Story
As screen time gets out of hand, the bright virtual world turns to a dark reality.
Film Tag: Animation
The Butterfly Affect
Before “the change,” Jesse didn’t think she was any different from her friends. Now she’s a young worm trying to find her place in a butterfly’s world.
Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days
A quirky uncle’s unusual tics are a bit unsettling in this portrait of a poet that marches to a different beat.
Wash Day
Join Zoey as she goes through her weekly grueling routine of washing and styling her hair.
Beetle & Bean
When small Bean challenges the mighty Naiwag to a duel, her reluctant best friend Beetle must help her train to become a powerful knight, and fast!
Eaten
On a mysterious, unknown planet, a rabbit-like creature is eaten, but that’s just the beginning of the story.
Children of the Sea
Adapted from the acclaimed manga comes this visually dazzling, mind-bending aquatic mystery. Ruka’s dad is so absorbed in his studies at the aquarium that he hardly notices when she befriends Umi and Sora. Like Ruka, the mysterious duo has the unique ability to hear the call of the sea and its endangered creatures. Together, can they save them?
Note: Depicts alcoholic parent
Note: Depicts alcoholic parent
On-Gaku: Our Sound
From grunge to genius, On-Gaku turns it up to eleven musically and visually! Kenji and his two buddies are considered the toughs in their high school. Only clever Aya knows their too-cool-for-school attitude is a total act, until a bass guitar unexpectedly ends up in Kenji’s hands. With its deadpan humor, fresh animation style, and upending of the high school musical genre, there’s no wonder this film won the Ottawa Int’l Animation Festival’s top prize.
Note: Some mature language and threat of menace
Note: Some mature language and threat of menace
Hilda
She’s clever, kind, witty—and rocks a pair of red boots like nobody’s business. Hilda is back, rescuing elves, dodging trolls, and exploring Trolberg’s strange history and stranger personalities. The BAFTA award-winning Netflix Original series inspired by Luke Pearson’s hugely popular graphic novels returns to NYICFF with the world premiere of Season Two. Join us for sneak peeks of “Troll Circle” and “The Witch,” two truly enchanting adventures!
The Prince’s Voyage
Celebrated filmmaker Jean-François Laguionie (The Painting, NYICFF 2012) returns to the Festival with yet another beautifully animated, mesmerizing film. When a monkey prince washes ashore, Tom and his scientist parents take him in. It turns out everyone has a lot to learn, and it’s not all scientific, in a tale of intrigue and understanding, with plenty of echoes of classic primate films.
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Go all-out for Aardman’s big screen excitement with a NYICFF exclusive presentation of Shaun the Sheep’s latest feature adventure, including new and classic Aardman shorts! In Farmageddon, an alien named LU-LA crash-lands near Mossy Bottom Farm. Her magical powers, irrepressible mischief and galactic sized burps soon have Shaun the Sheep and his flock enchanted. But when Shaun takes his new extraterrestrial friend on the road to find her lost spaceship, little does he know that a sinister alien-hunting agency is on their trail. Now Shaun and the flock must avert Farmageddon before it’s too late.
Magic Boy
Anime? Check. Disney-inspired cute critters? Check. Beautiful colors? Do you even have to ask?! Our Festival Flashback is a groundbreaker: the first-ever anime film released in the US (from renowned Toei Studios), and quite possibly the inspiration for the lovably goofy ninjas-in-training of Naruto. Step back in time and follow Sasuke’s adventures from the very beginning!
SamSam
It’s never too early to find your superpower in SamSam’s fantastical world, and he can’t wait to discover his. Thanks to Mega, the mysterious new kid, SamSam finally uncovers an “anti-monster” power! Let’s hope it’s the real thing: SamSam is about to find himself in a whopper of a showdown, battling to keep the planet laughing—and happy.
Moominvalley
Whether you’re already mad for Moomins or you’ve yet to meet these hilarious and cuddly creatures, you can catch their newest capers as NYICFF once again offers an exclusive look at the latest goings-on in Moominvalley. Tove Jansson’s beloved books come to glorious life with a new take and season of their fairy-world tales and some of the biggest British stars voicing our favorite Moominfamily.
ShalaBonBon
Bop alongside kitties, flowers, dancing purple guys, and more with groovy lo-fi graphics and a pop-inspired Japanese beat.
Ailín on the Moon
A mother and daughter’s love is orbited by joys and challenges.
Quarantine
Badgers have had enough fear-mongering and plot their dark-of-night escape.
Sheep, Wolf and a Cup of Tea…
Bedtime routines turn truly bizarre when a child opens a box hidden under his bed in this fantastically illustrated short.
Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes)
Accompanied by a 10,000-year-old shapeshifter, Biidaaban is on a mission to reclaim the power of earth from an overdeveloped suburb in Ontario.
Dreams into Drawing
This empathetic reflection on sentient beings is inspired by Ueda Akinari’s short story “A Carp That Appeared in My Dream,” and Japanese painter Kuwagata Keisai’s Ways to Sketch.
Gon, the Little Fox
In this stunningly detailed stop-motion version of a classic Japanese fable, sly fox Gon tries to make amends for his mischief. But the flow of give and take is tricky to navigate for human and creature alike.
Shy & Ketchup
Hunger or craving, a shy girl has to push beyond her comfort zone to fulfill her need in this hilarious film.
I Want
From a whisper to a laugh to a scream, you can say what you want however and whenever it moves you.
Accents
An ode to her mother’s Puerto Rican accent and a reclaiming of her voice, by poet Denice Frohman.
The Coin
On Chinese New Year, finding the coin hidden in a dumpling brings good luck. One girl discovers new identities and long-standing connections tucked inside as well.
Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad
This animated love letter from son to father to friend reminds us that there’s no good reason to let affection go unspoken.
I Have a Little Cactus (The Musifants)
Even though Grandpa Günter is 200, he’s not too old to swing, especially to the infectious Cabaret-era jazz of this wacky little ditty.
Maestro
Deep into a forest, a gathering of wild animals perform a nocturnal opera, led by a rather squirrely conductor.
