The 3rd Annual Louisville Children's Film Festival Kicks Off February 21st - 29th!
February 05, 2020 (PRLEAP.COM) Entertainment News
The 3rd annual Louisville Children's Film Festival will kick off its presentation of independent films for and by kids on February 21st through the 29th. Each year, the Louisville Children's Film Festival selects more than 20 films from 15 + countries suitable for ages 3-14, allowing children to travel the world without leaving Kentucky. Showings will be available at the Baxter Avenue Theater and the Lincoln Elementary Performing Arts School. Free screenings will also be offered at the Speed Art Museum and the Ogle Center. Realizing their mission to support the educational development of children in Greater Louisville, the Louisville Children's Film Festival provides opportunities for children to express their creative skills; encouraging students to be curious about exploring the world through film. Throughout the festival week, children and parents alike have opportunities to view the films, meet the makers behind them, and learn about other creative resources within the film industry.
The films chosen by Louisville Children's Film Festival are selected because they speak positively to children, youth, and families of diverse ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities. The festival presents films that are entertaining and/or challenging to young minds with serious, true-to-life topics and narratives. Through the selected films the festival hopes to provoke discussions about the stories as well as provide joyous and dynamic creative programming centered on the experience of childhood.
The 8 plus films that have been selected for this year's festival explore the theme of family life across cultures and in various forms. Attendees will hear the music of different languages throughout the festival and learn of different ways of life. The films range in length and feature a wide variety of film-making techniques including hand-drawn animation, foreign films with subtitles, documentaries and live action films that you won't find elsewhere. The 8 plus films that will be screened include:
Field trip screenings are available for school groups to reserve on Thursday the 27th and Friday. Group screenings come complete with post-viewing discussions and coloring sheets for younger students as well as journal pages that kids can take back to the classroom. Field trip showings will be held at the Ogle Center at Indiana University Southeast and are offered free of charge thanks to a generous donation from the Horseshoe Foundation.
For the past three years, the Louisville Children's Film Festival has brought media arts programs to local schools, allowing kids and their families in the Greater Louisville area the chance to see innovative, inspiring and fun films from around the globe. This year, students from across JCPS including Kammerer Middle, Western Middle, De Paul, Lincoln Performing Arts and Wilkerson Elementary Schools have created their own videos for the festival filmmaking competition within the theme of "Look Within 2020." Selected entries will be screened during the Louisville Children's Film Festival and the winning filmmakers will receive first place and runner-up prizes across three categories divided by school grades. A total of six prizes will be awarded to the winners, who will receive $100 each, and the runners-up, who will receive $50 each.
The Louisville Children's Film Festival is also proud to partner with the Gheens Foundation to create a one-of-a-kind residency program in film-making at Western Middle School. Young filmmakers from Western Middle School for the Arts will present their short films and hold a Q & A before showings on the 21st and 22nd.
"We are delighted to bring these wonderful films to Louisville. The Festival is a great opportunity to be with your family and see the world," says Martha Nichols-Pecceu, Executive Director and Founder of the Festival.
About Louisville Children's Film Festival
The Louisville Children's Film Festival was founded in 2017 with the intention of inspiring an openness and curiosity about the world through the showing of high-quality, diverse films. In addition to screenings, the Louisville Children's Film Festival works to supply teachers in the media arts with resources and provide workshops and creative opportunities to young media makers. As a nonprofit, the Louisville Children's Film Festival is sustained by the community, as well as board and advisory board members. Contributions from individuals are a primary source of support that make the screening of independent films each year possible. The public can support Louisville Children's Film Festival as a donor, sponsor, or volunteer by visiting their support page online. All ticket proceeds benefit the Louisville Children's Film Festival and are considered a tax-deductible donation.