Grab your popcorn and little ones, it’s film festival time! The annual New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) is back for its 24th year. From March 5 to 14, the Festival provides children with a variety of animated, live-action, and documentary features. The films typically premiere in theaters throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, but this year they are available to watch online.
The NYICFF is a non-profit arts organization founded in 1997. It focuses on engaging children and teens in thought-provoking and culturally relevant films from all around the world. The program receives over 2,500 international submissions every year. Submissions are narrowed down to roughly 100 short films, feature films and other interactive events. The range of films and shorts are tailored to all ages, some for kiddos as young as three years old.
Festival Changes This Year
The 2021 Film Festival is all about identities. Every selected film centers around children discovering their cultural histories, defining their own identities and shaping their futures with the past. This is a great opportunity to spark a conversation about your family’s culture with your little one.
As with everything, this year the NYICFF is a little different than it was in years past. The 2021 Film Festival is available nationwide and is completely virtual for the first time ever. The programs, including feature films, short films, and Q&As with filmmakers, can all be viewed on the NYICFF streaming site from most systems, devices, and browsers. Check out their comprehensive guide to viewing for a step-by-step guide.
Special Film Program: Shorts for Tots
Unlike traditional film festivals, the NYICFF is specifically for children ages 3 to 18. It includes “Shorts for Tots”, an exciting program especially for young viewers and their families. Young film buffs will be entranced by these shorts, each running from two to seven minutes, and can be viewed on demand. A few featured shorts include:
Kenya’s Symphony
A stubborn five-year-old reluctantly heads off to a performance with her mom, but when the music starts, will a passion bloom?
The Yogi Walrus
Little Emi craves ice cream and always wants more. Learning to savor is the cherry on top.
A Lynx in the Town
You’ve heard of King Kong, now meet this king cat, a giant feline who falls for the big city, with its skyscraper scratching posts and inhabitants who marvel at her size.
Accessing the Festivities
The NYICFF is coming to your living room from March 5 to 14. Everything you need to know about programs, screenings, events and how to purchase passes can be found on the NYICFF website. Most programs in the film festival are available on demand and can be viewed up to 48 hours after you click “play.” Tickets are available for individual screenings and start at $18 per viewing. You can also check out an All Access Pass, starting at $40, for access to the entire film and event lineup. Happy viewing!
Syra Taub has been an editorial intern with Mommybites since May 2020. She is originally from Los Angeles, CA and moved to NYC to attend New York University, where she is currently a senior majoring in English and American Literature and minoring in teacher education. Syra has always loved working with children, and was previously a teacher at a preschool summer camp and an assistant teacher in a number of classrooms. When she isn’t teaching, Syra loves reading, writing, traveling, and baking way too much.
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