Sag Harbor Cinema hosts the 25th annual New York International Children’s Film Festival March 17 through 19 with animated and live-action films, plus a shorts program for kids ages 3+.
With titles from Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom, NYICFF offers diverse stories and perspectives. Many of the films are making their New York or U.S. premieres.
Each feature is paired with a short in programs SHC says are designed to “celebrate the beauty and power of film, spark the inherent capacity of children and young adults to connect with exciting, nuanced art, and encourage their engagement with cinema.”
Find showtimes and reserve tickets at sagharborcinema.org.
New York International Film Festival lineup
‘Belle & Sebastian: Next Generation’
France
Live Action, Pierre Coré, 2022, 96 minutes
French with English subtitles
City kid Sebastian, 10, is less than thrilled to spend school break with his grandmother and aunt in the countryside instead of doing parkour around Paris with his friends. Seb finds herding the family’s sheep utterly boring until he meets Belle, a humongous canine with a heart of gold. When he discovers she’s mistreated, Seb channels his city pluck to protect his new friend. Filled with gorgeous mountain scenery and modern themes, this new version of a beloved classic delivers on its next-gen title. Prepare for puppy love at first sight.
Screens with “I Scream, You Scream”
United States
Live-action documentary, Ashley Brandon, 2021, 9 minutes
English
‘Dounia & The Princess of Aleppo’
Canada/France
Animation, Marya Zarif and André Kadi, 2022, 72 minutes
French with English subtitles
Bold of spirit and wild of hair, six-year-old Dounia lives joyfully with her family in Aleppo, where she spends her time traversing the bustling souks, or marketplaces, teeming with delicious ingredients just right for her grandmother’s amazing dishes. But when the family is forced to pack up and join the global ranks searching for a safer place to call home, all Dounia takes is a handful of nigella seeds, known in Syrian lore to have magical properties. This charming, visually dazzling tale offers an all-ages point of entry to explore timely issues and the timeless value of respect for all.
Screens with ‘The Luggage Room”
Spain
Animation, Daniela Cuenca, 2021, 7 minutes
Spanish with English subtitles
‘Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibbertittia’
France/Luxembourg
Animation, Julien Chheng and Jean-Christophe Roger, 2022, 80 minutes
French with English subtitles
At long last, they’re back! Ernest and Celestine, the wacky and warm, mismatched travelers who made their US debut at NYICFF 2013 return for another instant classic, again for the first time in the United States. This time around, the once-forbidden friends are on the trail to Ernest’s home, Gibberitia. Grumpy Ernest, a bear, is not too pleased, but it’s the only place where he can get his prized violin repaired after Celestine, a mouse, broke it. Together with their friends and a mysterious masked outlaw, they learn that being true to themselves may be the sweetest music of all.
Screens with “Phonos”
Mexico
Animation, Gabriela Badillo, 2021, 9 minutes
No dialogue
‘Little Nicholas – Happy as can be?’
France
Animation, Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre, 2022, 85 minutes
French with English subtitles
Simultaneously mixing the story of a mischievous cartoon boy and his friends with the true tale of his creators, Little Nicholas is a visual delight with wit to match. When illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempé first drew little imp Nicholas, he knew he had to get his good friend René Goscinny (of Asterix fame) to write the story. As the two artists bring the boy to life, Nicholas himself escapes the page to ask them about their own childhoods. The friends share stories of early artistic ambition, immigrating to the United States, and family lost to World War II. This first feature-length Little Nicholas film which maintains the essence of the text’s original artwork will delight fans and newcomers alike.
Screens with “The Sistine”
Colombia
Animation, Juan Camilo Fonnegra, 2022, 8 minutes
No dialogue
‘Moominvalley’
Finland/United Kingdom
Animation, Sara Barbas, 2022, 22 minutes
English
Tove Jansson’s delightful universe is back, premiering exclusively at NYICFF with all the Moominventures you could ever wish for in three all-new episodes. First, when Moomintroll and Sniff volunteer to walk Toffle home through the woods, Toffle tells tall tales to prolong their journey, causing trouble when Groke arrives. Next, Mrs. Fillyjonk gets the feeling she’s “not long for this world,” so Moominpappa decides to throw her a party she’ll never forget. Finally, when Snufkin advises silence-loving Hemulen to leave his noisy job at the fairground, he’s left to run the rides on his own.
Screens with “La Calesita”
United States/Canada
Animation, Augusto Schillaci, 2022, 10 minutes
No dialogue
“Panda! Go Panda!’
Japan
Animation, Isao Takahata, 1972, 72 minutes
English
A festival classic that the youngest audiences may have missed! From the legendary team that formed Studio Ghibli (with original concepts and character designs by Hayao Miyazaki) comes two deliriously delightful animated featurettes! Seven-year-old Mimiko, who has somehow persuaded her grandmother to leave her home alone, gets more than she bargains for when PapaPanda and baby Panny turn up at her door. Their round bodies, wide grins, and off-kilter clowning offer the first glints of another charming neighbor to come.
Screens with “Konigiri-Kun Parasol”
Japan
Animation, Mari Miyazawa, 2021, 5 minutes
No dialogue
‘Titina’
Norway/Belgium
Animation, Kajsa Næss, 2022, 90 minutes
Norwegian with English subtitles
The film tells the mostly true-to-life story of Titina, an intrepid fox terrier, on a pioneering aerial expedition to the North Pole. When Italian engineer Umberto Nobile builds an airship for Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, he knows he’s embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. Who better to accompany him than the trusty street pup he rescued in Rome? But as the airship nears the first-ever polar flyover, a petty power struggle erupts. Colorful animation combines with live-action footage to capture history-making high-altitude antics, all from the perspective of one lucky dog.
Screens with “Swing to the Moon”
France
Animation, Marie Bordessoule, Adriana Bouissie, Nadine De Boer, Elisa Drique, Chloé Lauzu, Vincent Levrero, and Solenne Moreau, 2022, 7 minutes
No dialogue
‘Shorts for Tots’
60 minutes
Created for the youngest and first-ever moviegoers but beloved by grown-ups, “Shorts for Tots” is sure to delight all audiences. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
