Special Events & Screenings | New York Int'l Children's Film Festival

Special Preview: How to Train Your Dragon

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Live Action, Dean DeBlois; 2025, 113 min
Recommended ages: Rated PG
In English

See it before it hits theaters! From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise.

Special Preview Screening: Dog Man

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Peter Hastings; 2025, 89 min
Recommended ages: 5+
In English

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Preview Screening + Q&A

Feature United Kingdom | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham; 2024, 79 min
Recommended ages: 5+

Gromit’s concern that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart” gnome that seems to develop a mind of its own. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle sinister forces and save his master… or Wallace may never be able to invent again!

FLOW with Filmmaker Q&A

Feature Belgium, France, Latvia
Animation, Gints Zilbalodis; 2024, 85 min
Recommended ages: 7+
No dialogue

A wondrous journey through realms natural and mystical, Flow follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet. PLUS: Stay after the film for Science on Screen^®: Making Waves with Sound and Image, an exclusive Q&A with co-writer and producer Matīss Kaža. Science on Screen® is an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Special Preview: The Wild Robot

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Chris Sanders; 2024, 92 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English

Based on the beloved bestseller by Peter Brown, this epic adventure follows the journey of a robot—ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short — that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. There she must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.

Special Preview Screening: The Imaginary

Feature Japan | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Yoshiyuki Momose; 2024, 107 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In English

Special Advance Screening: IF

Feature United States | Special Advance Screening
Animation, Live Action, John Krasinski; 2024, min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English

From writer and director John Krasinski, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. IF stars Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

NYICFF In Your Neighborhood

Special Program 50 min.
Recommended ages: All Ages

Get your Festival on, right in your community! Join our partners on February 17-25, 2024 to check out a NYICFF short film program and all of the great cultural activities your neighborhood has to offer. Admission is free and open to all.

Special Preview Screening: Migration

Feature Canada, France, United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Benjamin Renner; 2023, 91 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English

Trolls Band Together Preview Screening

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Walt Dohrn; 2023, 93 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English

Get ready for an action-packed, all-star, rainbow-colored family reunion like no other! Now back from their world tour, Poppy discovers that Branch has a secret past. He was once part of her favorite boyband phenomenon, BroZone, with his four brothers: Floyd, John Dory, Spruce, and Clay. BroZone and the family disbanded when Branch was still a baby, he hasn’t seen his brothers since. But when Branch’s bro Floyd is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains Velvet and Veneer, Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop-culture obscurity.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget Preview Screening

Feature France, United Kingdom, United States | Special Preview & Director Q&A
Animation, Sam Fell; 2023, 97 min
Recommended ages: 6+
In English

Followed by Q&A with director Sam Fell and Aardman co-founder Peter Lord The long-awaited sequel is finally here, and you can see it before it hits Netflix on December 15! Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream—a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk — this time, they’re breaking in!

Member Screening: Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Kirk DeMicco; 2023, 90 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English

Free member screening! See it before it hits theaters! Dive into the turbulent waters of high school with the latest from DreamWorks Animation, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. Featuring the voices of Lana Condor, Jaboukie Young-White, Toni Collette, and Jane Fonda.

Special Preview: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Live Action, Kelly Fremon Craig; 2023, 105 min
Recommended ages: 11+
In English

A beloved and best-selling classic comes to the big screen with Lionsgate’s adaptation of Judy Blume’s timeless, coming-of-age tale.

NYICFF in Your Neighborhood

Shorts 54 min.
Recommended ages: 3 to 8

Get your Festival on, right in your community! Join our partners on February 24-26, 2023 to check out a NYICFF short film program and all of the great cultural activities your neighborhood has to offer. Admission is free and open to all.

Special Preview: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Feature France, Mexico, United States
Animation, Guillermo Del Toro; 2022, 117 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In English

Free preview screening and Q&A with legendary director Guillermo del Toro! Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio reimagines the classic tale of the fabled wooden boy who, looking for a place in this world during turbulent times, finds himself on an enchanted adventure transcending worlds and discovering the life-giving power of love and the precious nature of human existence.

Special Preview: Matilda the Musical

Feature United Kingdom, United States | Special Preview Screening
Live Action, Musical, Matthew Warchus; 2022, 117 min
Recommended ages: Rated PG
In English

With an intro by Emma Thompson (Miss Trunchbull) and Matilda herself, Alisha Weir! Followed by Q&A with director Matthew Warchus, screenwriter Dennis Kelly, and Tim Minchin, who wrote the original music and lyrics!

Special Preview Screening: My Father’s Dragon

Feature Ireland, United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Nora Twomey; 2022, 99 min
Recommended ages: Rated PG
In English

From five-time Academy Award®-nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers) and Academy Award®-nominated director (and NYICFF Juror!) Nora Twomey (The Breadwinner), comes an exquisite film inspired by the Newbery-honored children’s book from author Ruth Stiles Gannett.

Wendell & Wild: Free Preview and Q&A

Feature United States | Special Member Preview
Animation, Henry Selick; 2022, 104 min
Recommended ages: Rated PG-13
In English

See it before it hits Netflix on October 28! From the delightfully wicked minds of Henry Selick and Jordan Peele, comes Wendell & Wild, an animated tale about scheming demon brothers Wendell (Keegan-Michael Key) and Wild (Peele), who enlist the aid of 13-year-old Kat Elliot — a tough teen with a load of guilt — to summon them to the Land of the Living.

Free Preview: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Live Action, Dean Fleischer Camp; 2022, 90 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In English

Members have claimed their tickets—now it’s your turn! In 2011, we were introduced to Marcel, a shell with two shoes and lots of other great qualities (his words, but we agree). In addition to taking home the 2011 NYICFF Grand Prize award for animated short, Marcel watched his star continue to rise. Now, thanks to his internet infamy, Marcel, along with his Grandma Connie and his pet lint Alan, has a chance to find his long lost family in his very own big-screen adventure.

Vivo Q&A

Special Program min.
Recommended ages: Rated PG
In English

Join us for a free Q&A featuring Oscar^®-nominated director Kirk DeMicco and voice star Ynairaly Simo of Vivo! We’ll discuss the inspiration behind the film, animating different locations, making a musical, and answer your questions!

Wolfwalkers Q&A

Special Program min.
Recommended ages: 8+
In English

Now available to stream! To watch the Q&A, click here Join us for a virtual conversation with directors Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea) and Ross Stewart (The Breadwinner, Paranorman). We’ll discuss the inspiration behind the story, the process of creating hand-drawn animation, and answer your questions!

The Breadwinner

Feature Canada, Ireland, Luxembourg
Animation, Nora Twomey; 2017, 94 min
Recommended ages: 11+
In English

From executive producer Angelina Jolie and the creators of the Academy Award®-nominated The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea comes the highly-anticipated new feature based on Deborah Ellis’ bestselling novel.

The Magic School Bus Rides Again

Special Program 60 min.
Recommended ages: 5 to 10
In English

Celebration includes two all-new episodes, book giveaways, special prizes, and more!
The kids are back at Walkerville School for another school year of astonishing, out-of-this-world field trips in this all-new reimagining of the iconic science-comedy-adventure series The Magic School Bus.

Whale Rider: Special 15th Anniversary Screening

Feature New Zealand
Live Action, Niki Caro; 2002, 105 min
Recommended ages: 11+
In English

We are thrilled to share the 15th Anniversary Screening of Whale Rider with audiences who may have missed its first run.

Jingle Jangle Q&A

Special Program 60 min.
Recommended ages: 6+
In English

Now available online! To watch the Q&A, click here. Writer-Director David E. Talbert and Producer Lyn Sisson-Talbert will join us for a live discussion to chat about the making of this adventurous film, give us a peek behind the scenes, and answer YOUR questions!

Over the Moon Q&A

Special Program min.
Recommended ages: All Ages

Now available online! To watch the Q&A, click here. Join us for a behind the scenes look at Over the Moon.

Coco Advanced Screening

Feature United States | Special Sneak Peek
Animation, Lee Unkrich & Adrian Molina; 2017, 109 min
Recommended ages: 6+

Join us for this very special advance screening of Disney•Pixar’s Coco before it opens in theaters on Nov. 22.

Klaus

Feature United States | Special Sneak Peek
Animation, Sergio Pablos; 2019, 97 min
Recommended ages: Rated PG
In English

When young postman, Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), befriends reclusive toymaker Klaus (Oscar winner J.K. Simmons), their gifts melt an age-old feud and deliver a sleigh full of holiday traditions.

Abominable

Feature China, United States | Special Sneak Peek
Animation, Jill Culton; 2019, 97 min
Recommended ages: 5+
In English

DreamWorks Animation and Pearl Studio’s co-production Abominable takes audiences on an epic 2,000-mile adventure from the streets of a Chinese city to the breathtaking Himalayan snowscapes.

Ralph Breaks The Internet

Feature United States | Special Sneak Peek
Animation, Rich Moore and Phil Johnston; 2018, 112 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In English

Video game bad guy Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) navigate the vast and dynamic world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s game, Sugar Rush.

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch

Feature United States | Special Sneak Peek
Animation, Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney; 2018, 80 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English

For their eighth fully animated feature, Illumination and Universal Pictures present The Grinch, based on Dr. Seuss’ beloved holiday classic.

Smallfoot

Feature United States | Special Sneak Peek
Animation, Karey Kirkpatrick; 2018, 96 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English

Get Yeti! An animated adventure for all, Smallfoot turns a myth upside down when a bright young yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human. Join us for this very special first look at the film before it opens in theaters on September 28th.

Teen Titans Go! to the Movies

Feature United States | Special Preview Screening
Animation, Peter Rida Michail and Aaron Horvath; 2018, 92 min
Recommended ages: 5-10
In English

When the Teen Titans go to the big screen, they go big! Join us for this very special advance screening of Teen Titans Go! to the Movies before it opens in theaters on July 27.

Special Events

Now Playing

Migration

Recent Events