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2022 Program
2022 Program
2022 Program
Closing Night: APOLLO 10½: A Space Age Childhood
Recommended ages: 13+
Richard Linklater; 2022, 97 min
Feature, Animation Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood tells the story of the first moon landing in the summer of 1969 from two interwoven perspectives – the astronaut and mission control view of the triumphant moment, and through the eyes of a kid growing up in Houston, Texas who has intergalactic dreams of his own. Taking inspiration from Academy Award-nominated® filmmaker Richard Linklater’s own life, this snapshot of American life in the 1960s is part coming-of-age, part societal commentary, and part out-of-this-world adventure.
Bangla Surf Girls
Recommended ages: 12+
Elizabeth D Costa; 2021, 92 min
Feature, Documentary In the water, Bangladeshi teens Suma, Ayesha, and Shobe are mighty, riding ocean waves with a fluidity, ease and mastery. On land, their lives are more tethered by lack of resources, patriarchal limitations, and generational divides. Bangla Surf Girls is a beautifully observed coming-of-age documentary that follows these three teenage girls over the course of three years, capturing the rare sense of agency they find by joining a surf club as they fight insurmountable odds to pursue their dreams.
Best Birthday Ever
Recommended ages: 3-5
Michael Ekblad; 2021, 82 min
Feature, Animation Little Charlie is a small rabbit who lives with his loving family and pets in a house at the edge of town. Like many five-year-olds, he goes to a kindergarten and plays with his friends in the neighborhood, basking in the delight of his parents’ complete attention. But all of that changes with the arrival of his baby sister, Clara. When the chance for adventure with his best friend, Monica, arises, Little Charlie—eager to make his own mark and maybe a little jealous—hops to it.
Charlotte
Recommended ages: 14+
Tahir Rana & Eric Warin; 2021, 92 min
Feature, Animation Charlotte is a testament to the power of art to endure, affront, and thrive, even in the face of impossible circumstances. This beautifully rendered animation is based on the true-to-life story of Charlotte Salomon, a young aspiring Jewish painter living in Germany during the Nazis rise to power. Note: film contains intense moments depicting the reality of World War II Europe, suicide, and sexual content
DisneyNature’s Polar Bear
Recommended ages: Rated PG
Alastair Fothergill & Jeff Wilson; 2022, 95 min
Feature, Documentary See it before it hits theaters! Narrated by two-time Academy Award® nominee Catherine Keener (Capote, Being John Malkovich), Disneynature’s Polar Bear tells the story of a new mother whose memories of her own youth prepare her to navigate motherhood in the increasingly challenging world that polar bears face today.
Opening Spotlight: Gagarine
Recommended ages: 13+
Fanny Liatard & Jérémy Trouilh; 2022, 102 min
Feature, Live Action From the heights of his apartment, Yuri dreams of becoming an astronaut, while on the ground he utilizes his engineering know-how to keep his home base humming. But when plans to demolish his community’s home are leaked, Yuri joins the resistance.
I Am What I Am
Recommended ages: 9+
Haipeng Sun; 2021, 104 min
Feature, Animation Gyun and his buddies are traversing the enormity of the vast Chinese countryside as their own ragtag troupe. With hard work, athleticism, and a reluctant dance-champ-turned-fishmonger Sifu to coach them, they begin to outwit their competitors by harnessing their perceived weaknesses.
It’s a Summer Film!
Recommended ages: 10+
Soushi Matsumoto; 2020, 97 min
Feature, Live Action When Barefoot gets the chance to produce her own screenplay for a high school project, it’s both a dream come true and an enormous challenge—especially with all of the support and attention going to a competing student’s cheesy, soft-focus romcom. So Barefoot mobilizes a crew to shoot the film in one summer, guerilla-style.
Kids Cup
Recommended ages: 10+
Line Hatland; 2021, 90 min
Feature, Live Action The Norway Cup is the world’s biggest soccer tournament for kids, and tough teams overcome enormous challenges—on and off the pitch—to play in it.
Opening Night: Where Is Anne Frank
Recommended ages: 9+
Ari Folman; 2021, 99 min
Feature, Animation Kitty is the most famous imaginary friend in history, created in the ink-filled pages of Anne Frank’s diary. When she suddenly materializes in the near future as a fully-fledged girl, she can neither find her friend nor understand why her home is now a tourist attraction. Aided by a resourceful pickpocket, a group of young refugees, and modern jeans and sneakers, Kitty sets out to solve the mystery.
The Last Glaciers
Recommended ages: 10+
Craig Leeson, Malcolm Wood; 2022, 40 min
Feature, Documentary, Live Action Free event! IMAX presents The Last Glaciers, a global adventure following filmmaker Craig Leeson and United Nations Mountain Hero & Entrepreneur, Malcolm Wood as they push the limits of extreme sports using para-alpinism to explore the causes and effects of climate change.
Moominvalley: The Lonely Mountain
Recommended ages: 6+
Nigel Davies, Darren Robbie, Jay Grace; 2022, 22 min
Feature, Animation Sometimes even the best of friends need a little space to themselves, so when Snufkin sets out on a mountain trip solo, both he and Moomintroll must learn to balance the fine art of togetherness and time to grow on your own.
Moominvalley
Recommended ages: 6+
Nigel Davies, Darren Robbie, Jay Grace; 2022, 66 min
Feature, Animation Tove Jansson’s delightful universe is back, premiering exclusively at NYICFF with all the Moomincapers you could ever wish for in three new episodes.
Opening Night: Oink
Recommended ages: 7+
Mascha Halberstad; 2022, 73 min
Feature, Animation Babs’ grandfather, an American with a curiously rootin tootin’ cowboy accent, suddenly appears on the scene, he just may be the key to her perfect pet. Instead, he finds Oink, a lovable if constantly, er, digesting, pig, whom he gifts to Babs.
Pompo The Cinephile
Recommended ages: 9+
Takayuki Hirao; 2021, 94 min
Feature, Animation If you’re reading this, chances are you like movies. You’ll feel right at home with Pompo, the talented and gutsy producer whose love of cinema is unflinching and unapologetic. One day, Pompo turns her uncanny eye for talent to her movie-loving but apprehensive assistant Gene, selecting him to make his directorial debut with her latest script.
Poupelle of Chimney Town
Recommended ages: Rated PG
Yusuke Hirota; 2020, 100 min
Feature, Animation Poupelle of Chimney Town is the story of young Lubicchi living among the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town, yearning to see the “stars” — to know the truth — his father always told him about.
SWOP
Recommended ages: 7+
Job, Joris & Marieke; 2022, 60 min
Feature, Animation This new series follows three wacky friends Sef, Wesley, and Marjory. One day, they discover an abandoned washing machine with mysterious powers: it lets you swap heads with someone else!
The Ape Star
Recommended ages: 6+
Linda Hambäck; 2021, 73 min
Feature, Animation Though Jonna’s home is filled with wonderful kids and a caring guardian, she can’t help but pin her hopes on one day being adopted. When that long-awaited day finally arrives, she learns that love comes in all shapes, sizes, and, er, creatures…like the enormous ape with the equally enormous heart who wants to take Jonna home.
To the Bright Side
Recommended ages: 7+
Xiya Lan, Nianze Li, Yi Zhao, Kun Yu, Gaoxiang Liu, Maoning Liu, & Chen Chen; 2021, 83 min
Feature, Animation Though the protagonists range from a family of rabbits, a boy doing his homework at his parents’ restaurant, or a child and his grandmother in the countryside, all tell a unique stories of love, challenges, and maturing to the beat of your own drum.
The Strangest Girl in the World
Recommended ages: 9+
Mariano Cattaneo; 2021, 82 min
Feature, Live Action The colorful world of high school, with its cool kids, chaos, and excitement, is just a pale backdrop for Melién. For her, true thrills are in the mysteries she reads and horror stories she writes that transport her far beyond the tame walls of her bedroom.
Centerpiece Spotlight: Turning Red
Recommended ages: Rated PG
Domee Shi; 2022, 99 min
Feature, Animation Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red introduces Mei Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang), a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming (voice of Sandra Oh), is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS), she “poofs” into a giant red panda!
Zero Gravity
Recommended ages: 8+
Thomas Verrette; 2021, 74 min
Feature, Documentary Zero Gravity follows three middle school innovators and their first-time coach as they learn to navigate the complexities of NASA technology and life as a pre-teen.
Shorts for Tots
Recommended ages: 3+
Short Films
One small step for a boot, one giant step for a tot will keep you apace in this shorts program filled with gleeful hops of fun.
Bonus: Shorts for Tots 2021
Recommended ages: 3+
Short Films
Just for our under-5s, we’re bringing back Shorts for Tots 2021!
Short Films One
Recommended ages: 5 to 10
Short Films
Families abound in all forms in Short Films One, so you’ll have plenty of charmed chances to find your tribe!
Short Films Two
Recommended ages: 8 to 14
Short Films
No mismatch here, NYICFF favorite series Mitch-Match returns with a stop-motion volley for Short Films Two’s tales of growing up and making key plays to save the day.
Short Films Three
Recommended ages: 12+
Short Films
Searching for connection and striving to make your mark are the core themes that will lead you through a fabulously eclectic collection in Short Films Three.
Girls’ POV: Science on Screen®
Recommended ages: 10+
Short Films
This year Girls’ POV looks forward, and back, to celebrate stories of young scientists who are trailblazing creative ways to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges.
Heebie Jeebies
Recommended ages: 10+
Short Films
They’re baaaack, and creepier than ever: Heebie Jeebies shorts! Join in on some bloody good fun with I’m A Vampire, as Jackie starts to suspect that there’s more to her pallor than her lockdown regime, and hmn, what’s really in her morning “beet” juice special blend?
¡HOLA NYICFF!
Recommended ages: 10+
Short Films
You’ve asked if we could screen more Spanish-language films. Our answer? ¡Sí, claro! Our annual program delivers the best Latinx stories from around the world, and not just in Spanish, but also English, and even Portuguese, celebrating the many cultures, histories, identities and languages held within.
Celebrating Black Stories
Recommended ages: 10+
Short Films
Celebrating Black Stories spotlights shorts from throughout the Festival and around the world that embrace the joy, resilience, and complexity of the lives of Black youth.