Barbican Presents the London Children’s Film Festival in November
Over two weekends, from Saturday 22 to Sunday 30 November 2008, the LCFF (London Children’s Film Festival) is back for a fourth year at the Barbican and seven cinemas across the capital (The Electric Cinema, Greenwich Picturehouse, Phoenix Cinema, Rich Mix, Rio Cinema, Ritzy Cinema and Stratford Picturehouse East). With its signature host of new films from around the world, workshops, special events, freebies and celebrity appearances, all devoted to delighting young film-lovers, the LCFF presents a unique chance for children across London to make a day of it with their families.
This year the London Children’s Film Festival is delighted to have teamed up with BAFTA to present some fantastic events under the BAFTA FAMILIES strand including: the unmissable Inside the World of Doctor Who extravaganza in the Barbican Hall, the Storyboarding Masterclass with expert storyboard artist Temple Clark, and at the Opening Gala a screening of the nominated short films for the CBBC me and my movie award in association with BAFTA.
The first day of the fourth LCFF has something to please everyone! Doors open at the Barbican at 10.15am for the Opening Gala Screening of Red Zora (Die Rote Zora), a fabulous adventure story based on Kurt Kläber’s classic 1941 children’s novel, complete with pre-film entertainment from the Barbican Young Ukele Orchestra, and followed by a free Jazz Film Picnic on the Barbican Foyers. Hip young Londoners can then create their own silhouette character, or have a go at making music with Geoff Smith, before going to see the 1920s German animation The Adventures of Prince Achmed, accompanied live by Geoff performing his new score on the hammered dulcimer. And if that’s not enough – in the free Drop-In Zone there’s Animate London: The Pixelise the Population Project, a mass pixelisation project which aims to animate as many Londoners as possible. The day ends with a free Disco for Kids in collaboration with the London Jazz Festival!
On Sunday 30 November the festival closes its doors at the Barbican, with a gala screening of the hilarious Madagascar – Escape 2 Africa (preceded by the results of the Animate London project) and audience members are encouraged to dress up as their favourite character for a chance to win a prize!
During both weekends the LCFF is dishing up mega-portions of fun and excitement. On Sunday 23 November the LCFF will hold its annual no-holds-barred Sing-a-long – this year the Disney classic The Lion King which, with the singing and costume making workshops, adds up to a fantastically entertaining afternoon. AND on Saturday 29 November children and their parents can step Inside the World of Doctor Who, presented by BAFTA, the BBC and the London Children’s Film Festival. Yes, the TARDIS will be landing at the Barbican, bringing with it the team behind Doctor Who, including some very special guests. Expect to see some iconic monsters, talk to the programme makers, get behind-the-scenes gossip from series creator Russell T Davies, and see a sneak preview of snippets from this year’s Christmas special in this interactive Doctor Who extravaganza in the Barbican Hall!
The LCFF is the only London-wide film festival for kids and as such goes to great lengths to keep its young audiences amused, engaged and inspired, as well as giving young people a chance to get stuck in! Children are at the heart of the LCFF and contribute massively. Short films made by children are screened before selected features, day-long filmmaking workshops enable budding filmmakers to get their hands dirty, and the LCFF Young Jurors and Young Patrons get involved in the planning stages and help shape the look and feel of the festival. LCFF Young Jurors choose their favourite films from the official selection and at the Closing Gala, hand out Best Feature Award and the FILMCLUB Award for Best Short Film For Young Audiences. The Young Jurors will also announce the Audience Choice Award. The LCFF Young Patrons are the LCFF experts; they present the films, talk to the press, write reviews for the website and interview the stars as a direct link between the LCFF and its young audiences.
As always at the LCFF, films come from all over the world: Germany, Finland, Denmark, Japan, Sweden, Australia, UK, Iceland, the Netherlands, France, Canada, US, Thailand, Hungary and Austria.
Two offerings from Japan span both the ever-popular martial arts and anime genres. In Kung Fu Kid it’s a case of “enter the little dragon” as martial arts expert Kung Fu is sent to Japan on a final mission, with unexpected but action packed results. Then Japanese teenager Makoto Konno finds out how to turn back time in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, a beautiful and finely crafted anime about growing-up and being responsible for your actions. East meets west in Mozart in China as new friends Danny and Li Wei take a trip to China, staying with Li Wei’s grandfather and helping him to restore an old puppet theatre to preserve the beautiful stories it creates.
Norway is the setting for Ten Lives of Titanic the Cat, where spooky goings-on in the basement and a mysterious ghostly cat prompt two friends to solve a 100 year old mystery – a smash hit in its native country. From Iceland comes the chilling (no pun intended!) thriller No Network, an icy mystery full of fierce polar bears and long-lost ghosts that’s not for the faint hearted. Meanwhile the warmer climes of Australia are the setting for Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger, where our heroine has had enough of her stuck up private school and enlists the help of her supercool friend Sunni to help her infiltrate his high school, and that’s when the funs begins…
Comedy comes in the form of Diamond Dog Caper from the US, in which a boy steps in to defend a dog being mistreated by its owners and unwittingly disrupts the plans of a jewel thief and his silly sidekicks. Will he save the dog and the day? Similarly aiming to tickle those funny bones is the Danish A Tale of Two Mozzies where mozzie friends Dagmar and Agon team up to save their friends from the wicked red ant Queen. Packed with toe-tapping tunes and laugh-out-loud jokes, who knew mozzies could be so much fun?
LCFF 2008 also features a special focus on Africa with African Visions, an amazing collection of short films that includes gorgeous animation, tales childhood dreams, and insight into life in one of the largest slums in Africa, taking viewers to the four corners of this fascinating continent. Similarly other films with an African theme this year are The Seven of Daran: Battle for Pareo Rock which sees an 11 year-old boy go on an African adventure on his mother’s business trip; the enchanting nature film African Bambi shot in the Serengeti; and Elephant Tales, where elephants Zef and Tutu cross high mountains and dusty plains to search for their missing family.
Parents and children will also be delighted by the return of their favourite Finnish animated family in Moomins and the Midsummer Madness, in which the family take refuge from a flood in an unusual floating theatre, deciding to make the best of it and put on a play penned by Moominpapa.
The LCFF also presents two special programmes of miniature masterpieces for young audiences. For the over 8s comes the LCFF Allsorts: Shorts Programme, in which a dog discovers his tail can do more than wag, Fred the paper folder shapes the world with his hands and a small rotund dog spots his chance to join the fire team! Short and Sweet brings together short films from the whole wide world. Join Shaun the Sheep for his bath time, a monster who can’t seem to frighten anyone and Dharma the friendly witch. This ever popular Showcomotion selection of delightful short films from around the world are in English or without dialogue and suitable for young film fans from age 5 up.
And as if this bounty of films and special events isn’t enough to keep everyone busy, the festival has created a whole raft of workshops and activities to get the creative juices flowing and allow families to really make a day of it. This year’s array of activities includes something for all tastes, be it Kung Fu Moves, Make a Film in Day workshops, Moomim puppet making, learning about Sound FX, music making workshops such as African Drumming, and courtesy of BAFTA FAMILIES, a storyboarding workshop with renowned storyboard artist Temple Clark. As well as these pre-booked activities (see website for details), there are free Drop-In Zones at the Barbican allowing for more spontaneous involvement or even a quick rest on a comfy beanbag.
The EA British Academy Children’s Awards take place on Sunday 30 November. Children are invited to have their say in the BAFTA Kids’ Vote from Tuesday 28 October. (Please note that these Awards are not part of the London Children’s Film Festival). BAFTA FAMILIES is a strand of BAFTA events aimed at developing young audiences in London and regionally. Events are delivered during school holiday periods and as festival events for young people, each featuring a guest speaker and focusing on a different area of film, TV or games. Inside the World of Doctor Who is a family event and all adults must be accompanied by a child.
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