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The popular International Children's Film Carnival 2014 (ICFC) will offer plenty of attractions for young cinephiles to enjoy this summer. The diverse programme will include the adventures of a lovely rabbit rescuing his mother, as well as the cats Pim and Pom trying to escape from a reckless "kidnap" attempt by twin sisters. In other films, a magic pencil has the power to turn a wall drawing into a real rhino, a little girl has a fight with her classmates when they make fun of her name, a young girl persists to pursue her dream to explore the secrets of the universe, and a substitute teacher delivers a class of fun and exciting ideas. Also to be screened among the enjoyable films is a memorable musical about a chocolate factory and other films featuring an array of characters including a little ghost, a hedgehog, a puppy, the Meatballs and the Gruffalo.
Presented by the Film Programmes Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the ICFC is part of the annual International Arts Carnival (IAC). Thirteen feature films from Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Uruguay, Colombia and the United States as well as 14 short films from around the world will be shown from July 11 to August 17 at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive and the Lecture Halls of the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum.
The feature films include the animations "Beyond Beyond" (2014), "Pim & Pom: The Big Adventure" (2014), "AninA" (2013) and "Otto is a Rhino" (2013); the humorous "The Little Ghost" (2013); the superhero story "Antboy" (2013); the heart-warming "Windstorm" (2013); "Ricky - Three's a Crowd" (2013), on loyalty and love; the funny "Vampire Sisters" (2012); and the wonderful "Mister Twister, Class of Fun" (2012). The "Film Tunnel" section will feature the fantasy classic "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971) and the "Specials for Youth" section will feature two touching movies, "The Contest" (2013) and "Sepideh" (2013), to encourage youths to pursue their dreams.
Children who love adventures will enjoy "Beyond Beyond" and "Pim & Pom: The Big Adventure". To save his mother, Johan the rabbit has to make a dangerous journey and even meets a terrible vulture. The Pim and Pom characters were created through collaboration between Dutch illustrator Fiep Westendorp and writer Mies Bouhuys, and were the main characters of a series of popular stories published in newspapers and TV animations. In "Pim & Pom: The Big Adventure", the cats have a narrow escape from an attempt by twin sisters to "kidnap" them, but they are still far from safety when they meet a bunch of alley cats.
In "AninA", a girl has a fight with her classmates when they continue to make fun of her name, as it can be read either from left or from right. The principal gives each culprit a secret envelope. What could the secret be? The film won the International Official Selection (Audience Award) at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema 2013. In "Otto is a Rhino", a wall drawing of a rhino made with a magic pencil comes alive and eats almost everything. No one can stop him until a rescue is made just in time to save a house from crumbling. The film won the 1st Prize in Animated Feature Film (Adult Jury Prize) at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival 2013.
The title character in "The Little Ghost" is bored by his routine of haunting people only at night-time. He finally succeeds to break this routine by waking up in the morning, only to find that trouble awaits. The film won Best Feature Film for Children at the Gijón International Film Festival 2013. Just like Batman the superhero, a very ordinary kid suddenly gains superpowers in "Antboy". Other than teaching all the bullies a lesson, will he be able to rescue his sweetheart? The film won Best Visual Effects and Best Children's Film in the Robert Awards 2014.
Each of the two stylish sisters in "Vampire Sisters" has her own wish. One, who is half-vampire, wants to be a full vampire while the other hopes to be fully human. However, their wishes fail and they are eventually on the verge of being destroyed by their evil neighbour. Substitute teacher Mr Kees in "Mister Twister, Class of Fun" is shy but always delivers exciting ideas in class. He is the idol of every student yet the rule-obsessed principal disagrees with the teaching style. Can Mr Kees keep his job? Both films won various film awards at different film festivals.
"Windstorm" depicts an unusual friendship between a wilful girl and a wild stallion, and through the relationship they eventually recognise the true value of their lives. The film won Best Youth Film at the Bavarian Film Awards 2014 and Best Children's Film at the Filmkunstmese Leipzig 2013. The young boy in "Ricky - Three's a Crowd" is always being bullied by his elder brother. When he has to decide between remaining loyal to his brother or supporting the girl he loves, what will he do? The film won the Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Story and Character Development at the Children's Film Festival Seattle 2014.
The musical "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory", released 43 years ago, is a sweet feast with a chocolate waterfall, candy trees and mushroom dessert all vividly depicted on screen. A new version, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", was produced in 2005. The "Film Tunnel" section will take the family audience down memory lane to revisit the mysterious Wonka chocolate factory, a land of fantasy full of temptations and dangers. Animator and illustrator Lam Kee-to will conduct a pre-screening film appreciation session with the audience.
It is never easy to make one's own dream come true. To encourage youngsters to be courageous and persistent when pursuing their dreams, "Specials for Youth" features two Danish movies: "The Contest", about two young music lovers helping each other to settle in a new city and break social conventions to realise their dreams, and "Sepideh", which features an Iranian girl who wants to become an astronaut. Her mother opposes the idea due to financial reasons, yet the girl never gives up and finds ways to pursue her journey of exploring the secrets of the universe.
Live Cantonese interpretation and English subtitles are available for "AninA", "The Little Ghost" and "Antboy"; other films have Chinese and English subtitles.
Fourteen short films from various countries and places including Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany and Hong Kong will be screened in the ICFC in the "World Animation & Shorts" section. Kwan Chung-yeung, a professional director of children's drama for over 10 years, will host related interactive sessions in Cantonese.
Selections in "World Animation & Shorts 1" include a story of animal survival in "Hedgehogs and the City" (2013); "I Should've Peed Before Going to Bed" (2011), in which students are taught to go to the bathroom; "Miriam's Green Spots" (2012), about a jealous sibling; and the funny "Meatballs and Catching Anger" (2012). Selections in "World Animation & Shorts 2" include "Dap Pang Man" (2014), in which a boy wishes to be a bamboo scaffolding worker; "I Spy With My Little Eye" (2012), featuring an imaginative kitchen; and "The Gruffalo's Child" (2011), which follows the adventure of the naughty Gruffalo as he searches for the Big Bad Mouse.
Tickets priced at $55 will be available from tomorrow (May 16) at URBTIX. Half-price tickets are available for full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and their minders, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Credit card bookings can be made at 2111 5999 or via the Internet at www.urbtix.hk. For programme enquiries, please call 2734 2900 or browse the website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/filmprog/english/2014icfc/2014icfc_index.html.
Programme and discount details can be found in the booking brochure of the ICFC or in the IAC programme brochure available at all LCSD performing venues.
Ends/Thursday, May 15, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:25
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