Festival Year: 2019

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Shorts For Tots

Premiere status is at the top of the list for tots with Zog, a brand new film about a fabulous, freethinking Dragon from Magic Light Pictures (creators of NYICFF 2018’s The Highway Rat and 2017’s Revolting Rhymes). Then little ones are in charge and grown-ups get to play when the hilarious Flipped reworks the script. Finally, in Pig on the Hill, Pig may be up high, but his freewheeling new neighbor, Duck, shows how the most important spot of all is one next to friends.  
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Short Films One

Bigger, brighter, bolder—change is in the air in Short Films 1, brimming with stories full of growth and transformation. If you’ve ever been the youngest of the group, you’ll sympathize with the little tadpole who always falls a tad behind in the charming Kuap. Catching up on penmanship is the name of the game if you want to graduate from pencils in the winning doc Pen Licence. Seasons turn and spring is sprung when a boy flies the coop with the eye-popping imagery in Man with the Birds.
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Short Films Two

Short Films 2 bridges the gap between little and big for young audiences growing in experiences and ideas. The choices we make at mealtime sometimes have a very big impact, especially for a seemingly picky eater with a lot more on his mind in Fish. A collage of stories bind a granddaughter and grandmother despite time and distance in this brilliant, handcrafted animation Home Sweet Home.
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Short Films Three

Audiences for Short Films 3 are older and wiser. But what if you still can’t draw a straight line to save your life? Well, you won’t need to go directly from point A to point B if you follow this one MegaTrick. Switchbacks and other creative hacks are always handy, as hardworking Yover demonstrates what it takes to push through adversity. Meanwhile, the (cat) power of the cosmos can fuel you once you connect your charger to the energy and yin-yang fusion of Catmos.
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Heebie Jeebies Shorts

Crawling with curiosity, creepiness, and mind-bending fantasy, Heebie Jeebies rewards quirky-minded audiences with unexpected tales. Epic creature clashes depict a landscape we’ll inherit if we’re not mindful in Hybrids. Take your mind for a ride with Floreana’s illustrated flights of fancy through unimagined possibilities. In a meticulously crafted stop-motion menagerie, Cerulia may seem like delicate porcelain, but as the eeriness mounts, it’s the audience who just might crack first!
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Girls’ POV

In Girls’ POV, girls tell it like it is, and who doesn’t need a Field Guide to Being a 12-Year-Old Girl—whether you are, have been, or ever wanted to be one—in this wry comedy. The Shadow of Cairo must take on a different mission and guise in the face of harassment during her first superhero outing on the streets of Egypt. Blurring the line between expectations, reality, and representation, the girl in the animated My Body boldly reclaims her voice to tell the mirror how it really is.
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Boys Beyond Boundaries

Boys is back in town for a second edition of films redefining how boys can feel, think, and be. After he’s pressured to graffiti a wall, the boy in Granbad reveals his feelings—and his dyslexia. In Xavier, a father is told his son isn’t like the others, but he knows his fledgling drummer boy will find his own beat. Meanwhile, life in Curaçao may seem idyllic, but teens who feed themselves a diet of tough posturing and iguana stew make life challenging for a boy and his younger friend in Juni.
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Okko’s Inn

Bright-eyed Okko has joined her grandmother at their family-run, hot springs inn, rolling up her sleeves to learn the traditional ways. Her way to deal with the recent loss of her parents is to work diligently and think of others instead of herself. She does great, though as a city kid the country creatures make her jumpy, as does a surprising new friend she finds “spirited” in more ways than one. Okko’s Inn beautifully addresses themes of loss, altruism, and love, while offering that—even in the face of challenges—compassion, and delight, can and will abound. Okko’s Inn hits theaters nationwide on April 22 & 23 in both its Japanese and English versions. Presented with support from       
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Penguin Highway

Precocious Aoyama is crazy for science. He calculates the days until he is grown up and keeps a scientific notebook at the ready. He’s got hypotheses and independent variables down pat. But some topics he hasn’t mastered: How do the laws of attraction operate? What is this emerging feeling for his hygienist-turned-tutor? As if puberty isn’t enough of a mystery, he must uncover what’s causing hordes of kawaii penguins to invade his suburban town, with help from the bright girl in his class. A charming tangle of scientific principles, fantastical physics, and baffling hormonal surges, Penguin Highway’s destination is the journey, all right.

Note: Includes tween fixation with and objectification of female anatomy
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Friends & Neighbors: Netherlands 2

We’re crossing the Atlantic to pair up with far-flung Friends & Neighbors this year. Cinekid, The Netherland’s premiere film festival for children, comes ashore to share their best films. Featuring a range of different cultures and themes—from Old Amsterdam to New York—and fresh stories that keep history alive. Presented with support from  .   
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Dilili in Paris

Travel to the bustling cafe culture of Paris in the Belle Epoque with Dilili, a bright young girl with perfect diction, grace, and eagle-eyed smarts as she begins to investigate a nefarious plot by the ominous Master-Men. Together with Orel, a delivery boy who ferries her around jewel-toned Paris as only expert animator (and NYICFF alum and Kirikou creator) Michel Ocelot could conceive, Dilili will stop at nothing until justice is restored. Our supersleuths journey through a turn-of-the-century world so evocative, you just might spot Picasso, Proust, or Marie Curie in the substrates and salons of the city of lights.
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Opening Spotlight: Pachamama

Tepulpai’s your average kid—headstrong and a bit naughty. It may seem unusual that he has a pet armadillo and wants to be a shaman, but not if you live in the ancient Peruvian Andes like he and his wise friend Naïra do. The two embark on a young heroes’ quest to locate their community’s stolen treasure, and must confront the Inca and newly arrived Spanish to retain their indigenous ways. With a vibrantly-hued palette and Pre-Colombian soundtrack of ancient flutes and condor wings, Pachamama exuberantly celebrates nature, culture, and community. The screening on February 24th will be followed by a Q&A with the director Juan Antin
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The Falcons

The Falcons are in for their toughest challenge ever, on and off the soccer field. As they head to the semi-finals of Westman Islands’ biggest soccer tournament, they’ll face jittery nerves, teammate hijinks, long-standing rivalries, and pressure from peers and family alike. Like all great sports dramas, there’s a lot more at stake than just soccer, and the team quickly learns that what’s on the surface doesn’t always match the core. With plot twists, white-knuckle soccer plays that take place amidst a rumbling volcano (yes, a volcano!), and above all, teamwork, you’re never offsides when you’re on the Falcons. The screening on March 16th will be followed by a Q&A with director Bragi Thor Hinriksson. Presented with support from
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Gordon & Paddy

Gordon is an ace detective, but even he’ll admit he’s ready to hang up his badge. Luckily, he recognizes fresh talent in Paddy, a young rodent wise beyond her years and eager to break the grass—er, glass—ceiling. When Paddy gets the chance to crack the case of the purloined acorns, she’s got a mystery to solve and a slew of woodland creatures’ speculations to manage. This warm and witty police procedural for the junior set shows how generational divides can turn to bridges, and that even baddies have their good sides.
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Minuscule: Mandibles From Far Away

“Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home…” the rhyme goes, but try heeding that when you’re a quarter of an inch long and home is 4,000 miles away! When accidentally boxed into a chestnut shipment, the ladybug of Minuscule is inadvertently shipped to a Caribbean isle. Its parents embark on an odyssey to find it while, on the island, beachfront developers are threatening native habitats. A wild ride ensues—it’s a bug-eyed ecological view made more eye-popping as a live-action animation hybrid shot in lush Guadeloupe.   Screenings on Sunday, March 3rd and Sunday, March 10th will be in 3D
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Raoul Taburin

The truth takes some freewheeling liberties in this story based on the work of beloved writer and illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempé. Raoul’s hilly French town is crazy for vélos, bicycles that impart freedom and joy to all—all, that is, except Raoul. Everyone believes he’s the resident expert and champion stunt rider, but he’s never mastered cycling. Try as he might to reveal his secret, no one will buy it. Proving that even the biggest champ harbors a little imposter syndrome, Raoul Taburin warmly shows that weaknesses can be strengths when we learn to roll with them together. The screening on March 9th will be followed by a Q&A with director Pierre Godeau Presented with support from:
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Supa Modo

Kenya’s entry to the Oscars, Supa Modo is an inspired superhero tale. Celebrating the power of community, collaboration and filmmaking itself, a village rallies around Jo, a spirited young girl with a love of action heroes, as she battles illness with wit and wisdom beyond her years. The screening on March 9th will be followed by a Q&A with director Likarion Wainaina Presented with support from the Consulate General of Germany
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Queen of Niendorf

The classic boys-coming-of-age drama (think Stand By Me) gets a thoughtful, feminist update in the luminously filmed Queen of Niendorf. Ten-year-old Lea is bored of the vapid aspirations of most tween girls. So she alternates between lazily cycling through her sleepy village and the thrumming excitement of two new discoveries: a makeshift raft and treehouse boys’ club. Skeptical because she’s a girl, the club members make her prove her mettle. Lea realizes that true bravery is not just what you do, but sometimes what you don’t do—and isn’t afraid to prove it. Presented with support from the Consulate General of Germany
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Double Trouble

Instead of a summer in Canada with her parents, Julka is stuck in Warsaw with an aunt who barely takes notice except to scold. When she forgets to lock up the house, letting thieves enter in, it’s her aunt’s unluckiest break—but it just might be her chance at adventure. Julka must convince her young new neighbor, Olek, to help her recover stolen plans that could uncover the location of a precious, long-lost piece of art. Despite their differences, they join forces in this heist-meets-art-history caper where nothing and no one is quite what it seems.
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Moominvalley

They may hail from faraway Finland, but artist/novelist Tove Jansson’s cuddly, quasi-philosophical, not-quite-hippo creatures have a huge international following and were last seen at NYICFF 2014. This exciting new series uses brand new innovative techniques in 3D CGI, bringing the Moomintroll family to vivid life as they adventure through the mystical islets and fjords of their glacial world. Rosamund Pike leads a top-notch voice cast as Moominmamma, wisely grounding the family’s insatiable curiosity as they seek the shadowy Groke and luminescent Hattifatteners.
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My Extraordinary Summer with Tess

While Sam’s family heads out for a Dutch island holiday of togetherness and fun, the 10-year-old decides it’s the perfect time to train himself to be alone. Even if his teen brother is a know-it-all, Sam’s got a great family and no reason to worry. But as the youngest, he fears one day he’ll outlive everyone. His training is interrupted when he meets spirited Tess, who, on a pressing quest of her own, pulls Sam into her madcap scheme. The two discover that, as messy and vulnerable as it is, maybe togetherness isn’t so bad. Note: includes some explicit language, including sexual references, by teen
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Aïlo: A Lapland Odyssey

From the heights of the Arctic poles to the bottom of the temperature scale, Aïlo and its panoramic Lapland landscape captivate with cinematic splendor. Follow a young reindeer’s first year at close range, filled with moments of puzzlement, wonder, struggle, and delight as Aïlo, guided by his mother, must navigate an icy world. Sharing the terrain with Aïlo are a hilariously wiley and ever-wiggly stoat, an endlessly curious red-eared squirrel, and sharp-eyed wolves, in this snowy story fashioned through witty narration and clever cross-cutting.
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Best of Fest Awards and Party

It all comes down to this: celebrate four weekends of extraordinary films and hear your voice echoed loud and clear as we tally ballots. Catch up on all of the top nominees with our Best of the Fest program, and make some noise to cheer on the award-winners—chosen by YOU!—as they are announced. When the lights come up, we party down.
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Animators All Around

Learn how animation goes from inspiration to sketch to screen from the creators themselves in this very special presentation featuring Dean DeBlois, writer/director of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Marlies Van Der Wel, featured in Friends & Neighbors: Netherlands. We’re thrilled to share a very special behind the scenes look at the making of the new feature How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World with writer/director Dean DeBlois. He’ll offer a look at his impressive career as the writer, director, and animator of the How to Train Your Dragon film trilogy, his work on Lilo & Stitch, Mulan, and more, and share stories of how he first got started. Continuing the special Friends & Neighbors spotlight on the Netherlands, Dutch filmmaker Marlies van der Wel will share her own unique style of animation and the meticulous artistry that goes into the making of her short films, including Jonas and the Sea and Emily. Moderated by Jinko Gotoh, producer of The Lego Movie 2 and VP of Women in Animation.
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Minuscule: Mandibles From Far Away

“Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home…” the rhyme goes, but try heeding that when you’re a quarter of an inch long and home is 4,000 miles away! When accidentally boxed into a chestnut shipment, the ladybug of Minuscule is inadvertently shipped to a Caribbean isle. Its parents embark on an odyssey to find it while, on the island, beachfront developers are threatening native habitats. A wild ride ensues—it’s a bug-eyed ecological view made more eye-popping as a live-action animation hybrid shot in lush Guadeloupe.
films

Moominvalley

They may hail from faraway Finland, but artist/novelist Tove Jansson’s cuddly, quasi-philosophical, not-quite-hippo creatures have a huge international following and were last seen at NYICFF 2014. This exciting new series uses brand new innovative techniques in 3D CGI, bringing the Moomintroll family to vivid life as they adventure through the mystical islets and fjords of their glacial world. Rosamund Pike leads a top-notch voice cast as Moominmamma, wisely grounding the family’s insatiable curiosity as they seek the shadowy Groke and luminescent Hattifatteners.
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The Man with Birds

Seasons turn and spring is sprung when a boy flies the coop but lands the flock.
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Mega Trick

Still can’t draw a straight line to save your life? Well, you won’t need to go directly from point A to point B if you follow this one MegaTrick.
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Gordon & Paddy

Gordon is an ace detective, but even he’ll admit he’s ready to hang up his badge. Luckily, he recognizes fresh talent in Paddy, a young rodent wise beyond her years and eager to break the grass—er, glass—ceiling. When Paddy gets the chance to crack the case of the purloined acorns, she’s got a mystery to solve and a slew of woodland creatures’ speculations to manage. This warm and witty police procedural for the junior set shows how generational divides can turn to bridges, and that even baddies have their good sides.
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Flipped

Little ones are in charge and grown-ups get to play when the hilarious Flipped reworks the script.
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