Explore New Worlds with Feature Films, Shorts, Workshops, and Presentations
The Providence Children’s Film Festival (PCFF) makes its return trip this February bringing exciting films from around the world, hands-on filmmaking workshops and engaging pre- and post-film presentations to southern New England. This year’s “Cosmic Celebration of Film” runs February 6-21, 2016, offering families more than eight days of fun film-watching during February school vacation. Now in its 7th year, the Festival presents the highest quality independent films for ages 3-18, but appeals to all audiences with compelling stories and worldwide adventures.
PCFF inspires young filmmakers with two days of filmmaking workshops for children ages 6 to 14 on the weekend of February 13th and 14th. In addition, PCFF will host a juried Youth Filmmaker Showcase during the Festival to nurture and promote the work of young filmmakers from around the world.
Bringing the world to Rhode Island and fostering film literacy
In just seven years, PCFF has become one of the nation’s top multi-day film festivals dedicated to programming for young audiences, now rivaling children’s film festivals in New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles.
This year’s programming is as international as ever and brings to area youth a wide range of storytelling and experiences from around the globe, including India, Paraguay, Netherlands, Brazil and more. The Festival will also feature a variety of genres and forms—classic cinema, live action, animation, and documentary—paired with an expanded offering of “Film Talks,” PCFF’s own brand of post-screening discussions and presentations that aim to engage the audience, deepen understanding of subject matter and foster critical thinking skills.
Some highlights of the 2016 Festival:
- T.I.M. – The Incredible Machine (Science Fiction Adventure) Ages 10 +
This futuristic film about friendship and hope presented with Blade Runner-esque grit, depicts a world where robots are as prolific as cell phones are today. T.I.M. is a house robot and has been 11-year-old Tibor’s lifelong friend since his mother passed away when he was young. Sadly when T.I.M. needs a major repair and Tibor is faced with a robot replacement, he flees home with T.I.M. to seek his creator with hopes of rejuvenation. What he finds on this peril filled search instead is the true meaning of friendship and what it feels like to be “human.”
Landfill Harmonic
- LANDFILL HARMONIC (Drama/Biography) Ages 10+
The world generates about a billion tons of garbage a year. Those who live with it and from it are the poor–like the people of Cateura, Paraguay. This documentary follows the lives of a garbage picker, a music teacher and a group of children from a Paraguayan slum that, out of necessity, started creating instruments entirely out of garbage and become a world traveling orchestra troupe. This is a beautiful story about the transformative power of music, which also highlights two vital issues of our times: poverty and waste pollution.
Rainbow
- RAINBOW (Dhanak) (Drama) Ages 10+
Winner of Best Youth Film at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival!
Prepare for an adventure in India with two orphaned siblings (10-year-old Pari and her brother, 8-year-old Chotu) who leave an abusive aunt in search for medical help to bring back Chotu’s eyesight. Part magical tale and with a dash of mystical hope, they encounter the best and the worst of Indian society on their pursuit of a Bollywood star who offers hope of assistance. Along the way you can just feel the heat, smell the curries and enjoy the colors and music from the other side of the world.
- THE BOY IN THE MIRROR (Action/Adventure/Drama) Ages 10+
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Set in the 1930’s in a small Brazilian town, ten-year-old Fernando is a precocious boy with faithful friends and a strict, yet loving family. His desire to tinker, explore and experiment are constantly landing him in trouble. A resolution to this perpetual cycle of penance presents itself when a “twin Fernando” arrives unexpectedly. He willingly accepts the role of serving Fernando’s time (detention, grounded in his room, at school) while Fernando lives a life of indulgence (fishing and forts). All goes well until it doesn’t! This is a comedy with a tender heart and a tinge of adolescent humor.![The Year We Thought About Love]()
The Year We Thought About Love
- THE YEAR WE THOUGHT ABOUT LOVE (Documentary) Ages 13+
What happens when a diverse group of LGBTQ youth dares to be “out” on stage to reveal their lives and their loves? THE YEAR WE THOUGHT ABOUT LOVE goes behind the scenes of one of the oldest queer youth theaters in America, with camera crew slipping into classrooms, kitchens, subways, and rehearsal rooms with this fearless and endearing troupe. Boston-based True Colors OUT Youth Theater transforms daily struggles into performance for social change. Brave, inspiring, and funny…these are the inspiring LGBT youth that are leading us into the future.
Films will screen at three venues conveniently located in one neighborhood: Metcalf Auditorium in the RISD Museum Chace Center, 20 North Main Street; Gilder Center for the Arts, 216 Hope Street; and Avon Cinema, 260 Thayer Street.
Tickets go on sale in mid-January 2016.
Grant Funders, Sponsors, and Community Partners for 2016: Carter Family Charitable Trust, Entelco Foundation, June Rockwell Levy Foundation, Providence Tourism Council, Rhode Island Council for the Humanities (RICH), Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA), Avon Cinema, BankRI, Embee Studio, Campus Fine Wines, 4 eyes design, Fire Works Catering, Jake and Company, Hasbro, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Kidoinfo, Media Smart Libraries, New Economy CPA, Piper Brown Photography, Providence Children’s Museum, Providence Athenaeum, Providence Media, Residential Properties, RISD Museum, RISD FAV Department, Rhode Island Office of Library Information Services, Seven Stars Bakery, Flatbread Company, Whole Foods Market, YELP!
School Partners: Bishop Hendricken High School, Gordon School, French American School of RI, Jewish Community Day School of RI, Moses Brown School, Wheeler School.
Kids are part of the Jury!
At PCFF, youth have a voice from beginning to end in the selection of films. PCFF’s Junior Jury is composed of young film enthusiasts ages 5 to17. At most children’s film festivals children only serve on award juries, but PCFF’s Junior Jury gives children a unique opportunity and responsibility: working alongside an adult committee to select the final festival program from among hundreds of films submitted each year.
PCFF offers clear parental guidance
Children’s films are not always appropriate for all ages. PCFF film listings include recommended ages, notes on thematic elements, and descriptions of potentially challenging content to help parents make informed decisions about what their children see. For more information, visit www.pcffri.org.
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