Film
Animal Party
Virtual
Northwest Film Forum
Stories of friendship and adventure come alive with vibrant colors, animals, and lots of music in these animated shorts from around the world. Most films are nonverbal or in English, and all are gems of bright visual storytelling with an important message: our friends and family make the world go ‘round, and with them by our sides, life is so much better!
This program includes films from the USA, Italy, Belarus, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Russia, France, UK, and Czech Republic
Watch all of this year’s films with a festival pass (starting at $30) or purchase tickets to individual film programs (starting at $5). Pricing is on a sliding scale, and we encourage you to pay what you are able—all ticket and pass sales go to support BAM Education, helping to ensure the future of BAM’s adventurous programming for families and students.
All events and workshops associated with the Festival are free and open to all.
Animal Party is available for viewing starting February 20 and runs through February 28. Tickets will be available through Eventive, which requires customers to create an account before purchasing. All customers who purchase a ticket will receive an email confirmation with a link to the program; once the link is clicked, viewers have 48 hours to watch the program until it expires. Customers who purchase a ticket on February 27 or later will only be able to view the program until 11:59pm on February 28.
Dirs. Anya Rose & Julie Beth, 2min
USA
In English
What’s the stuff of dreams in this music video? A day at the beach, a ride on a bike, a sweet dog, and a delicious pickle.
Dir. Christoph Brehme, 5min
Italy
East Coast premiere
A little one wants to do things on their own, but a big one wants to help. Finally, they find the best way of all—to do it together!
Dir. Aliona Baranova, 6min
Belarus
Nonverbal
New York premiere
A huge sailor goes about his busy work on an ocean-bound ship. When he gets a tiny present from a small girl, it reminds him of the most special place on dry land: his childhood home.
Dirs. Cecilia Actis & Mia Hulterstam, 5min
Sweden
Nonverbal
East Coast premiere
In this colorful claymation, a group of friends must prove that the world is more beautiful with a rainbow full of colors.
Dir. Natalia Malykhina, 6min
Norway
In English
North American premiere
Little Grey Wolfy wants to go on a trip with the birds to find warm lands with no snow, where bears don’t have to sleep in wintertime. But how can Wolfy fly away without wings?
Dirs. Joost van den Bosch & Erik Verkerk, 2min
The Netherlands
Nonverbal
New York premiere
Even a neat-freak octopus, with lots and lots of arms, has a hard time pointing out what someone else needs to tidy up.
Dir. Meike Fehre, 4min
Germany
In German
Learn to count to eight in German as you blast off to outer space with an elephant, a bear, a chicken, and a little cactus in this music video.
Dir. Marina Moshkova, 6min
Russia
Nonverbal
East Coast premiere
A grumpy polar bear learns how much fun it can be to have a friend when a brown bear comes to visit him in the Far North.
Dir. Loic Bruyere, 8min
France
Nonverbal
An owl schoolmaster presides over the year-end kindergarten show, which goes horribly wrong in all the right ways.
Dir. Bethany Powell, 3min
UK
Nonverbal
The animals are afraid of the large and lonely Rhino, until he shows them through good deeds that he is worthy of their trust. And when Rhino needs help, the tiny Oxpecker bands together with the others to help out their new friend.
Dir. Angela Steffen, 4min
Germany
In English
East Coast Premiere
Patchwork Clam is very shy, but her friends understand and find gentle ways to make her more comfortable in the play group.
Dirs. Katerina Karhankova & Alexandra Majova, 7min
Czech Republic
In English
East Coast Premiere
The bears want to cook something they’ve never had before: wild truffles! But they’ll need the help of a boar baby and mama to help them out. Will they find the courage to ask?
Dirs. Christian Perry Castro & Eric Tsuchiyama, 3min
USA
In English
Three little speckled frogs sat on a speckled log, eating the most delicious bugs, ‘til one by one, they all took a bath.
Dir. Anna Kuzina, 4min
Russia
Nonverbal
As a busy bird tidies up the sky, it accidentally drops a little star. It lands on earth where a group of children are playing.
No dream is too big, even for the smallest characters, in this collection of international shorts where dreams come true.
Whether you find yourself in the forest, on another planet, or in your imagination, there’s always space to play in this fantastic assortment of lighthearted tales from around the globe.
This selection of excellent family-friendly animated shorts includes studio pilots, independent content, energetic student works, and international cinematic wonders.
Play, relax, and restore with this series of free on-demand yoga workshops for the whole family, inspiring kids to get creative and encouraging adults to relax and recharge.
