International Children’s Film Festival showcases 44 films
The first International Children’s Film Festival will be Oct. 20 and 21 at the Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic Center.
It will feature 44 international films from 19 countries for children ages 2-10.
The ICFilmFest will include four age-appropriate shorts programs featuring films as diverse as “One Shoe Blues,” with music by B.B. King; “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed,” based on the popular book by Mo Willems; and “All the World,” an animated short narrated by Joanne Woodward.
This year’s festival offers two shorts programs for ages 2-5, “Storytime Express” and “Friends Forever.” There will be one short film program for children ages 5-8, “Secrets and Surprises,” and one for children ages 8-10, “Touch of Genius.”
Tickets cost $6 for adults and $2 for children. The Cultural & Civic Center is off Hook Drive, north of Rollins Road and just west of Route 83. Visit www.rlbciviccenter.org or call (847) 201-9032.
In addition to the films, activities before each film, as well as discussion afterward, will round out the festivities.
“We’ve culled some of the best of the best films made internationally to bring a truly exciting international film festival to families in Round Lake Beach. We know that parents care about the quality of what their kids watch. A film festival is a great way to entertain children while opening their minds to the world in new ways,” said ICMC Executive Director Nicole Dreiske.
Children will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite films, with voting taking place immediately following each program. Based on the results, three prizes will be awarded: best live action short film, best animated film and best film for children ages 2-5. ICFilmFest winners will be announced on both the Cultural & Civic Center and ICMC websites.
Presented by the Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic Center, the ICFilmFest is produced in association with the International Children’s Media Center and curated by Dreiske. The ICFilmFest is supported by the Richard Driehaus Foundation at the MacArthur Foundation.
ICFilm Festival Schedule:
타 “Storytime Express: 10:30 a.m. Oct. 20 for ages 2-5; 60 minutes. It features 10 animated films from seven countries.
타 “Secrets and Surprises”: 11:15 a.m. Oct. 20 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21 for ages 5-8; 73 minutes. Ten films from eight countries make up this program of both live action and animated shorts.
타 Friends Forever: 2 p.m. Oct. 21 for ages 2-5; 60 minutes. This fun-filled program includes 12 live action and animated shorts from six countries
타 Touch of Genius: 12:30 p.m. Oct. 20 and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 21 for ages 8-10; 69 minutes. Catch all 12 live action and animated films from 10 countries.