3RD ANNUAL BENEFIT - Paul Grimault's The King and the Mockingbird, plus French scrumptious food & cocktail reception, and film activies for kids. Film subtitles will be performed live by Brooke Shields, Jeffrey Wright, Lauren Ambrose, Mario Cantone, and Scott Shepherd.

3RD ANNUAL BENEFIT - Paul Grimault's The King and the Mockingbird, plus French scrumptious food & cocktail reception, and film activies for kids. Film subtitles will be performed live by Brooke Shields, Jeffrey Wright, Lauren Ambrose, Mario Cantone, and Scott Shepherd.

Join us for a special afternoon of film and food fun, with proceeds to benefit New York Int'l Children's Film Festival. Film with live performance begins promptly at 3:00pm.

LE ROI ET L'OISEAU
(THE KING AND THE MOCKINGBIRD)
Animation, France, 1980, 81 min
Don’t miss this rare special screening of Paul Grimault's gloriously imaginative animated masterwork, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep, with subtitles performed live by NYICFF special guests. A pompous, cross-eyed ruler named King Charles V + III = VIII + VIII = XVI is in love with a painting of a shepherdess. But she has eyes for the dashing young chimney sweep in the next painting over – and so the two decide to elope, stepping out of their frames and into Grimault's endlessly inventive and bizarre castle town, where elevators are beetles attached to telescoping antennas, buildings hang like barnacles from gargantuan Roman pillars, the King gives chase in a throne-turned bumper car, and a towering blue robot watches over all.


BENEFIT TICKETS

Family (up to 4 people) - $395

Gold (up to 5 people, listed in program) - $595

Platinum (up to 6 people, listed in program, and reserved seating) - $1000

Additional Adult - $150

Additional Child - $100

Sorry, I cannot attend but I want to make a 100% tax deductible contribution. All proceeds benefit NYICFF, a 501c3 non profit organization.

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF FILMMAKING - Children will have the opportunity to view a sound stage in action, be a part of a sample film, be fit for a costume, create sound effects, and meet the people who work behind-the-scenes to make movie magic.

NYICFF invites you and your family view a sound stage in action and watch a scene being shot live. Then the audience will break up into groups to participate in demonstrations with the different film artists and technicians, ask questions, and learn. From Foley artists, to costume, makeup, lighting and set design, each presenter will demonstrate and discuss what their job is, how they contribute to a film, and why they like doing what they do. So come watch, ask, interact, and learn all about how to make a movie!

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF FILMMAKING - NYICFF invites you and your family to view a sound stage in action and meet the people who work behind-the-scenes to make movie magic. Attendees will watch a scene being shot live and then break up into groups to visit the different film artists and technicians to view demonstrations, ask questions, and learn. From Foley artists, to costume, makeup, lighting and set design, each presenter will demonstrate and discuss what their job is, how they contribute to a film, and why they like doing what they do. Each group will get to work with all the presenting film artists, so come watch, ask, interact, and learn all about how to make a movie!

Children have the opportunity to view a sound stage in action, be a part of a sample film, be fit for a costume, create sound effects, and meet the people who work behind-the-scenes to make movie magic.

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF FILMMAKING - Children will have the opportunity to view a sound stage in action, be a part of a sample film, be fit for a costume, create sound effects, and meet the people who work behind-the-scenes to make movie magic.

NYICFF invites you and your family view a sound stage in action and watch a scene being shot live. Then the audience will break up into groups to participate in demonstrations with the different film artists and technicians, ask questions, and learn. From Foley artists, to costume, makeup, lighting and set design, each presenter will demonstrate and discuss what their job is, how they contribute to a film, and why they like doing what they do. So come watch, ask, interact, and learn all about how to make a movie!

Produced in cooperation with Women in Children's Media.

FILM SCREENING AND VENTRILOQUISM WORKSHOP - Funny, whimsical, and insightful, I’m No Dummy takes a rare look inside the world of ventriloquism, from its mystical origins in ancient times, to vaudeville, standup comedy, and the television of today, showcasing the rich history, art and craft of this unique art-form. The film pays homage to legendary “vents” Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell, Senor Wences and Jimmy Nelson, with rare performance footage not seen in 50 years, and features hilarious clips and interviews with an impressive array of contemporary vents, including Jay Johnson of sitcom Soap fame, whose alter-ego Bob voiced all the crude thoughts his owner was too polite to speak aloud, and Jeff Dunham, whose Comedy Central routines have become the network’s most popular specials.

WORKSHOP: The film will be followed by a 30 minute ventriloquism class led by Tony Award-winner Jay Johnson, Lynn Trefzger, and Tom Ladshaw. All audience members will receive ventriloquism instruction with their own take-home sock puppet and workbook.

Comment: Film contains some mild adult language.

FILM SCREENING AND VENTRILOQUISM WORKSHOP - Funny, whimsical, and insightful, I’m No Dummy takes a rare look inside the world of ventriloquism, from its mystical origins in ancient times, to vaudeville, standup comedy, and the television of today, showcasing the rich history, art and craft of this unique art-form. The film pays homage to legendary “vents” Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell, Senor Wences and Jimmy Nelson, with rare performance footage not seen in 50 years, and features hilarious clips and interviews with an impressive array of contemporary vents, including Jay Johnson of sitcom Soap fame, whose alter-ego Bob voiced all the crude thoughts his owner was too polite to speak aloud, and Jeff Dunham, whose Comedy Central routines have become the network’s most popular specials.

WORKSHOP: The film will be followed by a 30 minute ventriloquism class led by Tony Award-winner Jay Johnson, Lynn Trefzger, and Tom Ladshaw. All audience members will receive ventriloquism instruction with their own take-home sock puppet and workbook.

Comment: Film contains some mild adult language.

US PREMIERE - In this colorfully animated film perfect for our youngest audiences, characters from classic fairytales and children’s books come alive to help a young boy learn to read. Nat has fond memories of his eccentric Aunt Eleanor reading to him from her enormous collection of storybooks, but is frustrated and embarrassed by his inability to read the books himself. So he is less than thrilled when his aunt leaves him the keys to her attic library – and he rejects the gift. But just as Nat’s parents are selling the collection to a shady antiques dealer, Nat discovers that the library is magical – the books housed in the attic are all original first editions of history’s most popular fairy tales, and the characters come to life! Now with the help of Alice in Wonderland, the Ogre, Peter Pan and others, he must get back the books and learn to read an ancient spell to keep the characters alive for future generations of children. Eleanor’s Secret is a beautifully designed, rollicking adventure in which a boy’s ability to read not only sets his imagination free, but saves the day!

US PREMIERE - In this colorfully animated film perfect for our youngest audiences, characters from classic fairytales and children’s books come alive to help a young boy learn to read. Nat has fond memories of his eccentric Aunt Eleanor reading to him from her enormous collection of storybooks, but is frustrated and embarrassed by his inability to read the books himself. So he is less than thrilled when his aunt leaves him the keys to her attic library – and he rejects the gift. But just as Nat’s parents are selling the collection to a shady antiques dealer, Nat discovers that the library is magical – the books housed in the attic are all original first editions of history’s most popular fairy tales, and the characters come to life! Now with the help of Alice in Wonderland, the Ogre, Peter Pan and others, he must get back the books and learn to read an ancient spell to keep the characters alive for future generations of children. Eleanor’s Secret is a beautifully designed, rollicking adventure in which a boy’s ability to read not only sets his imagination free, but saves the day!

EAST COAST PREMIERE - Q&A with Jiri Barta following Mar 14 show!
Legendary Czech stop-motion animation master Jiri Barta’s first feature in over 20 years is a diabolically inventive tale, four parts Toy Story and one part David Lynch, as a group of abandoned toys stage an ambitious rescue of their kidnapped friend. Set behind the doors of a dusty attic, an adorable doll named Buttercup lives in a steamer trunk and plays mom to a motley group of friends: the station master Teddy Bear, lumpy clay-animated ball Schubert, and the Quixotic marionette knight Sir Handsome, who attacks his enemies valiantly with a sharpened pencil. But in this enchanted world where every day is a birthday, evil is lurking, and one day a black cat appears, kidnaps the beloved Buttercup and takes her to the Land of Evil ruled by the villainous Head - a maniacal Cold War military bust who commands an army of mechanical, mustachioed cockroaches and an all-seeing spying eye. Both a spooky children’s fairy tale and Soviet-era allegory, In the Attic marks a career highpoint for Barta, who along with Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay made stop-motion animation an art form, and paved the way for modern hits like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

EAST COAST PREMIERE - Q&A with Jiri Barta following Mar 14 show!
Legendary Czech stop-motion animation master Jiri Barta’s first feature in over 20 years is a diabolically inventive tale, four parts Toy Story and one part David Lynch, as a group of abandoned toys stage an ambitious rescue of their kidnapped friend. Set behind the doors of a dusty attic, an adorable doll named Buttercup lives in a steamer trunk and plays mom to a motley group of friends: the station master Teddy Bear, lumpy clay-animated ball Schubert, and the Quixotic marionette knight Sir Handsome, who attacks his enemies valiantly with a sharpened pencil. But in this enchanted world where every day is a birthday, evil is lurking, and one day a black cat appears, kidnaps the beloved Buttercup and takes her to the Land of Evil ruled by the villainous Head - a maniacal Cold War military bust who commands an army of mechanical, mustachioed cockroaches and an all-seeing spying eye. Both a spooky children’s fairy tale and Soviet-era allegory, In the Attic marks a career highpoint for Barta, who along with Jan Svankmajer and the Brothers Quay made stop-motion animation an art form, and paved the way for modern hits like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

US PREMIERE - Set in 1931 Germany, this gripping, beautifully executed new feature from the director of NYICFF 2008 favorite, Grave Decisions, foreshadows coming fascism through the microcosm of a school. Based on the novel by Anna Maria Joki, the film centers on Alexander, an A class student who accidentally spills ink on a book he borrowed from a friend in the B class. Taking the easy way out, Alexander destroys the evidence and denies everything. This seemingly innocent and harmless lie has devastating consequences, as it is used as the basis for a hate campaign against the B class, ultimately hinting at situations far more serious than schoolyard politics. Dreamlike, darkly atmospheric visuals straight out of the German Expressionist tradition, with gothic lighting, long, shadowy corridors, abandoned factories and dusty shops, create a fable-like feeling both timeless and foreboding in this thought-provoking and highly-engaging parable about how lies, big and small, can accumulate and create unexpected consequences.

Comment: Some non-graphic violence and a brief sexually suggestive scene.

US PREMIERE - Set in 1931 Germany, this gripping, beautifully executed new feature from the director of NYICFF 2008 favorite, Grave Decisions, foreshadows coming fascism through the microcosm of a school. Based on the novel by Anna Maria Joki, the film centers on Alexander, an A class student who accidentally spills ink on a book he borrowed from a friend in the B class. Taking the easy way out, Alexander destroys the evidence and denies everything. This seemingly innocent and harmless lie has devastating consequences, as it is used as the basis for a hate campaign against the B class, ultimately hinting at situations far more serious than schoolyard politics. Dreamlike, darkly atmospheric visuals straight out of the German Expressionist tradition, with gothic lighting, long, shadowy corridors, abandoned factories and dusty shops, create a fable-like feeling both timeless and foreboding in this thought-provoking and highly-engaging parable about how lies, big and small, can accumulate and create unexpected consequences.

Comment: Some non-graphic violence and a brief sexually suggestive scene.

US PREMIERE - This sumptuously animated film about friendship and the passing of childhood is as “splendidly colorful and beautifully illustrated as a Monet landscape” (Hollywood Reporter). Director Sunao Katabuchi worked with Hayao Miyazaki as assistant director on Kiki’s Delivery Service, and the influences show, from Mai Mai’s stunning animation and exalting focus on nature, to the film’s happy/sad nostalgia for the endless days

US PREMIERE - This sumptuously animated film about friendship and the passing of childhood is as “splendidly colorful and beautifully illustrated as a Monet landscape” (Hollywood Reporter). Director Sunao Katabuchi worked with Hayao Miyazaki as assistant director on Kiki’s Delivery Service, and the influences show, from Mai Mai’s stunning animation and exalting focus on nature, to the film’s happy/sad nostalgia for the endless days of summer and the tender portrayal of a young girl at the transition between childhood and adult.

Shinko spends her days running barefoot among the endless green wheat fields in her small country village, imagining she is playing 1,000 years ago when the area was the local capital and home to a beautiful young princess. Shinko gets a new partner for her games when she befriends Kiiko, a shy transfer student from Tokyo whose nice clothes and modern luxuries immediately set her apart from the other kids. Together, the two girls spend their afternoons daydreaming, building dams, chasing animals, and living an otherwise idyllic life – until looming adolescent responsibility and grown-up truths begin to encroach on their make-believe world of princesses and castles, and it becomes increasingly difficult to disentangle fantasy from reality.

US PREMIERE - The creators of Ghost in the Shell mix exquisitely detailed 2D backgrounds with modern 3D character designs in a dazzling animated adventure that plays like Alice’s fall through the rabbit hole into a world of topsy-turvy, anime dream-logic. When Haruka misplaces a hand-mirror that was a keepsake from her mother, she stumbles upon a portal to the subterranean world of Oblivion Island, a place where strange masked creatures gather up all the childhood trinkets humans abandon as they grow older, and attend Dream Theaters where they can watch and feel the memories locked in these forgotten objects. The land is ruled by an evil overlord, The Baron, who craves the power created by the memories locked in Haruka’s cherished hand-mirror – a power that will allow him to rise beyond his world of discards and take over the world of humans! Aided by Teo, a lowly junk collector, and Cotton, her old stuffed animal brought back to life, Haruka struggles to recapture the mirror from the Baron, and to rediscover the fleeting moments of childhood love and friendship that are among life’s most precious treasures.

US PREMIERE - The creators of Ghost in the Shell mix exquisitely detailed 2D backgrounds with modern 3D character designs in a dazzling animated adventure that plays like Alice’s fall through the rabbit hole into a world of topsy-turvy, anime dream-logic. When Haruka misplaces a hand-mirror that was a keepsake from her mother, she stumbles upon a portal to the subterranean world of Oblivion Island, a place where strange masked creatures gather up all the childhood trinkets humans abandon as they grow older, and attend Dream Theaters where they can watch and feel the memories locked in these forgotten objects. The land is ruled by an evil overlord, The Baron, who craves the power created by the memories locked in Haruka’s cherished hand-mirror – a power that will allow him to rise beyond his world of discards and take over the world of humans! Aided by Teo, a lowly junk collector, and Cotton, her old stuffed animal brought back to life, Haruka struggles to recapture the mirror from the Baron, and to rediscover the fleeting moments of childhood love and friendship that are among life’s most precious treasures.

ALL NYICFF KELLS TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT. TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO KELLS MARCH 5-11 THEATRICAL RUN AT IFC CENTER, CLICK HERE.
"Rapturous! Stunning! A riot of color" - Village Voice
"One of the most beautiful works of animation ever!" - NY Press
"A Tour-de-Force! Absolutely luscious to behold!" - Variety

Don’t miss this award-winning animated masterpiece from the producers of Triplets of Belleville and Kirikou and the Sorceress! Magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes, in a sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times. Young Brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his deepest fears and venture into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. It is here that he meets the fairy Aisling, a mysterious young wolf-girl, who helps him fulfill his dangerous quest.

“Stunning! A cascade of light, color and wonder burst from the screen!”
- The Irish Times

“Visually Ravishing and Doused in Celtic Magic!” - Screen Daily

“Holds the spectator in a waking dream from beginning to end!” - Le Monde

ALL NYICFF KELLS TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT. TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO KELLS MARCH 5-11 THEATRICAL RUN AT IFC CENTER, CLICK HERE.
"Rapturous! Stunning! A riot of color" - Village Voice
"One of the most beautiful works of animation ever!" - NY Press
"A Tour-de-Force! Absolutely luscious to behold!" - Variety

Don’t miss this award-winning animated masterpiece from the producers of Triplets of Belleville and Kirikou and the Sorceress! Magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes, in a sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times. Young Brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his deepest fears and venture into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. It is here that he meets the fairy Aisling, a mysterious young wolf-girl, who helps him fulfill his dangerous quest.

"An exquisitely etched riot of color that evokes the rapturous, gaudy abandon of Klimt. Flowery meadows, wafting dandelion clocks, packs of baying wolves—all are grist for the film's palette of beauty." - Village Voice

"There is a lot to look at in The Secret of Kells. Nearly every frame is dense with curlicued and crosshatched patterns and figures. Your eye travels over Celtic crosses and through forest glades, and drinks in delicately washed landscapes. The human characters come in a variety of shapes and hues. Some are cute, some are sinister, some angular, some roly-poly. A few resemble science-fiction robots, while others look like pixies out of Japanese anime... Using the vivid colors and delicate lineations of the Book of Kells for inspiration, The Secret of Kells discloses strange new vistas that nonetheless seem to have existed since ancient times." - AO Scott, New York Times

“Stunning! A cascade of light, color and wonder burst from the screen!”
- The Irish Times

“Visually Ravishing and Doused in Celtic Magic!” - Screen Daily

“Holds the spectator in a waking dream from beginning to end!” - Le Monde

In this wonderfully tender, autobiographical coming-of-age story, a precocious young girl made wise beyond her years from a bohemian upbringing is forced to adjust when she enters a wealthy private school. Stella’s parents run a working-class bar filled with a revolving mix of artists, vagrants and drunks - so although she is flunking out of school, she has gained an alternate education in card games, cocktail recipes and pop music. Her world-weary attitude writes off most of her classmates as impossibly dull. The one exception is her new friend Gladys, who introduces Stella to Cocteau and Balzac, and awakens in her a newfound desire to escape the dissolute home life that continually threatens to drag her down.

The film features stunning cinematography, with an ethereal light that makes even the grimy bar floors and wood-paneled hotel rooms look like beautiful postcards to a bygone era, and is backed by a superb instrumental soundtrack infused with French disco hits. But the true standout is newcomer Léora Barbara, whose multifaceted performance as the wryly philosophical Stella is both prickly and loveable, a charming outsider you want desperately to succeed.

Comment: Film includes strong language, some sexual suggestiveness, violence, and adults frequently drinking and smoking.

In this wonderfully tender, autobiographical coming-of-age story, a precocious young girl made wise beyond her years from a bohemian upbringing is forced to adjust when she enters a wealthy private school. Stella’s parents run a working-class bar filled with a revolving mix of artists, vagrants and drunks - so although she is flunking out of school, she has gained an alternate education in card games, cocktail recipes and pop music. Her world-weary attitude writes off most of her classmates as impossibly dull. The one exception is her new friend Gladys, who introduces Stella to Cocteau and Balzac, and awakens in her a newfound desire to escape the dissolute home life that continually threatens to drag her down.

The film features stunning cinematography, with an ethereal light that makes even the grimy bar floors and wood-paneled hotel rooms look like beautiful postcards to a bygone era, and is backed by a superb instrumental soundtrack infused with French disco hits. But the true standout is newcomer Léora Barbara, whose multifaceted performance as the wryly philosophical Stella is both prickly and loveable, a charming outsider you want desperately to succeed.

Comment: Film includes strong language, some sexual suggestiveness, violence, and adults frequently drinking and smoking.

US PREMIERE - NYICFF 2010 opens with the scintillating new feature from emerging anime star Mamoru Hosoda, a film whose “dazzling fluency of motion and untethered brilliance of invention makes the usual fantasy anime look childish and dull.” (The Japan Times) Kenji is a teenage math prodigy recruited by his secret

US PREMIERE - NYICFF 2010 opens with the scintillating new feature from emerging anime star Mamoru Hosoda, a film whose “dazzling fluency of motion and untethered brilliance of invention makes the usual fantasy anime look childish and dull.” (The Japan Times) Kenji is a teenage math prodigy recruited by his secret crush Natsuki for the ultimate summer job – passing himself off as Natsuki’s boyfriend for four days during her grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration. But when Kenji solves a 2,056 digit math riddle sent to his cell phone, he unwittingly breaches the security barricade protecting Oz, a globe-spanning virtual world where millions of people and governments interact through their avatars, handling everything from online shopping and traffic control to national defense and nuclear launch codes. Now a malicious AI program called the Love Machine is hijacking Oz accounts, growing exponentially more powerful and sowing chaos and destruction in its wake.

This “intriguingly intelligent” cyberpunk/sci-fi story is a visual tour-de-force, with the amazing world of Oz as the highlight. Like the Internet as conceived by pop artist Haruki Murakami, Oz is a hallucinatory pixel parade of cool avatar designs, kung fu jackrabbits, toothy bears, and a bursting rainbow of colors.

Comment: Film contains animated violence and some mild language.


PARTY! After the film, join us for the Opening Night Gala, with delicious food & drinks for children and adults.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
A tantalizing collection of recent works from some of France’s most creative and influential animators. Anchoring the lineup, Sylvain Chomet’s The Old Lady and the Pigeons garnered top prizes at Annecy and BAFTA, an Oscar nomination, and paved the way for his next film, the ground breaking Triplets of Belleville. Also included are current Oscar nominated French Roast from Fabrice Joubert, the Oscar nominated Oktapodi, and additional award-winning shorts from cartoon masters Serge Elissalde, Marie Caillou, Jerome Boulbes and others.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
A tantalizing collection of recent works from some of France’s most creative and influential animators. Anchoring the lineup, Sylvain Chomet’s The Old Lady and the Pigeons garnered top prizes at Annecy and BAFTA, an Oscar nomination, and paved the way for his next film, the ground breaking Triplets of Belleville. Also included are current Oscar nominated French Roast from Fabrice Joubert, the Oscar nominated Oktapodi, and additional award-winning shorts from cartoon masters Serge Elissalde, Marie Caillou, Jerome Boulbes and others.

The Old Lady and the Pigeons - OSCAR NOMINATED
Sylvain Chomet, 1998, 25 min

French Roast – NY PREMIERE – 2010 OSCAR NOMINATED
Fabrice Joubert, 2008, 8 min

Joseph's Snails – US PREMIERE
Sophie Roze, 2009, 12 min

Black Tea – US PREMIERE
Serge Elissalde, 2008, 5 min

Masks
Jérôme Boulbès, 2009, 7.5 min

Marika and the Wolf
Marie Calliou, 2003, 6.5 min

Oktapodi – OSCAR NOMINATED
Bocabeille/Chanioux/Delabarre/Marchand/Marmier/Mokhberi, 2007, 3 min

White Birds, Black Birds
Florence Miailhe, 2002, 4 min

A Mouse's Tail
Benjamin Renner, 2007, 4 min


Comment: Subject matter in some films may not be appropriate for audiences under age 8.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
This psychedelic landmark in feature animation by René Laloux has become a cult classic, with its trippy sci-fi tale of humans enslaved by an alien race of super-intelligent blue giants and treated as dumb pets. When one human child escapes from his master he opens up a new world of knowledge to the humans and sparks a rebellion.

Like an ethereal cross between Planet of the Apes and Yellow Submarine, the film captures the contemporary zeitgeist with bands of scrappy humans battling their highly-evolved, meditating, gill-eared overlords through a sinuous alien landscape filled with bizarre Hieronymus Bosch plant and animal life, all painstakingly rendered in beautifully detailed crosshatch drawings. This visionary and beautiful work won the Grand Prix at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and remains a mind-bendingly entertaining touchstone of counterculture art.

Comment: Animated nudity, including non-explicit alien “nuptial rituals”, comes across more “art museum” than titillating. Also some violence.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
This psychedelic landmark in feature animation by René Laloux has become a cult classic, with its trippy sci-fi tale of humans enslaved by an alien race of super-intelligent blue giants and treated as dumb pets. When one human child escapes from his master he opens up a new world of knowledge to the humans and sparks a rebellion.

Like an ethereal cross between Planet of the Apes and Yellow Submarine, the film captures the contemporary zeitgeist with bands of scrappy humans battling their highly-evolved, meditating, gill-eared overlords through a sinuous alien landscape filled with bizarre Hieronymus Bosch plant and animal life, all painstakingly rendered in beautifully detailed crosshatch drawings. This visionary and beautiful work won the Grand Prix at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival and remains a mind-bendingly entertaining touchstone of counterculture art.

Comment: Animated nudity, including non-explicit alien “nuptial rituals”, comes across more “art museum” than titillating. Also some violence.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
NYICFF is proud to present a rare screening of Jean-François Laguionie’s trance-like masterpiece, Gwen, le livre de sable, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the prestigious Annecy animation festival. Gwen is a young girl born into a tribe of desert nomads wandering in a surreal, post-apocalyptic world where enormous, broken relics from some giant past civilization rain down upon the dunes in lightening storms called the Makou, or “Terrible Thing.” When her friend is kidnapped by the Makou, Gwen leaves the tribe and sets out with a mysterious old woman on a journey through the desert to save him. Laguionie used gouache, a medium that’s a cross between watercolor and pastel, to create a breathtaking work of art that feels like a moving painting. Windswept vistas are punctuated by radiantly colorful animals and the film exudes an air of melancholy mystery that is as close to pure poetry as cinema can get.

Shown with:
MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY - Bastien Dubois, France, 2009, 11 min

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
NYICFF is proud to present a rare screening of Jean-François Laguionie’s trance-like masterpiece, Gwen, le livre de sable, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the prestigious Annecy animation festival. Gwen is a young girl born into a tribe of desert nomads wandering in a surreal, post-apocalyptic world where enormous, broken relics from some giant past civilization rain down upon the dunes in lightening storms called the Makou, or “Terrible Thing.” When her friend is kidnapped by the Makou, Gwen leaves the tribe and sets out with a mysterious old woman on a journey through the desert to save him. Laguionie used gouache, a medium that’s a cross between watercolor and pastel, to create a breathtaking work of art that feels like a moving painting. Windswept vistas are punctuated by radiantly colorful animals and the film exudes an air of melancholy mystery that is as close to pure poetry as cinema can get.

Shown with:
MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY - Bastien Dubois, France, 2009, 11 min

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
The first feature from Azur & Asmar creator Michel Ocelot is one of the most stunningly beautiful, poetic and entertaining films ever created for children, and ushered in a modern renaissance in French feature animation.

The film is an exquisitely animated African tale of a small boy, Kirikou, with extraordinary abilities. When he discovers that his village is cursed by Karaba, a terrifying sorceress, Kirikou sets off on an adventure to rid the village of Karaba’s curse by understanding what has made her so angry. With an original soundtrack by Youssou N’Dour, Kirikou and the Sorceress is winner of dozens of animation awards, including the Grand Prix at Annecy, and has become an absolute classic of animated cinema. NYICFF first premiered Kirikou at the 2000 festival and Michel Ocelot is currently a member of the NYICFF jury.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
The first feature from Azur & Asmar creator Michel Ocelot is one of the most stunningly beautiful, poetic and entertaining films ever created for children, and ushered in a modern renaissance in French feature animation.

The film is an exquisitely animated African tale of a small boy, Kirikou, with extraordinary abilities. When he discovers that his village is cursed by Karaba, a terrifying sorceress, Kirikou sets off on an adventure to rid the village of Karaba’s curse by understanding what has made her so angry. With an original soundtrack by Youssou N’Dour, Kirikou and the Sorceress is winner of dozens of animation awards, including the Grand Prix at Annecy, and has become an absolute classic of animated cinema. NYICFF first premiered Kirikou at the 2000 festival and Michel Ocelot is currently a member of the NYICFF jury.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
The award-winning first feature from director Jacques-Rémy Girerd, founder of Folimage animation studio and director of last year’s stunning Opening Night film Mia and the Migoo, is a delicate and charming tale of an old sea captain who unwittingly becomes a modern day Noah when a torrential flood washes over the planet and the animals from the local zoo escape into his floating house. But all is not peaceful aboard the comically tower-shaped houseboat, and when a code of strict vegetarianism is imposed to protect the gentler animals, their carnivorous shipmates plot mutiny. Winner of prizes at Berlin and Ottawa and showcased at over a dozen of the world's top festivals, the film took over six years to create, and was the first animated film in two decades to be made entirely in France.

THE ANIMAUTEURS: 50 YEARS OF FRENCH ANIMATION
The award-winning first feature from director Jacques-Rémy Girerd, founder of Folimage animation studio and director of last year’s stunning Opening Night film Mia and the Migoo, is a delicate and charming tale of an old sea captain who unwittingly becomes a modern day Noah when a torrential flood washes over the planet and the animals from the local zoo escape into his floating house. But all is not peaceful aboard the comically tower-shaped houseboat, and when a code of strict vegetarianism is imposed to protect the gentler animals, their carnivorous shipmates plot mutiny. Winner of prizes at Berlin and Ottawa and showcased at over a dozen of the world's top festivals, the film took over six years to create, and was the first animated film in two decades to be made entirely in France.

SHORTS IN COMPETITION: SHORTS FOR TOTS - A kaleidoscopic showcase of the best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 3-6. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

SHORTS IN COMPETITION: SHORTS FOR TOTS - A kaleidoscopic showcase of the best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 3-6. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

Lost and Found
UK - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Philip Hunt, 2008, 24 min
A sweet and tender tale of love and adventure, based on the award-winning book by Oliver Jeffers. A young boy finds a penguin at his doorstep and decides to return him to the South Pole in a handmade rowboat, encountering along the way a tremendous storm, indifferent oil tankers, and a giant octopus who turns out to be a friend.

Mr. Shape
Japan - WORLD PREMIERE
Animated, Motohiro Shirakawa, 2009, 3 min
There are various shapes in the world. These shapes can break, unite and change its shape, it's their own style! With a little surprise and discovery, by simple method, to make viewers feel fun!

Electric Car
USA - EAST COAST PREMIERE
Animated, Max Porter/ Ru Kuwahata, 2009, 3.5 min
This insanely catchy music video from They Might Be Giants uses mixed media animation, as an electric car rolls across the landscape and a girl and her dog welcome the world to join them on a journey into a new day.

Booo
Sweden - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Alicja Jaworski, 2009, 7 min
Bouncy little Booo wants to play with the bigger bunnies and tries his best to keep up, despite their taunts and teases. But when the older bunnies get into trouble with a scary dog, Booo gets to show them what he is made of.

Cherry on The Cake
UK - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Hyebin Lee, 2009, 7.5 min
It's Cherry's birthday and she's excited about spending it with her family. But Mom and Dad and Sister and Brother are all caught up in their own worlds, and the smaller Cherry feels, the smaller she gets. Will she disappear all together?

Animals
Sweden – US PREMIERE
Animated, Kristofer Strom, 2008, 5 min
Super cool, color-saturated blob-like creatures whack each other on the head, throb and weave to a techno vibe, against a live action urban backdrop.

Bigbox Singsong John
Canada - US PREMIERE
Animated, Warren Brown, 2009, 1 min
His name is John. He’s not a leprechaun. He just happens to think a pipe and a hat are cool.

The Happy Duckling
UK - EAST COAST PREMIERE
Animated, Gili Dolev, 2008, 9 min
In this colorful computer animated film designed to look like a pop-up book, a boy is pursued by a very persistent duck who does not realize the danger he is in.

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: SHORT FILMS ONE - The best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 5-10. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: SHORT FILMS ONE - The best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 5-10. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

Runaway
Canada - NY Premiere
Animated, Cordell Barker, 2009, 9 min
In this cartoon metaphor for capitalism run amok, happy passengers are having a great time on a speeding train, oblivious to the unknown fate that awaits them around the bend. The ensuing crisis leads to a class struggle that is as amusing as it is merciless.

The Bird That Could Tell Fortunes
Iran - NY PREMIERE
Live Action, Annette Mari Olsen, 2007, 28 min
Every day after school Sadjad and his friends meet at the square in front of the largest Mosque in the city to sell fortunes to passersby, proverbs of the great Persian poet Hafez picked at random from a box. Through great perseverance Sadjad saves his money and buys a beautiful green bird, who he names Bolbol and trains to pick fortunes. The bird brings him luck and wisdom, and they soon become the closest of friends.

Veeti and the Beanstalk
Finland - US PREMIERE
Animated, Live Action, Susanna Kotilainen, 2009, 13 min
Brimming with warmth, this mixed media, stop-motion film uses visual humor to tenderly convey the emotions of loss, love and hope. Veeti´s mother cries so much that their house becomes flooded and rivers of tears start to flow from the windows. Try as he might, Veeti can’t make her stop. So he decks her out in galoshes and snorkle gear and grows a magical tree to the clouds to escape the deluge.

Lebensader
Germany - US PREMIERE
Animated, Angela Steffen, 2009, 6 min
A little girl finds the whole world in a leaf.

Chicken Cowboy
USA
Animated, Stephen Neary, 2008, 6 min
Shelly the chicken wasn't looking for a fight, but he found one. Can he face his fears and stand up for himself? Multi-award winning student animation from NYU’s Stephen Neary.

The Crab that Played With the Sea
France - US Premiere
Animated, Jean-Jacques Prunes, 2008, 13 min
Before the high and far-off times, O my Best Beloved, came the time of the Very Beginnings, and that was in the days when the Eldest Magician was getting things ready. First he got the Earth ready, then he got the Sea ready, and then he told all the Animals that they could come out and play. Beautiful animation based on Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories.

Dahlia
USA
Experimental, Michael Langan, 2009, 3 min
A moving portrait of the bustle and permanence of a city, Dahlia juxtaposes the forms and patterns of urban life with the frenetic activity of human behavior. Or something like that. Really, it’s just fun to watch!

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: SHORT FILMS TWO - The best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 8-14. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: SHORT FILMS TWO - The best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 8-14. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

O'Moro
France - US PREMIERE
Animated, Christophe Calissoni, Eva Offredo, 2009, 12 min
A tall and silent policeman called The Moor has to arrest thieves, vagrants, and lovers under the orders of a petty commandant. But across the Mediterranean the warm winds of Africa beckon, and one morning at the harbor, he meets a gypsy woman who will change his destiny.

The Inflatable Grandma
Spain - US PREMIERE
Live Action, Telmo Esnal, 2009, 9 min
On a family camping trip, the kids are driving their parents crazy. Dad knows just what to do.

Mokopuna
New Zealand – US PREMIERE
Live Action, Ainsley Gardiner, 2009, 10 min
After befriending a young Maori boy at her school, Mary becomes curious about his culture. But when he turns his curiosity towards her, it soon becomes clear that Mary is not quite ready to embrace her own roots.

Pig Me(at)
Denmark - EAST COAST PREMIERE
Animated, Mette Rank Tange, Rebecca Bang Sorensen, 2009, 7 min
A pig escapes from a slaughter house and finds his way to the safety of a pet shop, but soon realizes that nobody wants to buy a pig. What is the solution? Will anybody love this loveable pig?

Feet on the Ground
France - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Franz Kirchner, 2008, 5 min
What do you do when you wake up and your whole world is turned on end?

A Film About Poo
UK – US PREMIERE
Animated, Anne Wilkins, Emily Howells, 2009, 1.3 min
This is a film about poo and the things that you should and shouldn't do.

Art
Canada - US PREMIERE
Animated, Andrea Dorfman, 2008, 2.5 min
This sweet handmade music video for Halifax indie singer/songwriter Tanya Davis is Juno soundtrack meets middle school art class, and chock full of hummable love.

The Nature of Battle
Canada – US PREMIERE
Animated, Nat Dart, 2008, 3 min
In a ruined world where mankind has brought destruction upon themselves, new hope arrives in the form of a seed.

Varmints
UK – NY PREMIERE
Animated, Marc Craste, 2008, 24 min
From Studio AKA and BAFTA-winner Marc Craste, Varmints tells the story of one small creature’s struggle to preserve a world in danger of being lost forever through recklessness and indifference. Based on the book by Helen Ward.

Comment: Subject matter in some films may not be appropriate for audiences under age 8.

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: FLICKER LOUNGE - A selection of the best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 12 to adult. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: FLICKER LOUNGE - A selection of the best short film and animation from around the world, for ages 12 to adult. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

Time of Eve
Japan - US PREMIERE
Animated, Yasuhiro Yoshiura, 2008, 15 min
In this impeccably drawn, pitch perfect anime, high school students Rikuo and Masaki discover the Time of Eve, a mysterious café where humans and androids are treated as equals – in direct conflict with social mores, as well as the dictates of the powerful Robot Ethics Committee.

The Little Dragon
France - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Bruno Collet, 2009, 8 min
In this kung-fu spoof, an old Bruce Lee action figure comes to life and kicks some ass, despite a deteriorating rubber body. Epic battles include a long awaited rematch with cardboard Chuck Norris. Haay-yah!

Hitchhikers Choice
Sweden/UK– NY PREMIERE
Animated, Kristofer Strom, 2008, 3 min
This tour-de-force in DIY white board animation is a music video for Swedish progressive house techno-minimalists Minilogue.

Screen Test
Germany - US PREMIERE
Animated, Steffen Schaeffler, 2009, 3.5 min
A passionate amateur auditions for the leading part in a costume drama.

My 13
France - US PREMIERE
Live Action, Rudi Rosenberg, 2007, 10 min
She loves me, she loves me not… Thirteen year-old Jonathan has a bad crush on the cutest girl in school and needs to know if she feels the same. When he sneaks into her room and steals her diary, he gets quite a bit more information than he bargained for. Rambunctious treat of a movie is fueled by a great retro 80’s soundtrack, naturalistic performances, and a neat twist of plot guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The Lost Tribes of New York City
USA
Stop Motion, Carolyn London, Andy London, 2009, 3 min
Humorously revealing “animadoc” recalls Aardman’s Creature Comforts, as the voices of anonymous New Yorkers are brought to life with stop-motion animated pay phones, fire hydrants, suitcases, and other familiar objects.

Madagascar,A Journey Diary
France - EAST COAST PREMIERE
Animated, Bastien Dubois, 2009, 11 min
This visual travel diary uses gorgeous rotoscope animation to capture the luxuriant landscapes of Madagascar, as a Western traveler explores and observes the people, culture and customs of this foreign land.

Photograph of Jesus
UK
Documentary/Photo Montage, Laurie Hill, 2008, 7 min
A wryly hilarious photo montage, documentary-fantasy based on odd, actual requests to the Getty photo archives, such as: Can you provide a photograph of… Jesus, Jack the Ripper, a live dodo in the wild, Adolf Hitler at the 1948 Olympic Games, the Loch Ness Monster.

Star Games
UK
Experimental, Jasmin Jodry, 2008, 3 min
Tron-looking, techno-fantastic, Esther Williams, retro sci-fi rave, with fluorescent planets and zeppelin spaceships beaming up bathing-beauties in a ray of ecstasy.

The Employment
Argentina - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Santiago Bou Grasso, 2008, 6.5 min
In this highly amusing bit of social commentary, a man begins a normal workday, immersed in a world where the use of people as objects is part of everyday life.

Comment: Some films contain strong language and subject matter that may not be appropriate for audiences under 12.

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: HEEBIE JEEBIES - A selection of strange and scary short films from around the world for ages 10 to adult. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: HEEBIE JEEBIES - A selection of strange and scary short films from around the world for ages 10 to adult. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

Next Floor
Canada – NY PREMIERE - WINNER CANNES!
Live Action, Denis Villenueve, 2008, 12 min
During an opulent and luxurious banquet, eleven pampered guests participate in ritualistic gastronomic carnage. Winner Best Short at Cannes Film Festival.

Batmilk
Canada - US PREMIERE
Animated, Brandon Blommaert, 2008, 2 min
Cute turns creepy! As black snowflakes fall, a soul escapes ghost-like, eyes melt away, and a creature dies. But then a new pink baby falls from the sky, reattaches, and the ghoul is reborn.

Man in the Tunnel Alley
Japan - US PREMIERE
Animated, Kenji Iwaisawa, 2008, 5 min
Kenji Iwaisawa’s restless tale of robot love has been collecting international awards with its freaky-cool atmosphere and rain of stone Buddha’s. By tracing live-action film with highly-detailed line drawings, film captures a kind of yearning indifference and suspends the viewer between the real and unreal.

Mortified
UK - US PREMIERE
Live Action, Robert Nevitt, 2008, 2.5 min
A group of children playing hide and seek in an old house are stalked by the house's monstrous owner. For one of them, however, the day is about to get a whole lot worse.

The Six Dollar Fifty Man
New Zealand - EAST COAST PREMIERE - WINNER SUNDANCE!
Live Action, Mark Albiston/Louis Sutherland, 2009, 15 min
Fresh from its win at Sundance, this intense short explores what it means to be different in the ruthless jungle of the schoolyard playground. Set in 1970s New Zealand, the film follows Andy, an outcast who lives in his own warped, super-hero fantasy world, where bullies cannot harm him and he can remain faithful to his lone friend Mary. This remarkable film features a riveting performance by the young lead, whose rage and vulnerability are palpable as he breaks through his isolation to confront the real world.

Alma
Spain - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Rodrigo Blaas, 2009, 5 min
Alma, a little girl, is intrigued by a strange doll in an antique toy shop window. Fascinated, Alma decides to enter...

Atormenta
Spain - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Cesar Diaz Melendez, Isabel Herrida Carrion, 2009, 1 min
She is waiting for you. Your time is over.

Fard
France - US PREMIERE
Animated, Luis Briceno, David Alapont, 2009, 13 min
In a near future, the world seems to work in an effective and controlled way... but under the surface darkness lurks.

Muto
Italy - NY PREMIERE
Animated, Blu, 2008, 7 min
Life-size graffiti animation painted over the course of weeks on public walls in Buenos Aires.

The Terrible Thing of Alpha 9
USA
Animated, Jake Armstrong, 2009, 5 min
In this student film from New Yorker, Jake Armstrong, an interstellar bounty hunter goes out in search of a killer space monster.

Comment: Subject matter in some films may not be appropriate for audiences under age 10.

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: GIRLS' POINT OF VIEW - The best new film from around the world for ages 10 to adult. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION: GIRLS' POINT OF VIEW - The best new film from around the world for ages 10 to adult. All audience members receive voting ballots to select the NYICFF 2010 winning films! Program includes:

See You
Denmark – US Premiere
Live Action, Jesper Rasmussen, 2008, 34 min
When fourteen year-old Nete’s twin brother is killed in an accident, her world collapses. Months later, she begins a new school. The same day a new boy, Jonas, also arrives. To everyone else, he is just the new boy – but Nete is in deep shock at what she sees

Malban
France - US PREMIERE
Animated, Elodie Bouedec, 2008, 8 min
Breathtakingly beautiful animation has garnered this film a string of international festival prizes. A young girl is spending the holidays with her mother and brother in their beach house. One evening an unknown man arrives seeking the Island of the Birds, a place of memories and dreams.

Popcorn and Periods
Denmark - US PREMIERE
Animated, Martin Strange-Hansen, 2008, 3 min
Pinly goes to the movies with her dad and has a Most Embarrassing Experience.

My Queen
Brazil - NY PREMIERE
Live Action, Cecilia Amado, 2008, 11 min
A young girl looks forward to her big debut evening, flag-dancing in Rio de Janeiro carnival, but things don't turn out the way she imagined. A tender and lyrical portrait of first love, dreams and disillusionment.

Post It Love
UK - NY PREMIERE
Live Action, Simon Atkinson, Adam Townley, 2008, 3 min
Girl meets boy in quirky office romance. Two like minded souls, too shy to approach each other, find a new way to show their love.

Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven
Sweden - US PREMIERE
Animated, Angela Bravo, 2009, 9 min
A young girl shares her thoughts on the intangible world between life and death.

Plastic
Autralia
Animated, Live Action, Sandy Widyanata, 2008, 7 min
A young woman getting ready for a date is obsessing frantically over her appearance. In frustration, she gouges her fingers into her face and suddenly realizes that she is made of putty – she can sculpt her appearance into any shape she desires


Comment: Subject matter in some films may not be appropriate for audiences under age 10.