Jul
31
Estrellita
SYNOPSIS Estrellita, (or Little Star) tells a piercing story about the constant threat of family separation and deportation for undocumented farmworkers in Vermont. Seen through the eyes of a little girl growing up on a dairy farm, the story begins in an idyllic wonderland of childhood adventure that turns dark when a powerful force raids the farm to capture her father. https://vimeo.com/276050194 SCREENING INFORMATION Friday, August 23, 2019 1:30 pm Town Hall Theater CREDITS Director: Daniel Houghton (will attend the festival) Writer: Daniel Houghton Producer: Daniel Houghton FILM INFORMATION Genre: Animated Short Length: 8 min Location: USA Languages: English, Spanish
Jul
31
Liyana
SYNOPSIS A Swazi girl embarks on a dangerous quest to rescue her young twin brothers. This animated African tale is born in the imaginations of five orphaned children in Swaziland who collaborate to tell a story of perseverance drawn from their darkest memories and brightest dreams. Their fictional character’s journey is interwoven with poetic and observational documentary scenes to create a genre-defying celebration of collective storytelling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjT9RtV9gs4 SCREENING INFORMATION Kids & Family Day Wednesday, August 21, 2019 1:00 pm Marquis Main NOTE: This film is part of MNFF’s Kids & Family Day [Ages 10+] CREDITS Directors: Aaron Kopp, Amanda Kopp…
Jul
31
Ruben Brandt, Collector
SYNOPSIS Ruben Brandt, a famous psychotherapist, is forced to steal 13 paintings from the world's renowned museums to prevent the terrible nightmares he has as a result of subliminal messaging he received as a child. Four of his patients, expert thieves, offer to steal the works, since he believes that once he owns them, the nightmares will disappear. He becomes a wanted criminal known as "The Collector." An animated masterpiece many years in the making. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dOZpivfNxw SCREENING INFORMATION Friday, August 23, 2019 11:00 pm [Late Night Screening] Marquis Main CREDITS Director: Milorad Krstic Writer: Milorad Krstic Producer: Peter Miskolczi FILM…
Jul
31
Tito and the Birds
SYNOPSIS Tito is a shy 10-year-old boy who lives with his mother. Suddenly, an unusual epidemic starts to spread, making people sick whenever they get scared. Tito quickly discovers that the cure is somehow related to his missing father’s research on bird songs. He embarks on a journey to save the world from the epidemic with his friends. Tito’s search for the antidote becomes a quest for his missing father and for his own identity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aMR9dWWar0 SCREENING INFORMATION Kids & Family Day Wednesday, August 21, 2019 4:00 pm Marquis Main NOTE: This screening is part of MNFF’s Kids & Family…
Jul
31
Two Balloons
PREMIERE DESIGNATION VERMONT PREMIERE SYNOPSIS Two adventurous lemurs navigate their dirigibles halfway around the world to a place where happenstance and fate threaten to disrupt their reunion. https://vimeo.com/225176294 SCREENING INFORMATION Saturday, August 24, 2019 1:30 pm Twilight Hall CREDITS Director: Mark Smith Writer: Mark Smith Producer: Mark Smith FILM INFORMATION Genre: Animated Short Length: 9 min Location: USA Language: English
Jul
30
The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3QkSzpNGW8 SYNOPSIS Adapted from Renner's own comics, “The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales” is drawn as a play with three acts chronicling different animal tales. Renner’s hand-drawn 2-D animation style sends these characters on laugh-out-loud adventures that are action-packed from start to finish. SCREENING INFORMATION Wednesday, August 22, 2018 10:00 am Marquis Main CREDITS Director: Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert Writer: Benjamin Renner, Jean Regnaud Producers: Thibaut Ruby, Didier Brunner, Damien Brunner, Vincent Tavier FILM INFORMATION Genre: Animated Feature Family Length: 83 min Location: France Language: French [w/English subtitles]
Jul
29
Light Sight
https://vimeo.com/162086737 VERMONT PREMIERE SYNOPSIS M.E., the imprisoned character in a room, is attracted to a hanging light and tries to catch it. But the room itself becomes an obstacle in his way. SCREENING INFORMATION Date: Saturday, August 26th, 2017 Time: 10:30 am Location: Dana Auditorium CREDITS Director: Seyed M. Tabatabaei Writer: Seyed M. Tabatabaei Producer: Simin F. Ahmadi FILM INFORMATION Genre: Narrative Short, Animation, Family Length: 8 min Location: Iran Language: None Recommended Age 10+
Aug
1
Master of Shadows: Baddest Villain of All Ninjago
WORLD PREMIERE SYNOPSIS It's a typical day of training in the world of LEGO Ninjago, when a mysterious villain appears at the temple gates. Six ninjas work together to fight their greatest foe yet: an ancient master who can control shadows at his will. SCREENING INFORMATION Date: Saturday, August 26th, 2017 Time: 10:30 am Location: National Bank of Middlebury CREDITS Director: Jack Nop (will attend the festival) Writer: Jack Nop Producer: Jack Nop FILM INFORMATION Genre: Narrative Short, Animation Length: 1 min Location: USA Language: English
Aug
1
Napalm Mayhem: A Hand Animation
NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE SYNOPSIS This film explores the meaning, morals and consequences of war, by placing the characters right in the middle of an event that has had historians frowning for decades - The Vietnam War. The audience sees the transition of people, while trying to fight for their beliefs, turn into monsters. SCREENING INFORMATION Date: Thursday, August 24th, 2017 Time: 10:30 am Location: Marquis Main CREDITS Director: Oscar Writer: Oscar Producer: Oscar Animator: Giulio Angeli & Oscar FILM INFORMATION Genre: Experimental, Animation Short Length: 4 min Location: Netherlands
Aug
1
New York Children’s International Film Festival: Selected Shorts
https://youtu.be/fubu-AnUDNI SYNOPSIS Featuring the 2017 NYICFF Grand Prize winner “Heads Together,” from Festival alumni and Academy Award nominees Job, Joris, & Marieke, this wonderful collection of short films also boasts the Grown-ups Award winner “Riceballs,” and Audience Award winner “Welcome to my Life.” SCREENING INFORMATION Date: Saturday, August 26th, 2017 Time: 10:30 am Location: Marquis Main FILM INFORMATION Genre: Narrative Shorts, Animation, Family, Length: 74 min Location: USA Language: English Recommended Age 8 to Adult
Jul
29
The Owl and The Lemming
SYNOPSIS The oral history of the Inuit is filled with many folktales, legends and myths. In this traditional story, a young owl catches a lemming to eat but is outsmarted by the more vulnerable lemming. A brief meditation on why pride and arrogance are to be avoided, the film utilizes puppets, composited photographs and a set made with actual Arctic plants and lichen to create an authentic retelling of this ancient Arctic fable. SCREENING INFORMATION Date: Sunday, August 27th, 2017 Time: 4:00 pm Location: Marquis Main CREDITS Director: Roselynn Akulukjuk Writer: Roselynn Akulukjuk & Neil Christopher Producer: Neil Christopher &…
Jul
29
Stars
VERMONT PREMIERE SYNOPSIS Grandpa and grandson are street sellers selling stars in a town near the shore. One night, they alas run out of the stars. SCREENING INFORMATION Date: Saturday, August 26th, 2017 Time: 10:30 am Location: National Bank of Middlebury CREDITS Director: Hans Zhang Writer: Hans Zhang Producer: Hans Zhang FILM INFORMATION Genre: Narrative Short, Animation, Family Length: 5 min Location: China Language: None
