Age Range: 9

programs

¡Hola Cine!

Our annual program delivers the best Latinx stories from around the world, and not just in Spanish, celebrating the many Latinx cultures, histories, identities and languages.

March 9 screening will be followed by Science on Screen®: Stargazing Cinema: a conversation with Guillermo Casarín about his film, Balam and science and representation in film.

Science on Screen® is an initiative of The Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
programs

Celebrating Black Stories

Celebrating Black Stories spotlights shorts from throughout the Festival and around the world that embrace the joy, resilience, and complexity of being young and Black.
programs

Short Films Two

Dig a little deeper, and explore a little further, with Short Films Two.
programs

Short Films One

Level up! Shorts in this program are for Tots graduates—and everyone else. Recommended for ages 5-10.
programs

Double Bill: Magic Candies + The Klutzy Witch

Take in a double dose of the enchanting with Magic Candies and The Klutzy Witch, two spellbinding stories that remind us that life is magical, even when we stumble through it.

In Person Q&A: Magic Candies
On March 16th the screening of Magic Candies will be followed by an in-person Q&A with the creators of the story and film. Ask them all your burning questions about how this delightfully spirited story came to be!

Science on Screen Talk
On March 2, The Klutzy Witch will be followed by Science on Screen®: Kawaii, Cuteness, & The Klutzy Witch with Cute Studies expert and Emory University assistant professor Erica Kanesaka. Warning: this look into cuteness in Japanese culture may cause adorable overload.

Science on Screen® is an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
films

Toby Alone

Toby Lolness is 13 years old and only 1.5 millimeters tall, living in The Great Oak Tree. Sim, Toby’s father, is Treetop Village’s most promising inventor. When Sim discovers he can use the tree’s sap to power his latest contraption, he vows to keep it a secret in order to protect their beloved home. But word gets out, and wealthy bigwig Joe Mitch wants to get his hands on this valuable technology. He uses his influence to imprison Toby’s parents and send Toby running for the Lower Branches, banished by his own people. Joe vows to capture Toby, but the Lolness family turns out to be more inventive than he can imagine. Awash in beautiful water color foliage and based on the novel by Timothée de Fombelle, Toby Alone reminds us it’s the little ones who can protect our planet.
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Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds

The meta-story begins when sisters Juliette and Carmen are sent to spend the weekend with Agnès, a talented story writer. But Agnès has a lot on her plate and, though she loves them dearly, decides to take a nap, leaving the girls to their own devices. So they seek adventure within the pages of their favorite story—literally. A curious figurine from the story springs to life and lures them into the fantastical Kingdom of the Winds. As they’re thrust into this fantasy world, they encounter a slew of its colorful inhabitants, including an operatic duck diva and the brooding King Sirocco, who controls the wind. With imagination and courage on their side, the girls must charm the sour king in order to make their way back home. Directed by three-time NYICFF alum Benoît Chieux (Mia and the Migoo, Aunt Hilda!, Tigers Tied Up in One Rope) and co-written by three-time NYICFF alum Alain Gagnol (A Cat in Paris, Phantom Boy, One Hell of a Plan).
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Robot Dreams

New York City, 1980s. Dog lives an unassuming life among the bustle of the East Village. Feeling lonely, he orders Robot from a TV ad. Once assembled, Robot instantly becomes Dog’s most steadfast friend. Together, they explore the city, rollerskating and roaming to a near-constant thrum of Earth, Wind, & Fire’s “September.” When the Coney Island seawater leaves Robot’s joints rusted stiff, Dog has no choice but to leave him behind. As the year wears on, their lives take different paths, but they’ll always hold each other in their hearts. City kids will appreciate the familiar sights and sounds of this animal-populated NYC—Subway drummers! Hot dogs in Central Park! A trip to the Strand!—only it’s an octopus rocking the buckets and a llama checking out books. Parents will appreciate they way Dog watches Robot experience it all for the first time. Sentimental audiences of all ages may want to bring tissues.
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Moominvalley

You may not have heard of the Moomins before (well, unless you’ve been to NYICFF in the past 6 years), but these adorable trolls and their whimsical yet harebrained adventures are absolutely huge overseas. They’re back once again with three all new stories to satisfy your every Moomindesire. In Homecoming, the moomins find the community at odds and under the spell of a charismatic leader denouncing all rules. The road to friendship is not always they straightest route when Moomintroll tries to help the valley’s latest resident, Snork (new character alert!), make friends in Inventing Snork. Finally, when Moomintroll learns of Moominmamma’s love of hot air ballooning, he’s determined to see her wildest dreams take flight in Moominmamma’s Flying Dream. Featuring the voices of Rosamund Pike, Matt Berry, Warwick Davis, Rhys Darby, and Bel Powley.
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Homecoming

The moomins find the community at odds and under the spell of a charismatic leader denouncing all rules.
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Moominmamma’s Flying Dream

When Moomintroll learns of Moominmamma’s love of hot air ballooning, he’s determined to see her wildest dreams take flight.
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Lioness

Rosi’s life is great: she spends her days dominating the soccer pitch in lush, sun-drenched Suriname. So she’s understandably crushed when her family moves to the Netherlands, leaving the life she knows behind. But her soccer skills might be what saves her from loneliness when she’s befriended by Jitte, a fellow footballer at her new school. On the school’s soccer team, Rosi proves her mettle, quickly making new friends and thriving. Just as Rosi’s feelings of isolation disappear, her obvious talent sparks the envy of her teammates, especially when Jitte is benched to give her more playing time. Then, a family tragedy has Rosi questioning her commitment to soccer altogether. With the interscholastic championships on the horizon and her relationship with her best friend unreconciled, Rosi will have to dig deep to find the confidence and courage to bring out her inner champion.
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Kung Fu Lion

Fourteen-year-old Jimmy is the star kung fu student at his school. Naturally, he’s a shoo-in for head of the lion in this year’s lion dance. So, naturally, he is shocked when his sifu, or teacher, announces that talented newcomer Li Jié wil helm the new crew. In his quest to prove himself as worthy of the lead, Jimmy must defeat neighborhood bullies, convince the sifu of his qualities, and, most importantly, overcome his own ego. Now he’s faced with the ultimate battle of might vs. right. Can he curb his temper and learn to work together with his new nemesis? Kung Fu Lion provides a cross-cultural look at the challenges of growing up, which are a little easier with the wisdom of the martial arts.
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Kensuke’s Kingdom

When a violent storm befalls his family’s sailing trip, Michael and his dog, Stella, are swept overboard. They awake dazed on a beautiful remote island where they must quickly find their wits and the resources to survive—a challenge no less steep for all the island’s beauty. Upon their return from an unsuccessful expedition, they may not be alone; someone has left water near their camp. Soon he meets his mysterious benefactor: an ornery Japanese man named Kensuke, who has been the island’s sole inhabitant since World War II. Despite Kensuke’s rigid boundaries and rules for the island, a friendship begins to form. It couldn’t come at a more fortuitous time, as dangerous invaders begin to threaten their secret world and they must work together to preserve their fragile paradise.
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Dounia – The Great White North

Audiences might recognize the little girl with the big hair who made her way from Syria to Canada in NYICFF 2023’s poignant Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo. Now settled, Dounia and her grandparents slowly get to know Canada, the new home that welcomed them: its intense seasons, its special foods, its languages (three and counting!). Dounia’s grandparents are sure to keep their Syrian traditions alive at home, while her new friends share traditions of their own, like Rosalie’s French-Canadian lifestyle or Miguizou’s vast indigenous folklore. So while she still misses her dad who stayed back in Aleppo, Dounia now has new ways to keep him with her. It’s when Kukum, Miguizo’s grandmother, teaches Dounia to call her father with all of her heart, that he just might find his way back to her.
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The Klutzy Witch

Fukka is a loveable but clumsy apprentice witch and princess of the Silver Castle who, unlike her classmates, still needs some practice with her beginner spells. Despite her lack of natural majesty, she aspires to be just like her mother, the Silver Queen, legendary master of all things magic. When she accidentally breaks the seal of darkness and is transported to a spooky amusement park, nervous Fukka will have to complete a series of tests in order to defeat an evil witch. Luckily for Fukka, childhood friends Karin, gentle princess of the Green Castle, and cheeky Chitose, prince of the Blue Castle, are there to help. But in the face of danger, hot-headed Chitose and stubborn Fukka can’t seem to keep it together. It’s up to patient Karin to find a path to harmony so the trio can go from clumsy to clever. From award-winning anime studio Production IG. and veteran director Takayuki Hamana.
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Magic Candies

Uniting the best creators of Korea and Japan, Magic Candies brings the beloved picture book by highly acclaimed Korean author Heena Baek to the screen in a film by renowned Toei anime master Daisuke Nishio, of Dragon Ball Z fame, in a visually striking, magical realist 3D CGI style. The other kids at the park never ask Dong-Dong to play. That’s ok. He’s fine just playing marbles on his own. One day, he buys a bag of colorful candies instead of new marbles. The first time he pops one of them into his mouth, his old sofa starts talking to him! The two share an unexpected conversation before the sweet melts away. As it happens, the people, animals, and objects in Dong-Dong’s life have a lot to say. With each candy, he discovers new voices and perspectives, including his own. Heartfelt and totally strange, Magic Candies will have you rethinking how you treat the objects, and others, in your life.
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Coco Farm

Max, an enterprising 12-year-old, is crestfallen when he must close up shop on his garage-based “business” and move to the countryside. Though he’s now closer to his cousins, the bustling life of a farm family is a shock to his quiet, city-kid existence. But not all hope is lost: when he discovers free range chickens in his cousin Charles’ abandoned barn, a new business plan is born. With the help of their social media savvy neighbor, Alice, their animal-friendly egg farm takes off and brings the whole community together. Yet just when the three partners are hitting their stride, each bringing their own talents to the table, their small-scale business is faced with some large-scale roadblocks.
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Chicken For Linda!

Our cheeky young protagonist, Linda, likes to push the limit. To be fair, she, like many kids, feels like she’s always getting blamed for things she didn’t do. When Linda’s mom finally see things from her perspective, she vows to make up for her misjudgement by preparing her favorite meal. Yet one simple request—her late father’s famous chicken—is no easy task with the entire town on strike and not a chicken in sight. And so begins a madcap dash with mother and daughter flying from henhouse to watermelon truck, eventually enlisting the whole neighborhood on their quest for the elusive ingredient. Painted in bold colors expressively animated, Chicken for Linda reminds us that with a little love and patience, even the most unexpected ingredients can make life more delicious.
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