Over two hundred of the very best films for kids from 42 countries will be shown in the ten-day Chicago International Children’s Film Festival from Friday, October 21 to Sunday, October 30, 2011, at Facets Multi-Media (1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago) and seven other Chicago-area locations. The 237 films in the program were selected from over 1,000 submissions. The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival celebrates its 28th year in 2011 as the oldest and largest festival of films for children in North America.
Feature films from Denmark, France, Canada, Germany, Norway, Mexico, Croatia, Finland, India, and the Netherlands are featured along with programs of animated and live-action short films from around the world. A special series of programs focuses on films made by kids. Four separate programs of short films for the youngest viewers are featured in the My First Movies series for children ages 2-5.
Workshops in acting, beginning animation, computer animation, and stop motion are featured in special weekend Take One! Workshops.
Some of the Festival highlights include A Tribute to French Animation (with the Chicago premiere of a new feature-length animated film, A Cat in Paris), a Flick or Treat event at the Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago) just prior to the “Trick or Treat on Southport,” and the North American premiere of The Great Bear, a huge prize-winner at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
All children attending the Festival are asked to vote for the “Best of the Fest” award, which will be presented at the concluding ceremony of the Festival. Over 100 filmmakers are expected to attend the Festival from around the world.
Admission is $9.00 for adults and $6.00 for children. For further information call 773-281-9075 ext. 3011. The complete Festival schedule is available at www.facets.org/kids or by calling 773-281-9075.
The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival is presented, in part, with the support of American Airlines, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council, the Alphawood Foundation, The Polk Bros. Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, The Academy Foundation and individual contributions.