Story and Pictures By
Festival Year: 2024
Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds
Rosa and the Stone Troll
Robot Dreams
Puffin Rock and the New Friends
Moominvalley
Lioness
Kung Fu Lion
Kensuke’s Kingdom
Insomniacs after school
Frybread Face and Me
It’s the summer of 1990 and Benny has been unceremoniously shipped from San Diego to his grandma’s on the Navajo Nation. Instead of seeing Fleetwood Mac with his mom, he’s thrust into the dusty daily life of sheep herding. Between insults from his uncle and unintelligible conversations with Grandma (she only speaks Navajo), he charts his escape back home. That’s until Frybread Face, his bossy cousin Dawn, is similarly ditched on the rez. Unlike Benny, Fry’s familiar with the ways of Diné, and what starts out as leeriness toward her city cousin soon gives way to genuine affection. And when it’s time for Benny to head back home, he’s bringing with him a proud connection to his cousin and his culture.
Note: like many tweens who consider themselves wise beyond their years, characters use some harsh language, and one out-of-touch uncle uses a homophobic slur.
Dounia – The Great White North
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.
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
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.
Coco Farm
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.
Story and Pictures By
One of our earliest introductions to storytelling comes in the form of picture books, the art of pairing stories and illustrations so seemingly simple but deeply resonant. This joyful doc turns our eyes to three emerging authors and how they are changing the game by expanding the kinds of stories they tell and the very idea of who gets to tell them. Follow Christian Robinson (Last Stop on Market Street), Yuyi Morales (Viva Frida), and Mac Barnett (Sam & Dave Dig a Hole) as they push boundaries to lead the new golden age of kid lit. Charming animation and rare archival footage revisit timeless classics like Where the Wild Things Are and Goodnight Moon and shine a new light on the history of this enchanting art form, all while providing a look ahead into its boundless future.
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).
Rosa and the Stone Troll
Rosa is an adorably lovely flower fairy who plays by the rules in her brightly colored, Marimekko-inspired world. She happily gets by in her little rosebush, but she’s also eager to spread her wings. And while she dreams of having a friend, going farther afield can be a little scary. Traversing the Summerland? A very tall order. One day, she crosses paths with the adventurous butterfly, Silk. Despite their very different dispositions—Silk is as cheeky and curious as Rosa is timid and cautious—they hit it off immediately. Silk wants to go on adventures in the Summerland and Rosa just wants to stay in her safe bush. But when Silk is kidnapped by an evil Stone Troll, Rosa has to let go of her fears and set out on a dangerous journey to save her new best friend.
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.
Puffin Rock & the New Friends
This new story from our friends at Cartoon Saloon (the Oscar® nominated geniuses behind The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea) is perfect for our youngest audiences. Puffin Rock, a charming gem off of the coast of Ireland, is a warm community and beautiful habitat for all creatures big and small. It makes for an especially calm respite in the storm of migration, and it’s where we find puffin Oona, who looks after her baby brother, Baba, shielding him from any possible dangers the gorgeous flora or fauna may pose. When Puffin Isabelle and her step-brother Phoenix arrive on the Rock, Oona knows all the things to do and games to play to help fend off their homesickness. But there are still serious matters at hand, like protecting a puffin egg that brings the promise of a new generation. Their pals Flynn the Fox, May the Rabbit, and Mossy the hard-working Shrew are on the job, even when Isabelle makes a misstep and has a hard time coming clean.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Insomniacs after school
No one seems to understand Nakami. His nights are restless, his days sleepy, and his time at school is isolating. Yet all that seems to change when he encounters his carefree classmate, Magari, dozing off in their high school’s abandoned observatory. Not only is Magari friendly, she’s also a closet insomniac. Together they find solidarity in their shared condition, using the observatory to nap as needed. When their unsanctioned use of the space is discovered, the only way to save their refuge is to revive the school’s long defunct astronomy club. As they work together and get to know each other, their bond grows ever stronger, but hidden truths threaten to cut their budding friendship shot. An adolescent drama in the vein of My Girl or The Fault in Our Stars, Insomniacs After School is a tender look at how unbreakable bonds are formed.
Frybread Face and Me
It’s the summer of 1990 and Benny has been unceremoniously shipped from San Diego to his grandma’s on the Navajo Nation. Instead of seeing Fleetwood Mac with his mom, he’s thrust into the dusty daily life of sheep herding. Between insults from his uncle and unintelligible conversations with Grandma (she only speaks Navajo), he charts his escape back home. That’s until Frybread Face, his bossy cousin Dawn, is similarly ditched on the rez. Unlike Benny, Fry’s familiar with the ways of Diné, and what starts out as leeriness toward her city cousin soon gives way to genuine affection. And when it’s time for Benny to head back home, he’s bringing with him a proud connection to his cousin and his culture. This hilarious and touching slice-of-life story, executive produced by NYICFF alum Taika Waititi, is a warm portrait of cultural awakening and the adolescent summers that stay with us not because of what happened, but because of what they made us feel.
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.
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.
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.