Embark on an enchanting adventure when Belmont World Film presents its 21st Family Film Festival, a four-day celebration of international culture, featuring a diverse selection of films from around the world with many based on beloved children’s books and several making their US or New England premieres ensuring an immersive and culturally rich experience for young audiences.

Schedule of Events:

January 13, 2024

10:30 AM: Celebrating 70 Years of Weston Woods Films (shorts)
Runtime: 60 minutes
Age: 3-8
Weston Woods Studios, the film making arm of Scholastic, is renowned for turning some of the best loved children’s picture books, including numerous Caldecott and Newbury Award winners, into high quality films. In celebration of their 70th year, we are pleased to present a compilation of both their newest, never-before-seen films, as well as some classics that should be part of every child’s upbringing.

11:45 AM: Yuku And The Himalayan Flower
Runtime: 65 minutes
Age: 5-12
At the top of the highest mountains on earth lives a plant that radiates eternal light – the Himalayan Flower. In this spectacularly animated and adorable musical film, the little mouse Yuku goes in search of it to restore her grandmother back to health. With her ukulele and her original catchy songs she makes friends along the way during her sometimes perilous journey.

1:15 PM: Adventures In The Land Of Asha
Runtime: 89 minutes
Age 8+
A heartwarming tale about difference and acceptance. When his dog runs away into the wild forest in 1940’s Northern Quebec, a 9 year-old boy with a rare skin condition meets Asha, a mysterious young indigenous girl. Together they search for a cure for his disease, venturing to the other side of the forest where nature reveals itself full of life and secrets.

3:15 PM: Sea Sparkle
Runtime: 98 minutes
Age 10+
Twelve-year-old Lena loves the ocean, but when her North Sea fisherman father goes missing with his crew, she starts looking for a cause, convinced that some sort of sea creature is to blame. With the help of some friends she starts a high-stakes search to find it to absolve her father of any wrongdoing. The opening film and the winner of two awards at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival!

Location: Apple Cinemas Cambridge

January 14, 2024

10:30 AM: Tabby McTaT Shown With The Snail And The Whale
Runtime: 54 minutes
Age 3-8
Another Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (The Gruffalo) picture book comes to life in the North American premiere of Tabby McTat, a story about the warm and wonderful friendship between a musical cat and a street busker in London, featuring the voice of Jodi Whittaker (Dr. Who) and comedian Rob Brydon. In 2019’s The Snail and the Whale, featuring the voices of the late Dame Diana Rigg, Oscar-winner Sally Hawkins, and comedian Rob Brydon, a tiny snail goes on an amazing journey by hitching a ride on the tail of a huge humpback whale.

11:45 AM: Tony, Shelly And The Magic Light
Runtime: 80 minutes
Age 5-12
A film about being different, about friendship, and first loves…but above all, about light and darkness. Eleven-year-old Tony was born with a unique feature: he glows! His worried parents keep him tethered to the house, where he spends time in his blanket bunker dreaming about having a friend. When a girl named Shelly moves into his house, however, she turns his world upside down. Together they embark on an adventurous search for why the sunshine is being out of their apartment building house. It’s no wonder this miraculous stop-motion animated film won the Contretemps Award at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival in 2023!

1:45 PM: Coco Farm
Runtime: 87 minutes
Age 8+
Don’t be chicken: give this heartwarming and wild ride of a film a try! When 12-year-old Max moves with his father to the country and discovers free-range chickens in his cousin’s abandoned barn, the young, fast-talking entrepreneur comes up with an idea to make money by starting an egg farming business with the help of his cousin and local YouTuber Alice. The animal-friendly Coco Farm becomes a hit with customers coming from miles around, but the three partners soon find themselves facing the realities of an industry controlled by mega-corporations.

3:00 PM: Okthanksbye
Runtime: 90 minutes
Age 10+
Followed by a discussion with ASL interpretation
When shy, 12-year-old Jamie moves to a boarding school for the deaf, she is reluctant to make new friends. When her grandmother who is the only other deaf family member falls sick and her parents take off for Paris to visit her, Jamie and her bold classmate Imane set off on an unexpected road trip from Rotterdam to Paris. Although things do not go as planned and the trip takes an adventurous turn, the obstacles and special encounters turn the experience into a journey to remember.

Location: West Newton Cinema

January 15, 2024

10:30 AM: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (shorts)
Runtime: 60 minutes
Age 5-12
Stories about Dr. King and his ideals and contemporaries as interpreted by Weston Woods Studios, including:
Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport and narrated by Michael Clarke Duncan
Coretta Scott, Ntozake Shange’s tribute to Coretta Scott King’s civil rights movement
Rosa, about how Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Alabama, by Nikki Giovanni
I Am Ruby Bridges (US premiere), written by the civil rights activist who was the first African American child to attend a formerly whites-only elementary school
Show Way, the Newberry Honor winner about the journey of eight generations of quilt making (a “show way”), which has been passed down from slavery to the present day, by Jacqueline Woodson

11:45 AM: Titina
Runtime: 91 minutes
Age 5-12
Through the eyes of the four-legged celebrity dog Titina, discover a true story of triumph and defeat! Italian airship engineer Umberto Nobile enjoys a quiet life with his beloved dog, who charmed him into rescuing her from the streets of Rome. When Norwegian explorer superstar Roald Amundsen contacts him and asks him to design and build an airship to conquer the North Pole, Nobile seizes the opportunity to go down in history, bringing Titina along. The unlikely trio sets out on an expedition to the last undiscovered place on Earth. Their quest is successful, but in the aftermath, the two men start to quarrel over the glory.

1:30 PM: Dancing Queen
Runtime: 91 minutes
Age 8+
When you’re 12, it can be hard to have the time of your life! Full of self-doubt, awkward 12 year-old Mina nonetheless challenges herself to take part in a dance competition at school, in part to win the heart of a famous hip hop dancer who moves to her town. With the support of her spirited grandmother, whose candid advice is always an invitation to laugh, she progresses from an awkward initial audition to a final show-stopping number, learning along the way what’s important.

3:30 PM: Kung Fu Lion
Runtime: 85 minutes
Age 10+
A Chinese lion is made out of two Kung Fu dancers. One moves the head, while the other shakes the tail. But what happens if the back wants to take the lead? Two rivals from different cultural and family backgrounds are paired together to perform the traditional lion dance that requires not only Kung Fu skills but mutual respect and perfect coordination. To earn his place up front with the head one of them must defeat a number of annoying bullies, convince the teacher of his qualities, and especially, overcome himself.

Location: The Brattle Theatre

January 21, 2024

10:00 AM: Intro to Film Camera Techniques Workshop
Age 10+

Calling all budding filmmakers age 10 and above! In this exciting hands-on workshop, young enthusiasts can start their creative journey in film by learning the basics of film cameras. Your child will gain insights into both fundamental camera techniques, as well as rarely-used ones that define the unique style of foreign films. Geared toward children age 10+

The class includes:

Learn the essentials of camera operation, framing, and composition. Dive into the world of foreign films and uncover techniques that set them apart, such as unconventional angles to innovative storytelling methods. Interactive exercises and experimentation with different shots and angles. Learn how cameras are used to convey stories.

For this workshop your child will need either an iPhone or an Android phone. For Android phones, you will need to purchase and download camera software for $12.

About the instructor

Born in the U.S. but raised in Ghana, Menefesi Kudumu-Clavell is a filmmaker and co-founder of Ineffable Films, a nonprofit film company that illuminates cultural stories through cinema. The organization’s youth division, Poly-Nation, uses foreign films for its curriculum, with a focus on exploring multicultural identities.

Location: Belmont Media Center

10:30 AM: LOL with Films Based on Mo Willems Books (shorts)
Runtime: 63 minutes
Age: 3-8
Children's book author Mo Willems can make children and adults LOL like no one else! He not only writes and illustrates his own books, but also narrates the animated films that are created by Scholastic/Weston Woods Studios.This program includes some of everyone's favorites, including:
Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale
Knuffle Bunny: An Unexpected Diversion
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late
Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator
The Pigeon Wants a Hot Dog
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs

Location: Regent Theatre

2:15 PM: International Films for Young Hearts (shorts)
Runtime: 52 minutes
Age 5-12
A collection of exquisitely animated films from Europe about nature, caring, friendship, and more that will warm everyone’s hearts. Films include:
Pond by Lena von Doehen about a community of sea animals that support each other in a tidal pool.
Suzie in the Garden by Lucie Sunková, about a little girl who meets a black dog that helps her discover a mysterious garden and the woman who owns it.
Cats Are Liquid by Natálie Durchánková, a film full of funny scenes that prove that cats (contrary to general belief) are actually not solid, but liquid.
The Day I Became a Bird by Oscar winner Andrew Ruhemann, about a boy who becomes fascinated by a girl who only has eyes for birds. To get her attention, he comes up with a rather unusual plan.
Rainboy by Barbara Brunner, about a boy who plants rain drops and harvests clouds, until he gets in to a run in with the sun.
To Be Sisters by Anne-Sophie Gousset & Clément Céard, about two sisters who share an extra something (winner of the Young Audience Award at the Annecy Film Festival).

Location: Regent Theatre

3:30 PM: Totem
Runtime: 93 minutes
Age 10+
Followed by a discussion about the film and dual cultural identities, led by Ghanaian-American filmmaker Menefese Kudumu-Clavell.
Ama, the daughter of Senegalese asylum seekers, was born and raised in The Netherlands and feels completely Dutch. When she sees her mother and brother get arrested, she sets off in search of her father through Rotterdam in the middle of winter, hoping to avoid deportation. During this frightening and exciting journey, she discovers her roots, thanks in part to her best friend and an extraordinary totem animal: a gigantic porcupine.

Location: Regent Theatre

Date: January 13 - 21, 2024

Locations:
Apple Cinemas Cambridge, 168 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA 02138
West Newton Cinema, 1296 Washington Street, West Newton, MA 02465
The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Regent Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington, MA 02474

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