Description
Things are not always what they seem in this exciting collection of films from around the world. At first glance, a puddle is simply water accumulated on a sidewalk after an afternoon shower. A jumbled sequence of letters is surely just a child’s spelling error. One can easily jump to conclusions, but a closer look yields surprising and satisfying revelations. Works range from recent student films to award-winning independent filmmakers, along with stories told by emerging voices at established animation studios like Disney and Pixar. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Total running time 66 min
Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play. All films are in competition except where noted by *.
Broken Bird
Birdie, a biracial girl pulled between separated parents, searches for her own identity as she prepares for her bat mitzvah and adulthood.
(Rachel Harrison, USA, 2020 10 min)
Día de la Madre
A mariachi band made up of juveniles with a secret heartwarming agenda partakes in a 24-hour spree breaking into houses and causing a ruckus.
(Ashley Brandon, Dennis Höhne, USA, 2019 6 min)
Elephant in the Room*
A young boy forms a special bond with a lost baby elephant.
(Brian R. Scott, USA 2019, 3 min)
For Estefani
A poet receives a card with a cryptic message from a third grader, uncovering a perfect little moment of beauty.
(Jordan Bruner, USA 2019, 3 min)
The Fox & the Pigeon
A cunning fox grabs hold of destiny and rewrites the narrative to save his ice cream from a pigeon with a sweet tooth and a narrator with a wild imagination.
(Michelle Chua, Aileen Dewhurst, Canada 2019, 6 min)
Grab My Hand: A Letter To My Dad
A filmmaker’s gift to his grieving father provides a message to all to cherish every second you have with the ones you love.
(Camrus Johnson, Pedro Piccinini, USA 2019, 5 min)
Loop*
Two kids at canoe camp find themselves adrift on a lake, unable to move forward until they find a new way to connect.
(Erica Milsom, USA 2020, 8 min)
This is a Cinema by the Bay film.
The Magic of Chess
A group of children competing at the 2019 Elementary Chess Championships share their uninhibited insights about the benefits of the game.
(Jenny Schweitzer Bell, USA 2019, 5 min)
Matches
A young boy is interviewed about his hopes and fears while playing with his colorful matchsticks.
(Géza M. Tóth, Hungary 2019, 12 min)
Pangu
A modern tale about parenthood and the differences between generations, based on the ancient Chinese creation myth.
(Shaofu Zhang, USA/China 2020, 6 min)
Puddles*
An adventurous boy discovers that puddles can be portals to a fantastical world.
(Zack Parrish, USA 2019, 2 min)
