant father tries to teach his son, David, how to “make it” in America. But the lesson backfires when the boy learns another lesson altogether.

(Leelilia Strogov, USA, live action, 2016, 9 min, English)

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Adija

A young girl in the Bronx finds escape from an unhappy family life through her graffiti art. Watch the trailer >

(Apollonia Thomaier, USA, animation, 2016, 4 min, nonverbal)

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New Boy

Seattle premiere! Feeling lonely in a new school, young Mike becomes obsessed with buying a fancy toy the other kids are playing with together.

(Norman Tamkivi, UK, live action, 2017, 10 min, English)

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Lost & Found

Charlie thinks he has a brilliant plan to help his grieving mother – but things don’t turn out as expected.

Watch the trailer >

(Liam O’Neill, Ireland, live action, 2016, 15 min, English)

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Prickly Pear

A boy must trek across his island home to retrieve a rare, delicious fruit that can redeem his sister in the eyes of their beloved grandmother. Watch the trailer >

(Alex Camilleri, Malta/USA, live action, 2017, 12 min, English and Maltese with English subtitles)

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Cloud Rider

North American premiere! Maximilian loves escaping into his imaginary world where he embarks on a journey to the moon. However, the adventure is being threatened by his overambitious mother. Watch the trailer >

(Manuela Rüegg, Switzerland, live action, 2016, 18 min, English and German with English subtitles)

Content advisory: “Riceballs” and “Lost and Found” have plots that deal with the death of a parent. In “Adija,” a girl witnesses her parents have a verbal fight. In “Vida,” there is a brief spooky scene in an orphanage. In “Prickly Pear,” there is some suspense and danger, and a mother makes her daughter stand in a corner.

Out of This World (CFFS 2018)

Sun, Jan 28, 2018 @ 11:30 AM
Wed, Jan 31, 2018 @ 3 PM

Ages 9+. 77 min.

In this program of animated and live action shorts, everything is up for grabs – even the laws of gravity! Strap yourself in to see creatures from outer space, mind-blowing tricks with marbles, wormholes, futuristic flying bugs, magical moms, fierce animals who watch over children, and a boy who captures clouds.

Short Films in this Program:

 

Mars 3752

On a bright night, a young boy lies down in the grass, staring at the Milky Way. Then, Just like a shooting star, the helmet of an astronaut falls from the sky.

(Nicolas Bianco-Levrin, France, animation, 2015, 1 min, nonverbal)

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PythagoraSwitch: The Marble Brothers’ Great Adventure

North American premiere! Three marble brothers travel round and round  in a Rube Goldberg machine, perpetually escaping dangers posed by the nefarious Black Ball Army.

(Euphrates, Japan, live action, 2017, 10 min, Japanese with English subtitles)

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Hypertrain

Seattle premiere! On a train trip through spatial and temporal dimensions, the traveler suddenly comes across himself, and also, a cat. Watch the trailer >

(Etienne Kompis & Fela Bellotto, Switzerland, animation, 2017, 3 min, nonverbal)

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Einstein-Rosen

Summer 1982. Teo says he has found a wormhole. His brother Óscar does not believe him – at least not at first. Watch the trailer >

(Olga Osorio, Spain, live action, 2016, 9 min, Spanish with English subtitles)

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The Red Thunder

When Sarah, a nerdy teenager, borrows her mom’s car to go on a date with a boy she likes, she finds out important things about herself, but even more important things about her mom. Watch the trailer >

(Alvaro Ron, USA, live action, 2016, 7 min, English)

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Beyond the Books

Seattle premiere! In an immense library, an old librarian and a young fan of comic book ride a tidal wave of tomes.

(Jérôme Battistelli, Mathilde Cartigny, Nicolas Evain, Maéna Paillet, Robin Pelissier, Judith Wahler, France, animation, 2016, nonverbal)

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The Inksect

Seattle premiere! In a futuristic world, a bug becomes the master of his destiny, though his love of letters.

(Pablo Calvillo, Mexico, animation, 2016, 9:30 min, nonverbal)

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Anna

Seattle premiere!  Spring 1941: a plane crashes in the Canadian Rockies, and a little girl is adopted by a puma.

(Alexia Rubod, Antoine Poyard, Jordann Jacobé, Alexis Choquard, Sophie Bracmard, Yunhan Liu, France, animation, 2016, 8 min, nonverbal)

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Scrambled

Seattle premiere! When a girl misses her train and kills time playing a fast-paced, flashy game on her smartphone, a vintage Rubik’s Cube challenges her attention.

(Bastiaan Schravendeel, The Netherlands, animation, 2017, 7 min, nonverbal)

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Blue Cherry

North American premiere! Skaters soar through a 3D world, until they spy someone who doesn’t get around as easily as they do, and decide to help.

(Nathan Jurevicius, Australia/Canada, animation, 2017, 5 min, nonverbal)

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Nimbus the Cloud Catcher

Seattle Premiere! A boy captures low-hanging clouds to make water for his village, but one day a cumulous catastrophe sends him on a journey skywards. Watch the trailer >

(Marco Nick, Brazil, animation, 2016, 16:35 min, nonverbal)

Content advisory: “Einstein Rosen” contains two mildly coarse words, and “The Red Thunder” has a one mildly vulgar word and a crime scene where a thief holds a gun.

Push Play: By Youth, For Youth

Sunday, Jan 28, 2018 @ 7 PM

Ages 9+. 68 min.

At Northwest Film Forum and around the world, young people are making movies that will warm your heart, make you think and amaze you with artistry. This program features joyous animation, narrative flights of fancy, a reboot of a classic Buster Keaton film, stories that transcend generational divides, and documentaries that prove how youth are on top of important issues. Celebrate how youth filmmakers dream the future!

Short Films in this Program:

 

Sherlock Jr.

Made during a one week summer camp, students studied and remade one of Buster Keaton’s most delightful films, which follows a small town movie theater projectionists whose real ambition is to become a detective and win the heart of a beautiful girl.

(Gabriel Mudge-Burns with Classic Film Fun campers, USA, 2017, live-action, 9 min, English)

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Imagination Animation

In this camp, kids headed outside to get inspiration from the Capitol Hill neighborhood. They learned stop motion, pixilation, and hand-drawn animation techniques to bring their ideas to life.

(Megan Corey, Mira Ellis, Ethan Gerber, Jack Herst, Madeline Kiely, Kairos Lamblin, Sophia Lamphear, Ardin Meijer, Cyrus McKee, Ian Montgomery,  Rio Morales-Kurahashi, Lief Stockman Zach Tweedy-Vena, USA, 2017, 7 min, non-verbal/English)

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The Camp

World premiere! Created by 6-year-old kindergarten students, this film follows a group of young students as they investigate the environment around them, developing research skills, a sense of environmentalism and encouraging them to act independently.

(Ayşe Seda Ulusu, Turkey, 2017, animated, 6 min, Turkish with English subtitles)

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Goodbye Sam

West Coast premiere! A boy puts together a memorial service to honor his beloved pet, Sam.

(Theo Taplitz, USA, 2017, live-action, 5 min, English)

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The Importance of Teen Mental Health

Created during Northwest Film Forum’s CItizen Minutes Activism camp, this short discusses the importance of teen mental health and being open about issues with stress, anxiety and depression.

(Bentley Edlridge, USA, 2017, 3 min, English)

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Sexual Assault Recovery

This film address some common stigmas about sexual assault and offers resources to help with recovery.

(Citizen Minutes Campers, USA, 2017, 2 min, English)

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Deconstructing Consumer Culture

We live in a consumerist society where we are taught to believe the purchasing and accumulation of goods will make us happier and our economy stronger. This film questions this philosophy in a series of interviews.

(Anna Greenstein and Isabel Russack, USA, 2017, 3 min, English)

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Mystery of Childhood

Seattle premiere! These animated fairy tales were created together by grandchildren and grandparents, using the family histories and memories of the childhood of the inhabitants of Sejny, Poland.

(Joanna Polak, Poland, 2017, animated, 12 min, Polish with English subtitles)

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Step One

After realizing that she is the same age as many penguins in the Antarctic, 16-year-old director Annie Hager investigates what has changed in the penguins’ world in those two short decades.

(Annie Hager, USA, 2017, live-action, 2 min, English)

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The World’s Crisis

In 2040, an unlikely pair is recruited to solve global warming once and for all.

(Aamina Mughal, USA, live action, 2017, 9 min, English)

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TICK TOCK

World premiere! When a young woman is given a magical alarm clock that takes her back to the 1950s, incidents from her parents’ past come back to haunt her.

(Gabriella Robbins & Natalya McConnell, USA, 2017, live-action, 7 min, English)

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CTRL+C NOT V

It is a part of human nature to be constantly creating and innovating. The rise of technology has made sharing these creations even easier. With that, however, comes a greater risk for ideas to be stolen and plagiarized, which makes intellectual property rights more important than ever.

(Jacob Nicholas Alcala, United Arab Emirates, 2017, animation, 4 min, English)

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Brainstorm

There’s a lot that goes into making a film, but some say the hardest part is deciding what story to tell. This short film shows all the ups and downs of trying to write a script.

(Kees Garrigan, United Arab Emirates, 2017, live-action, 6 min, English)

Content advisory: This program contains youth documentaries on overcoming sexual assault and mental health issues. A narrative film, “Goodbye, Sam,” is a darkly humorous take on the death of a pet.

Planet Wise (CFFS 2018)

Sun, Jan 28, 2018 @ 5:30 PM
Sun, Feb 4, 2018 @ 11:30 AM

Ages 8+. 66 min.

Animator William Jarcho (“Not One of Us”) and Julio Benito Cabrera (“Youth Challenge”) in attendance on January 28th!

It’s up to us all to save our home, Planet Earth. In this program, you’ll meet a reptile who has decided to go vegetarian, clay creatures who learn the hard way not to build walls, and some space explorers from the future, forced to live on Mars. You’ll also see a film that might change your mind about blowing up balloons for your next birthday party, and see a short history of the world, with an ending you’ll want to make sure doesn’t happen! The program concludes with a moving story about a boy from Nicaragua, who loves all plants, except sugarcane, because working in the sugarcane fields has made his father sick.

Short Films in this Program:

 

A Reptile Repents

World Premiere! Bruce the Alligator, a rocking reptile, sings a rock ballad about the virtues of vegetarianism.

(Rosie duPont, US, live action, 2017, 3 min, English)

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Not One of Us

Seattle premiere! A child-like fable about the walls that get built in the name of greed, violence, and xenophobia.

(William Jarcho, US, animated, 2017, 9 min, Gibberish)

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My Life on Mars

West Coast premiere!  Phil was born and raised on Mars, but his description of life on Mars can teach us important things about the way we live down on Earth

(Nolwenn Roberts, France, animated, 2017, 5 min, English)

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When Balloons Fly

North American Premiere!  When you let a balloon free into the sky, it’s gone in a moment… but the effect it has on the seabirds who come across it may last a lifetime.

(Jilli Rose, Australia, animation, 2017, 4 min, English)

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Big Booom

Seattle premiere! In just four minutes, this eco-friendly claymation tells the entire history of our planet with humor, action, and tragedy.

(Marat Narimanov, Russia, animation, 2016, 4 min, Non-verbal)

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Echoes

World premiere! Even in the hecticness and smog of the city, beauty and life can flourish.

(Walter Santucci, US, animation, 2017, 3 min, Non-verbal)

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Geno

West Coast premiere! A grumpy, reclusive toad  who lives in the center of a little pond, must learn to get along with frogs, turtles, and happy water bugs when humans begin to encroach on their watery home. Watch the trailer >

(Dato Kiknavelidze, Georgia, animation, 2017, 13 min, nonverbal)

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Juan and the Cloud

Seattle premiere! Juan is a child who doesn’t have any friends. La Nube is a cloud who doesn’t have any cloud friends. They find each other and become friends. Watch the trailer >

(Giovanni Maccelli, Spain, animation, 2014, 15 min, nonverbal)

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Jesser and the Sugarcane

Seattle premiere! Working in the sugarcane fields is the only job available for most people in Jesser’s community. Jesser and friends, however, aspire to more and have bigger plans for the future.

Watch the trailer >

(Godelieve Eijsink, Netherlands, live action, 2017, 15 min, Spanish with English subtitles)

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Youth Challenge

World Premiere! This film from Puerto Rico reminds all youth to look up from their phones, to see if there is a person near them who needs help. Every act of kindness makes the world a better place.

Watch the trailer >

(Julio Benito Cabrera, Puerto Rico, live action, 2017, 4 min, nonverbal with some Spanish intertitles)

House of Memory (CFFS 2018)

Sun, Jan 28, 2018 @ 7 PM
Sat, Feb 3, 2018 @ 1 PM

Ages 8+. 71 min.

Feast your eyes and indulge your senses in a glorious banquet of international animation. Filled with creations made with stop motion, rotoscope, paint, pen-and-ink and paper, this program will take you on journey filled with wonder.

Short Films in this Program:

 

Leaf Fall
World premiere! Denizens of the sky and forest greet the change of seasons with beautiful music.

(Rim Sharafutdinov, Russia, animation, 2016, 5 min, nonverbal)

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Waikiki
Seattle premiere! In a bakery, late at night, the cakes come alive, and a friendship blooms that love is too sweet to limit.

(Maris Brinkmanis, Latvia, animation, 2017, 10 min, nonverbal)

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Hedgehog’s Home
Seattle premiere! A needle-felted stop-motion animation for audiences young and old, based on a famous children’s poem by Branko Ćopić, a writer from the former Yugoslavia. Watch the trailer >

(Eva Cvijanović, Canada and Croatia, animated, 2017, 10 min, English)

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Lili
US premiere! Lili refuses to let go of her childhood when a sandstorm threatens to take it away. Watch the trailer >

(Hani Dombe and Tom Kouris, Israel, animation, 2016, 10 min, nonverbal)

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Nina
West Coast premiere! A study in solitude and enchantment, this is the story of a child’s day at the beach. Watch the trailer >

(Emmanuel Elliah & Maria Körke, Belgium, animation, 2015, 8 min, nonverbal)

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Homegrown
Seattle premiere! Francis raises his son like a hothouse flower, but when the boy wants to feel the sun on his face, the father learns an important lesson. Watch the trailer >

(Quentin Haberham, UK, animation, 2017, 9 min, nonverbal)

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The House
West Coast premiere! Everything begins when a family leaves their tiny house in the suburbs. The house, however, just can’t just let it go. Watch the trailer >

(Veronika Zacharová, Czech Republic, animation, 2016, 5:30 min, nonverbal)

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Negative Space
Oscar nominated! Seattle premiere! In this film adaptation of poem, a boy connects with his father by learning how to pack a suitcase. Watch the trailer >

(Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata, France, animation, 2017, 5:30 min, English)

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Volcano Island
West Coast premiere! A young, naive female tiger is chased by an old, white male tiger on a magical island. Watch the trailer >

(Anna Katalin Lovrity, Hungary, animation, 2017, 9 min, nonverbal)

Content advisory: This program is a celebration of traditional animation and storytelling. Some stories may have a different pace and more abstract symbolism  than children who have primarily watched CG animation are used to. “Lili” has scenes of a storm and danger that may be too intense for the most sensitive viewers.  In “Volcano Island,” a tiger eats another animal in a very brief scene with no blood. “Negative Space” explores the loss of the main character’s father (as an adult).

Tales Beyond Belief (CFFS 2018)

Sun, Jan 28, 2018 @ 3:30 PM
Sat, Feb 3, 2018 @ 5:30 PM

Ages 8+. 77 min.

Colors are vivid and lessons are timeless in this collection of animated films exploring myths, legends and fairy tales from around the globe. Anything is possible in these worlds created from scratch: justice falls down from trees, children can save the world from chaos and bring forests back to life, kings learn lessons from mythical beasts, a swan can transform, the life of a man who loves her, and a hunter can be kidnapped by a whale and taken to a land of enchantment.

Short Films in this Program:

 

The Unicorn
West Coast premiere! One day, a little king was walking in the forest of his little kingdom and spied an extraordinary creature, white as snow and fast as the wind… Watch the trailer >

(Remi Durin, France/Belgium, animation, 2016, 13 min, French, with English subtitles)

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The Old Man and the Pears
Seattle premiere! A magical form of justice emerges from the ground. Watch the trailer >

(Sun Jing, USA/China, animation, 2016, 5 min, nonverbal)

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Way of Giants
Seattle premiere! In a forest of gigantic trees, Oquirá a six year old indigenous girl, will challenge her destiny and learn to understand the cycle of life. Watch the trailer >

(Alois Di Leo, Brazil, animation, 2016, 12 min, nonverbal)

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The Hunchback and the Swan
West Coast premiere! A classic tale of friendship and belonging, narrated by UK’s first Storytelling Laureate, Taffy Thomas. Watch the trailer >

(Dotty Kultys, UK, animation, 2017, 9 min, English)

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The Little Match Girl
West Coast premiere! Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of a young girl who tries to sell matches. Unsuccessful and cold, she burns them all, and finds moments of warm accompanied by happy visions. Watch the trailer >

(Anne Baillod and Jean Faravel, Switzerland/France, animation, 2016, 9 min, nonverbal)

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Li.Le
West Coast premiere! In a magic forest dying without light, Lile is looking for her missing reflection and the key to bringing all the trees back to life. Watch the trailer >

(Natia Nikolashvili, Georgia, animation, 2017, 9:45 min, nonverbal)

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Creation
North American premiere! The creator of the universe, and all its creatures, makes one small mistake.

(Yulia Baygulova, Russia, animation, 2017, 6 min, nonverbal)

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Periphery
North American premiere! A boy journeys to a precipice every day, where he help assure the stability and safety of the whole world.

(Sasha Vasiliev, Russia, animation, 2017, 4 min, nonverbal)

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The Mountain of SGaana
West Coast premiere! As a young fisherman cruises along a rugged shoreline, a tiny mouse in Haida regalia appears and starts to knit a blanket. A story unfolds on the blanket as it grows longer, illustrating the ancient tale of Haida master sea hunter Naa-Naa-Simgat and his beloved, Kuuga Kuns. Watch the trailer >

(Christopher Auchter, Haida Gwaii/Canada, animation, 2017, 10 min, nonverbal)

Content advisory: The story of the “Little Match Girl” is, of course, quite sad, but also, timeless and beautiful. Indigenous characters living in the Amazon are scantily clad, but not naked, in “Way of Giants.

 

Dream Chasers (CFFS 2018)

Sat, Jan 27, 2018 @ 1 PM
Wed, Jan 31, 2018 @ 1 PM

Ages 8+. 76 min.

Who says being a kid is easy? The young people in these films must overcome all kinds of challenges, big and small, to follow their dreams. Meet a non-gender-conforming kid who finds courage in a new friendship, a boy who works to buy the basketball hoop of his dreams, a girl who craves familiar food in a place far from home, and another boy who learns not to rely on superstition.This collection also includes a film about boys from Senegal who just want to go to the movies, and concludes with a documentary about a talented young Iraqi refugee, living in Lebanon. A fast-paced film from India, championing the right of all children to education, and “Can You See the Future,” from Turkey, round out the program.

Short Films in this Program:

Can You See the Future?
West Coast premiere and winner of the CFFS Plural+ Prize, for a international film by a filmmaker 25 years or younger! If you look closely, you can see that children are always dreaming of what they will be. This film encourages us all to support those dreams.

​(Ismet Kale, Turkey, live action and animation, 2017, 2 min, nonverbal)

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Cup of Tea
West coast premiere! Expect the unexpected in this film about a chance encounter between a young teacher and a knowledge-hungry boy.

(Jitendra Rai, India, live action, 2016, 3 min, nonverbal)

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Hoop Dreamin’
A young man learns that through hard work, sacrifice, and with a strong mother’s love, any dream can be realized.

(Nick Brooks, USA, live action, 2017, 6:17 min, English)

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Sammy Paramaribo: Bittersweet
West Coast premiere! Sammy from Almere goes on vacation to her aunt in Paramaribo, where she discovers the different foods of Suriname and makes new friends.

(Barbara Bredero, The Netherlands and Suriname, live action, 2015, 8 min, Dutch, with English subtitles)

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Samedi Cinema
Seattle premiere! Two young avid cinephiles are desperate to see a movie on the big screen of their local cinema before it closes its door forever. Watch the trailer >

(Mamadou Dia, Senegal, live action, 2016, 11 min, Fulani, Wolof and French, with English subtitles)

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Mrs. McCutcheon
West Coast premiere! Tom, a 10-year-old, prefers the flow of a dress than the cut of a pant. Now at his third school, Tom is having trouble finding acceptance from the other kids in the class — except for Trevor, a tough little charmer who also suffers prejudice due to his Aboriginal heritage. Together, the pair sets off for the school dance. Watch the trailer >

(John Sheedy, Australia, live action, 2017, 16:30 min, English)

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The Autograph
Seattle premiere! Shaunak, a star-struck 10-year-old, bumps into his television idol at a mall and scores an autograph on the palm of his hand. But to save this lucky charm, Shaunak stops washing his hands — leading to consequences that don’t leave him very happy or feeling lucky. Watch the trailer >

(Mohit Modi, India, live action, 2016, 19 min, English and Hindi, with English subtitles)

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Spotlight on Merna
US premiere! After fleeing Iraq, Merna becomes a superstar by participating in The Voice Kids, but her biggest dream is to be able to live in a safe environment. Watch the trailer >

(Mirjam Marks, The Netherlands, live action, 2016, 15 min, Arabic and English, with English subtitles)

Content advisory: In “Hoop Dreamin’,” a mother briefly mentions smoking, but doesn’t do it. “Mrs. McCutcheon” includes brief scenes of bullying and two instances of mild profanity, spoken by children (in a comedic way) on the playground.

 

Caleidoscopio de Sueños (CFFS 2018)

Saturday, Feb 3, 2018 @ 3:30 PM

Ages 6+. 60 min.

Co-presented with Seattle Latino Film Festival! These films from Spain, Mexico and Argentina will fill up your senses with color, light, sound, and the beautiful music of the Spanish language. Perfect for fluent speakers and language learners alike, with stories about friends, families, adventure, and love of nature.

Short Films in this Program:

The Earth at My Hands: Without Bees
World premiere! Mara is afraid of bees, until she learns how important they are to food and life on Earth. Watch the trailer >

(Nicolás Conte, Argentina, animation, 2016, 4:24 min, Spanish with English subtitles)

The Earth at My Hands: Dirty Air
World premiere! Mara discovers the effects of acid rain produced by air pollution and begins to use her bike to save the environment. Watch the trailer >

(Nicolás Conte, Argentina, animation, 2016, 4:24 min, Spanish with English subtitles)

Elena and the Shadows
Seattle premiere! Elena is alone in her world, until Felix befriends her and shows her how to access other universes.

(Cesar Cepeda, Mexico, animation, 2016, 7:33 min, nonverbal)

 

Colores
North American Premiere! Tito, a blind boy from the city, goes on the adventure of his life with a little girl from the countryside. Together, they will use all their senses to find their way home. Watch the trailer >

(Samy Natsheh and Arly Jones, Spain, animation, 2017, 19 min, Spanish with English subtitles)

Pieces of the Jigsaw Puzzle
Seattle premiere!  Yola’s life changes completely with the arrival of her brother Rodrigo, who has cerebral palsy. Together, day by day, they forge a bond of incredible closeness. Watch the trailer >

(Raúl “Robin” Morales Reyes, Mexico, animation, 2016, 28 min, Spanish with English subtitles

Content advisory: “Pieces of the Jigsaw Puzzle” deals with bullying and discrimination due to disability.

Into the Magic (CFFS 2018)

Wed, Jan 31, 2018 @ 10:30 AM
Sat, Feb 3, 2018 @ 10:30
Sat, Feb 3, 2018 @ 11:00 AM

Ages 6+. 70 min.

Some days start out the same old, same old, but then shift suddenly into something extra-special. These animated films celebrate times when special places and powers are revealed, out of the blue. You’ll meet a man who can wake up a whole town, a girl who learns to cast a spell, birds that outsmart a weasel in an explosion of color and sound, and a forest creature who finds the bravery to take an exciting journey. Close your eyes, and make a wish. It might just come true!

Short Films in this Program:

Big Block Singsong Wizard
West Coast Premiere! A soulful wizard sings about the many skills he’s mastered. Now, if he could only cast a spell!

(Warren Brown, Canada, USA, animation, 2017, 2 min, English)

Kite
A young boy chases an errant kite to a mysterious cave high in the mountains.

(Gavin Moran, USA, animation, 2015, 2:20 min, nonverbal)

Awaker
North American Premiere! Long ago, in a cold Nordic country, a man toils at his job of waking people up. But one day, a shiny bell changes his life. Watch the trailer >

(Filip Diviak, Czech Republic, animation, 2017, 9:31 min, nonverbal)

Between the Trees
US premiere! A young boy, lost in a dense forest, finds help in the form a peculiar creature.

(Frank Harper, UK, animation, 2016, 5 min, nonverbal)

Peppercorn Babycorn Unicorn
Seattle premiere! Left unattended, a young girl hijacks her grandmother’s cauldron to make a unicorn, with mixed results! Watch the trailer >

(Makoto Koji, Australia, animation, 2015, 4:44 min, nonverbal)

Elena and the Shadows
Seattle premiere! Elena is alone in her world, until Felix befriends her and shows her how to access other universes.

(Cesar Cepeda, Mexico, animation, 2016, 7:33 min, nonverbal)

 

 

The House of Colors
Seattle Premiere! A young girl wishes to live inside her favorite television show, but the wondrous trees of La Plata, a mysterious house, and her loving Mother’s secret, cause her to change her mind.

Watch the trailer >

(Nicolás P. Villarreal, Argentina, animation, 2017, 9 min, English)

A Small Escape
Seattle premiere! A pair of scissors reaches out to other household objects with one aim in mind — to fly away from home.

(David Sandell, Sweden, animation, 2016, 2:39 min, nonverbal) 

Weasel
US premiere! A hungry Weasel sneaks up on a flock of birds living on a last standing tree, but then disaster turns into something completely unexpected. Watch the trailer >

​(Timon Leder, Slovenia, animation, 2016, 11:35 min, nonverbal)

Fruits of Clouds
West Coast premiere! A little furry creature makes a great discovery by overcoming the fear of the unknown. Watch the trailer >

(Katerina Karhankova, Czech Republic, animation, 2017, 10 min, nonverbal)

 

Tall Trees, Big Sky, and Me (CFFS 2018)

Sunday, Feb 4, 2018 @ 11 AM

Ages 7+. 64 min.

Peer up at a canopy of trees, dip your toes in a cool stream, and dodge an icy snowball during these films about outdoor adventures with friends and family. Grab your gear for more great short films to remind you that nothing is better than spending time in nature!

Short Films in this Program:

Moon Girl
Seattle Premiere! A little bug wears beautiful red shoes and dreams of a match made in heaven.

(Julie Rembauville, France, animation, 2016, 3 min, English)

Autumn
North American premiere! Autumn is in a hurry to paint her colors on the world. But there isn’t much time: Winter is on the way.

​(Helene Letourneur, France, animation, 2016, 3 min, nonverbal)

Nino & Felix
Seattle premiere! With a lot of imagination, and a few snowballs, two very different boys find a way to become the best of friends. Watch the trailer >

​(Marta Palazzo and Lorenzo Latrofa, Italy, animation, 2016, 8:11 min, nonverbal)

Colores
North American premiere! Tito, a blind boy from the city, goes on the adventure of his life with a little girl from the countryside. Together, they will use all their senses to find their way home. Watch the trailer >

(Samy Natsheh and Arly Jones, Spain, animation, 2017, 19 min, Spanish with English subtitles)

 

The Boy and Boris
World premiere! A lonely boy discovers a friendly monster that only he can see. Watch the trailer >

(Johnny Dutch, USA, live action, 2017, 6 min, English)

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
West coast premiere! Based on the classic children’s book, this gorgeously hand-drawn film follows the adventures of siblings and their pet dog as they go on an all-day, outdoor adventure in search of bears. Watch the trailer > 

(Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw, UK, animation, 2016, 25:25 min, English)

Content advisory: This is a program about adventures and animals, and so may include scenes that will be intense for the most sensitive young viewers In “Nino and Felix,” boys imagine battling each other physically, and then become friends. “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” includes an encounter with …  well, a bear!

Short Films in this Program:

Moon Girl
Seattle Premiere! A little bug wears beautiful red shoes and dreams of a match made in heaven.

(Julie Rembauville, France, animation, 2016, 3 min, English)

Autumn
North American premiere! Autumn is in a hurry to paint her colors on the world. But there isn’t much time: Winter is on the way.

​(Helene Letourneur, France, animation, 2016, 3 min, nonverbal)

Nino & Felix
Seattle premiere! With a lot of imagination, and a few snowballs, two very different boys find a way to become the best of friends. Watch the trailer >

​(Marta Palazzo and Lorenzo Latrofa, Italy, animation, 2016, 8:11 min, nonverbal)

Colores
North American premiere! Tito, a blind boy from the city, goes on the adventure of his life with a little girl from the countryside. Together, they will use all their senses to find their way home. Watch the trailer >

(Samy Natsheh and Arly Jones, Spain, animation, 2017, 19 min, Spanish with English subtitles)

 

The Boy and Boris
World premiere! A lonely boy discovers a friendly monster that only he can see. Watch the trailer >

(Johnny Dutch, USA, live action, 2017, 6 min, English)

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
West coast premiere! Based on the classic children’s book, this gorgeously hand-drawn film follows the adventures of siblings and their pet dog as they go on an all-day, outdoor adventure in search of bears. Watch the trailer > 

(Joanna Harrison and Robin Shaw, UK, animation, 2016, 25:25 min, English)

Content advisory: This is a program about adventures and animals, and so may include scenes that will be intense for the most sensitive young viewers In “Nino and Felix,” boys imagine battling each other physically, and then become friends. “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” includes an encounter with …  well, a bear!