Opening Night: The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

Malawi, United Kingdom  |  East Coast Premiere
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 2018, 113 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 11+
In English and Chichewa, with English subtitles

Written, directed, and co-starring Oscar-nominated Chiwetel Ejiofor, this inspiring true-to-life film follows 13-year-old William Kamkwamba, who is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees.

Opening Spotlight: Pachamama

Canada, France, Luxembourg  |  East Coast Premiere
Juan Antin, 2018, 72 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 5+
in English

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

Aïlo: A Lapland Odyssey

France  |  North American Premiere
Guillaume Maidatchevsky, 2018, 80 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 7+
In French, with English subtitles

From the heights of the Arctic poles to the bottom of the temperature scale, Aïlo and its panoramic Lapland landscape captivate with cinematic splendor.

Dilili in Paris

Belgium, France, Germany  |  US Premiere
Michel Ocelot, 2018, 95 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 9+
in French, with English subtitles

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.

Double Trouble

Poland  |  East Coast Premiere
Marta Karwowska, 2017, 83 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 8+
In Polish, with English subtitles

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.

My Extraordinary Summer with Tess

Netherlands  |  US Premiere
Steven Wouterlood, 2019, 82 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 10+
in Dutch, with English subtitles

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.

The Falcons

Iceland  |  East Coast Premiere
Bragi Thor Hinriksson, 2018, 90 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 8+
In Icelandic, with English subtitles

The Falcons are in for their toughest challenge ever, on and off the soccer field.

Gordon & Paddy

Sweden  |  East Coast Premiere
Linda Hambäck, 2017, 65 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 7+
In Swedish, with English subtitles

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.

Minuscule: Mandibles From Far Away

France  |  US Premiere
Thomas Szabo & Hélène Giraud, 2018, 90 min.

Feature Recommended ages: all
No dialogue

“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!

Moominvalley

Finland, United Kingdom  |  World Theatrical Premiere
Steve Box, 2019, 44 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 5+
in English

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.

Okko’s Inn

Japan  |  World Premiere English-Language Version
Kitarō Kōsaka, 2018, 94 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 8+
in English

Bright-eyed Okko has joined her grandmother at their family-run, hot springs inn, rolling up her sleeves to learn the traditional ways.

Penguin Highway

Japan
Hiroyasu Ishida, 2018, 118 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 10+
in Japanese, with English subtitles

Precocious Aoyama is crazy for science. He calculates the days until he is grown up and keeps a scientific notebook at the ready.

Queen of Niendorf

Germany  |  US Premiere
Joya Thome, 2017, 67 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 9+
in German, with English subtitles

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.

Raoul Taburin

France  |  US Premiere
Pierre Godeau, 2019, 90 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 10+
In French, with English subtitles

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.

Supa Modo

Germany, Kenya  |  East Coast Premiere
Likarion Wainaina, 2018, 74 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 9+
In English and Swahili, with English subtitles

Plucky Jo’s head is filled with the superheroes and action films that she so loves. Her posters of action heroes brighten the walls of the hospital where she battles cancer, and keep the spirits up and imaginations active for all the children who share her ward.

A Town Called Panic

Belgium, France  |  North American Premiere
Vincent Patar & Stéphane Aubier, 2019, 65 min.

Feature Recommended ages: 7+
In English and in French, with English subtitles

The last time we saw Horse, Cowboy, and Indian, they were accepting the Grand Prize at NYICFF 2014. Now the uproariously ridiculous trio is back with more fast-talking, herky-jerky stop motion antics in their latest adventure, The Agricultural Fair.

Best of Fest Awards and Party

Special Program Recommended ages: 8+

It all comes down to this: celebrate four weekends of extraordinary films and hear your voice echoed loud and clear as we tally ballots.

Shorts For Tots

60 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 3-6

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 2016’s Revolting Rhymes).

Short Films One

70 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 5-10

Bigger, brighter, bolder—change is in the air in Short Films 1, brimming with stories full of growth and transformation.

Short Films Two

75 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 8-14

Short Films 2 bridges the gap between little and big for young audiences growing in experiences and ideas.

Short Films Three

75 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 12+

Audiences for Short Films 3 are older and wiser. But what if you still can’t draw a straight line to save your life?

Friends & Neighbors: Netherlands 1

70 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 7+

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.

Friends & Neighbors: Netherlands 2

70 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 10+

We’re crossing the Atlantic to pair up with far-flung Friends & Neighbors this year.

Heebie Jeebies Shorts

75 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 10+

Crawling with curiosity, creepiness, and mind-bending fantasy, Heebie Jeebies rewards quirky-minded audiences with unexpected tales.

Animators All Around

Special Program Recommended ages: 8+

Learn how animation goes from inspiration to sketch to screen from the creators themselves in this very special presentation chock-a-block with film clips and stories about finding your artistic voice and vision.

Girls’ POV

75 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 10+

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.

Boys Beyond Boundaries

75 min.

Shorts Recommended ages: 10+

Boys is back in town for a second edition of films redefining how boys can feel, think, and be.

VR JR. – Virtual Reality Explored

Special Program Recommended ages: 8+

We’re back with out second year of VR JR, a unique Virtual Reality mini-fest for kids and families.