2025 Festival Program
Age Range:
Opening Night: Hola Frida
Feature
Canada, France | US Premiere
Animation, André Kadi & Karine Vézina; 2024, 82 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English
March 15th screening will be in English and is recommended for ages 6+ This is the story of a girl who is different. Her world is Coyoacán, in Mexico City. Sparkling and vibrant, everything fascinates her. Say hola to Frida Kahlo.
A Boat in the Garden
Feature
France, Luxembourg | North American Premiere
Animation, Jean-François Laguionie; 2024, 76 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In French; with English subtitles
1940s France, near the Marne river. François is as bit adrift until he and his father embark on a project: to build a replica of a legendary navigator’s boat together. Another lyrical tale from the great Jean-François Laguionie (NYICFF 2017, 2012).
Home Court
Feature
Cambodia, United States | NYC Premiere
Documentary, Live Action, Erica Tanamachi; 2024, 98 min
Recommended ages: 10+
In English
This 2025 answer to Hoop Dreams follows a first-gen high school basketball phenom on her quest for college superstardom.
Jippie No More!
Feature
Netherlands | New York Premiere
Live Action, Margien Rogaar; 2024, 92 min
Recommended ages: 10+
In Dutch; with English subtitles
Jippie’s sister is getting married, and the whole family is helping with the celebration. The good dishes are out, decorations are set, and Jippie is preparing for the performance of a lifetime. But when he falls in love for the first time, his attention is no longer on his big gig.
Kensuke’s Kingdom
Feature
France, Luxembourg, United Kingdom | ICYMI Fest Flashback | New York Premiere (2024)
Animation, Neil Boyle & Kirk Hendry; 2023, 84 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In English
Missed the NYICFF 2024 Grand Prize winning feature? Now’s your chance to catch this gorgeously animated adaptation of the beloved, Robinson Crusoe-style chapter book about perseverance and friendship on a not-so-deserted island.
Centerpiece: The Legend of Ochi
Feature
United States | East Coast Premiere
Live Action, Isaiah Saxton; 2025, 96 min
Recommended ages: Rated PG
In English
See it before it hits theaters! In a remote northern village, Yuri is raised to never go outside and to fear the reclusive forest creatures known as the ochi. When a baby ochi is left behind by its pack, she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to reunite it with its family.
Living Large
Feature
Czech Republic, France, Slovakia | East Coast Premiere
Animation, Kristina Dufková; 2024, 80 min
Recommended ages: 9+
In English
Ben is charming, funny, and in a seriously cool rock band with his friends. But growing up is hard, and one little problem turns out to be bigger than he bargained for.
Spotlight: Maya, Give Me a Title
Feature
France | North American Premiere
Animation, Michel Gondry; 2024, 61 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In French; with English subtitles
Because Maya’s dad is always traveling, they keep in touch via nightly calls, creating stories in which she is the star. Because Maya’s dad is also renowned filmmaker Michel Gondry, we get these stories in all their inventive, stop-motion glory.
Moominvalley
Feature
Finland, United Kingdom | US Premiere
Animation, Nigel Davies; 2024, 66 min
Recommended ages: 5+
In English
Just in time to celebrate their 80th anniversary (and they don’t look a day over…however old they’re supposed to be!), our Moominfriends return for more all-new adventures.
¡Salta!
Feature
Spain | New York Premiere
Live Action, Olga Osorio; 2023, 85 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In Spanish; with English subtitles
Come for the killer ‘80s soundtrack and gorgeous Spanish seaside vistas. Stay for the wormholes and a brotherly love that spans decades (the 1940s, 1980s, and 2020s, to be exact—just not always in that order).
Savages
Feature
Belgium, France, Switzerland
Animation, Claude Barras; 2024, 87 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In French; with English subtitles
From the Oscar-nominated director of NYICFF 2017’s My Life as a Zucchini comes a gorgeously animated tale of family, nature, and understanding where we come from.
Spotlight: Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window
Feature
Japan | North American Premiere
Animation, Shinnosuke Yakuwa; 2023, 114 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In Japanese; with English subtitles
Based on the beloved memoir—now required reading in many Japanese elementary schools—Totto-chan is the powerful story of an imaginative girl learning to be herself even as the world around her changes.
Winners
Feature
Germany | New York Premiere
Live Action, Soleen Yusef; 2024, 119 min
Recommended ages: 10+
In German; with English subtitles
After leaving Syria for Berlin, Mona is struggling to find her footing. School is chaotic. Her mean-girl classmates all hail from other countries, and she barely knows any German. What she does know is soccer, but it’s going to take a lot more than skills to bring the team together.
Shorts for Tots
Shorts 60 min.
Recommended ages: 3 to 6
Created for our youngest and first-ever moviegoers, but beloved by grown-ups, Shorts for Tots is sure to delight all audiences.
Short Films One
Shorts 75 min.
Recommended ages: 5 to 10
Whether you’re a baby chick who’s flown the coop, a budding Lego master, or just out for a movie, there’s lots to get into in Short Films One.
Short Films Two
Shorts 75 min.
Recommended ages: 8 to 14
Spending the week at a new house? Traveling the land with your ties and guitar? Waiting for the bus? Let Short Films Two take you away.
Short Films Three
Shorts 90 min.
Recommended ages: 12+
Shorts for our older crowd: teens and grown-ups only.
Heebie Jeebies Shorts
Shorts 90 min.
Recommended ages: 9+
Wild, spooky, freaky, and bizarre…prepare to have your mind blown.
Girls’ POV
Shorts 80 min.
Recommended ages: 10+
Not just for girls! These shorts feature stories of girls breaking the mold.
Celebrating Black Stories
Shorts 65 min.
Recommended ages: 9+
Shorts from around the world that embrace the joy, resilience, and complexity of being young and Black.
¡Hola Cine!
Shorts 70 min.
Recommended ages: 9+
Latinx stories from around the world, and not just in Spanish, celebrating the many Latinx cultures, histories, identities and languages.
Student & Industry Showcase
Shorts 70 min.
Recommended ages: 12+
In English
Join us for a showcase highlighting a new generation of talented student filmmakers and animators from universities in NYC and around the world. Take in this collection great short films in different genres and styles, then meet, mix, mingle with fellow students. PLUS: get a sneak peek at Sesame Workshop’s new Charlotte’s Web series for Max.
Charlotte’s Web Reimagined: Making a New Classic
Special Program 20 min.
Recommended ages: 12+
In English
Our Student and Industry Showcase kicks off with a keynote from Olexa Hewryk, VP of Animation at Sesame Workshop, who will take us behind the scenes to gain an exclusive first look at the exciting new adaptation of the timeless classic book, Charlotte’s Web, a new limited series launching in late 2025 on Max/Warner Bros. Discovery.
Gleeful Beasts
Shorts 1 min.
Recommended ages: All Ages
In English
The Gleeful Beasts are a motley bunch of incompetent but lovable characters. Journey with us into their wonderful world (keep your eyes peeled for these delightful monsters sprinkled throughout all of NYICFF’s short film programs).
Best of the Fest
Shorts 90 min.
Recommended ages: 8+
Even we don’t know what’s going to be in this program—but we do know it’s going to be great! Join us for a special program of this year’s audience favorite and award-winning shorts!