Film | Kids
Imagine That!
Curated by Northwest Film Forum
Befriend a lemur, dive into the pages of a book, watch your drawings come to life, and marvel at the size of our minds in this cinematic cabinet of curiosities celebrating how strange and wonderful life can be, including several shorts by youth filmmakers.
Note to parents: Light Motif is meant to provide kids with a colorful introduction to experimental cinema. True Places shows how a young boy uses his imagination to cope with the loss of a grandparent.
Dir. Maiia Fazulina
Russia, animation, 2015, 3min
In Russian with English subtitles
New York premiere
Eleven-year-old filmmaker Maiia Fazulina explores the ocean of thoughts that exists within each of our heads—and the power in harnessing those thoughts for creativity.
Dir. Marco di Gerlando
Italy, live action and animation, 2015, 7min
Nonverbal
New York premiere
Carlotta and her class are instructed to draw animals that begin with the letter “m”. What starts as a frustrating bout of artistic block turns into an an unbelievable afternoon when her drawing comes to life.
Dir. Antje Heyn
Germany, animation, 2015, 7min
Nonverbal
This film—named for the Tibetan word for “being brave”—follows a girl who adventures to a curious world where a friendly creature helps her become aware of her strengths and weaknesses.
Dir. Theo Taplitz
USA, live action, 2015, 5min
East Coast premiere
A boy copes with the loss of his grandfather in this short made by 13-year-old filmmaker Theo Taplitz. As Marlin reads the books Grandpa left behind, he discovers an unexpected path to acceptance.
Dir. Frédéric Bonpapa
France/United Kingdom, animation, 2014, 4min
Nonverbal
East Coast premiere
This stunning cinematic interpretation of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, features a contemplative monkey who sits back in wonder as a world builds itself around him.
Dir. Tatiana Skorlupkina
Russia, animation, 2015, 6min
In English
East Coast premiere
This dreamlike short features an original score and a series of paintings that come to life as a cast of curious critters interacts with them.
Dir. Seung-hee Jung
South Korea, animation, 2015, 11min
In Korean with English subtitles
East Coast premiere
A curious little boy and a bouncy chipmunk live together on a small, soft planet in a vast cosmos of different colorful fabrics in this visually striking short.
Dir. Augusta Palmer
USA, live action and animation, 2015, 14min
Nonverbal
East Coast premiere
A young girl brings 100 years’ worth of images to life when she befriends an aye–aye—a lemur from Madagascar—in the New York Public Library’s picture collection.
