An entertaining collection of short films for kids, and some by kids, from around the globe that originally screened at Rochester's High Falls Film Festival. Guest programmed by Ruth Cowing.
Program includes:
- MOONGIRL
Director: Henry Selick; Co-Animator: Raquel Coelho
In this dreamy animated fable, a young boy discovers the magic behind the moon’s illumination
- CROOKED MICK OF THE SPEEWAH
Director/Writer/Visual Effects Supervisor: Philip Smith; Director of Photography: Nicola Daley, AUSTRALIA
In this wildly inventive and visually amazing film from the Australian Outback, a vain circus muscleman goes searching for Crooked Mick, supposedly the strongest man in the world.
- DANCE ELI DANCE
Director: Ava Hess, age 15
Eli dances her way through city streets, making her mark on the urban landscape.
- DANDY SAVES CHRISTMAS FROM THE EVIL VISA HYPNO-MATIC
Directors: Sera and Anya Gearhart, ages 8 & 10
Will dancing guinea pigs be able to break the spell of materialism that threatens to ruin Christmas? A stop-motion animation made right at home.
- GETTING MY GOAT
Director: Eva Saks
Name-calling can lead to disastrous results if one’s not careful.
- ICE CREAM
Director: Alexandra Fisher
When the ice cream truck rings its bell, a young girl decides to take money from her mother’s collection jar, meant for the orphans of Hurricane Katrina.
- LIGHT STAINS
Director: Sandra Cheng
In this mind-expanding animation, an astronomer recalls how she started out as the maid of a Harvard professor.
- MIND ME GOOD NOW
Directors: Chris Cormier; based on the book by Lynette Comissiong; CANADA
A Caribbean version of the old children’s story of Hansel and Gretel.
- OPEN A DOOR: TAIWAN
Series founder: Anne Wood; UK and TAIWAN
Open A Door is an award-winning, international exchange of five-minute films without words. The aim of each film is to illustrate the differences and similarities between the world’s cultures.
- SINGING STICKS
Director: Christine Panushka
A joyful animated celebration of movement and color, set to world music.
- UPSIDE DOWNED
Director: Valerie LaPointe
Older sisters can be nags, but every now and then it turns out they’re right.
- WINTER
Director: Mar Elepano
Paint on film provides this beautiful experimental accompaniment to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons: Winter Symphony,” performed by Itzhak Perlman and the Israeli Philharmonic.
- CELAMY
Director: Julie Anne Meerschwam
What happens to our imaginary friends as we start to grow up?
- LOVE LETTER
Director: Trent Jones; Writer: Cynthia Jones [note to parents: mild profanity; film will be shown last to allow families to exit if necessary]
In this award-winning film loosely based on Shakespeare’s AS YOU LIKE IT, Henry discovers a love letter can ruin your life, salami is the perfect diversion for a crazy school janitor, and memorizing poetry can both get you in trouble and win you the girl of your dreams.
ABOUT THE HIGH FALLS FILM FESTIVAL
Now in its seventh year, the High Falls Film Festival celebrates the
work of women in all aspects of filmmaking—as directors,
producers, screenwriters, editors, cinematographers, production
designers and actors. The six-day Festival offers over 90
feature-length films, shorts, children’s programs plus panel
discussions, informal “Coffee With” discussions with
visiting filmmakers, seminars, master classes, parties and more!
For more information about the High Falls Film Festival, please contact
the High Falls Film Festival office at 45 East Ave., Suite 400,
Rochester, NY, 14604, (585) 279-8330 or visit www.highfallsfilmfestival.com.
Children’s Program Curator RUTH COWING is the Festival Director
and Co-Programmer of the High Falls Film Festival, and is one of its
founding staffmembers.
color, 1 hour 30 minutes, various