Exciting possibilities burst forth on our festival screen as this lively collection of shorts thrillingly demonstrates the unique power of cinema. A flock of rose-colored aquatic avians disrupts the military precision of a massive warship while an adventurous arachnid dreams of a lunar destination just out of web’s reach. A young sapling soaks up the wisdom passed on from the rustling leaves of its wise neighbor as lush cinematography captures Ecuador’s flora and fauna and the cozy streets of suburbia. Collected from many corners of the world, these true, not-so-true, and animated stories are sure to inspire laughter, curiosity, tears, and awe in the youngest filmgoers.

Total Runtime 70 min

Recommended for ages 5 and up

Titles are listed in order of play.  

New Moon
A surrealist night shared by a mother and son filled with love, inspiration, and Aretha Franklin.
Jeff Le Bars, Jérémie Balais (France, USA 2022, 12 min)

Pete
A true story about gender identity, Little League Baseball, and people who accept change.
Bret Parker (USA 2022, 7 min)

The Wind and the Trees
Deep in the boreal forest, a mature pine tree and a seedling begin a conversation.
Todd Stewart (Canada 2022, 9 min)

Kintsugi
When a flashy neighbor moves next door, a restaurant’s lucky cat is faced with insecurities.
Cleto Acosta-McKillop (USA 2022, 8 min)

El Moño
Andrea learns of generational family magic that helps her find lost objects in unexpected ways.
Luis Fernando Puente, Lizde Arias (USA 2022, 9 min)

Swing to the Moon
Living in the forest, a spider will do anything to reach her lunar dream.
Marie Bordessoule, Adriana Bouissie, Nadine De Boer, Elisa Drique, Chloé Lauzu, Vincent Levrero, Solenne Moreau (France 2022, 6 min)

With a Wool Ball
Charming stop-motion musical of an Argentinian winter full of ponchos, animal friends, and warm stories.
Belén Ricardes (Argentina 2021, 5 min)

Dipsas Speaks
Wildlife sounds a warning message of deforestation in their fragile Ecuadorian Amazon ecosystem.
Craig Leon (Ecuador 2022, 6 min)

Labor of Love
Mary shares memories of her grandmother, a formerly enslaved, life-saving midwife in North Carolina.
Richard O’Connor (USA 2022, 3 min)

Code Rose
Hijinks ensue when flocks of flamingos disrupt operations on an aircraft carrier.
Taye Cimon, Pierre Coëz, Julie Groux, Sandra Leydier, Manuarii Morel, Romain Seisson (France 2022, 5 min)