Providence Children's Film Festival

Schedule:

10:30 am: Comm-You-Nity

Director(s): Multiple Directors
Country: Finland, France, Palastine, Russian Federation, Switzerland, United States
Language: Arabic w/ English subtitles, English, Tok-Pisin
Multiple Film Types | 2022-2023 | 81 min
Recommended for ages 8+

“Comm-YOU-nity” The title says it all! We live in a world with other people. How do we feel like we fit in… or not? These films are of people (and chickens) trying to figure it all out.

THE ABCS OF BOOK BANNING- In recent years, more than 2,500 books have been removed from school districts around the US, labeled as BANNED, RESTRICTED, or CHALLENGED, and made unavailable to millions of students. By no accident, the themes targeted are the usual scapegoats of the American Right – LGBT issues, Black history, and Women’s empowerment – impeding the power of future generations to develop their own thoughts and opinions on critical social issues. By weaving together a lyrical montage of young readers and authors, the ABC’S OF BOOK BANNING reveals the voices of the impacted parties, and inspires hope for the future through the profound insights of inquisitive youthful minds. (2023/ 26.5 min/ USA/ dir. Sheila Nevins/ English)

ATOMIC CHICKEN- A chicken coop set up at the foot of a nuclear power plant sees its daily life turned upside down by a series of comic, cartoon-style mutations. (2023/ 5 min/ France/ dir. Thibault Ermeneux, Lucie Lyfoung, Solène Polet, Capucine Prat, Morgane Siriex, Anna Uglova/ non-verbal)

EASY BUSY- Incoming!!! A meteorite is blasting towards Earth! Would you run and hide, or stay in your peaceful spot by the river and hope for the best?  (2022/ 3.5 min/ Russian Federation/ dir. Ekaterina Ganakh/ non-verbal)

IDODO- Long ago the fish transformed into humans and came onto land to celebrate and dance. Once the sun set, they hurried back into the sea, leaving behind a big mess. Curious as to who occupied the village in their absence, the villagers of one island plan to find out who these uninvited visitors were. What they would soon discover, leaves them astounded and mesmerized. (2022/ 10 min/ Switzerland/ dir. Ursula Ulmi/ English and Tok-Pisin)

THE NIGHT I LEFT AMERICA- While awaiting the results of his mother’s US visa renewal, a teenage immigrant finds himself at a crossroads between holding onto the promise of opportunity in America and embracing the life he left behind in Uganda. (2021/13.5 min/ USA/ dir. Laki Karavias/ English)

NUN OR NEVER!- When a nun unearths a man living underground in her garden, she’s horrified, embarrassed…and intrigued! She’s vowed to stay single, like all nuns do, but she has a serious crush on this guy! Can she keep her feelings secret from the other nuns? (2023/ 11 min/ Finland/ dir. Heta Jäälinoja/ non-verbal)

WALL PIANO- ‘Wall Piano’ takes us into a daydream of a young girl who lives under the shadow of a separation wall. Part music video, part magic realism, ‘Wall Piano’ shows a wall as something other than an immovable barrier for a group of children living near the Qalandia checkpoint in Ramallah, Palestine, a frontline of the West Bank conflict. The inspiration for this short film came from 12 year-old ‘Nada’, also featured in the film. ( 2020/ 3 min/ Palestine/ dir. Asma Ghanem, Christopher Marianetti, Alexia Webster/ Arabic and English)

Location: Mount Pleasant Library ( 315 Academy Ave in Providence, RI)

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12:30 pm: Coco Ferme (Coco Farm)

Director(s): Sébastien Gagné
Country: Canada
Language: French w/ English subtitles
Live Action | 2023 | 89 min
Recommended for ages 8+ (Parental Guidance: Ages 8+ for subtitles )

12-year-old Max is an entrepreneur at heart. Forced to relocate from Montreal to the countryside a new business idea is hatched. Does it take a village to create a chicken farm or does the farm to create a village? The answer is a little scrambled.  The animal-friendly Coco Farm quickly becomes a major hit, but the three partners soon find themselves facing the harsh realities of an industry controlled by mega-corporations.

Location: Mount Pleasant Library ( 315 Academy Ave in Providence, RI)

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3:00 pm: Modern Times

Director(s): Charlie Chaplin
Country: United States
Language: Silent Film
Live Action | 1936 | 86 min
Genre: Classic, Comedy
Recommended for all ages

Themes: family, friendship, inequality, labor, non-conformity, poverty, romance, social class, stereotypes, technology, urban issues, violence

Once dubbed “the most famous man in the world,” Charlie Chaplin has long been recognized as one of the preeminent icons of both comedy and cinema. From 1914 until 1967, Chaplin wrote, directed, produced and starred in more than 80 films, quickly advancing from basic slapstick to a unique comic style: immaculately constructed, deeply human, and always hilarious. “Modern Times” is one of his most acclaimed works that can make a child (or the child in us) laugh with abandon while truly empathizing with his iconic character, the down-and-out Tramp.

Because of its cultural significance, “Modern Times” was selected by the Library of Congress in 1989 for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Location: Mount Pleasant Library ( 315 Academy Ave in Providence, RI)

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5:30 pm: Wolfwalkers – En Español

Country: Belgium / France
Language: Spanish w/ English subtitles
Animation | 2020 |
Recommended for ages 8+ (Parental Guidance: Appropriate for all ages.)

People don’t talk about Tomm Moore the way they talk about Hayao Miyazaki or Pixar, but they should. Each of the Irish animator’s three features is a precious jewel, firmly planted in ancient Celtic mythology but shimmering with vitality and intelligence. Wolfwalkers is a worthy follow up to The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea. In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father, a hunter, to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

Location: Newport Art Museum (76 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI)

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