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Arts & Entertainment

Kids Refine Film Tastes at BAM's Festival Marathon

Sixty-six children's films from around the world to screen at BAM throughout weekend.

Budding cinephiles - and parents who want to cultivate them - can catch premieres galore all weekend at the 13th annual BAMkids Film Festival.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music aims to reel in children ages 2 through 11 on Saturday and Sunday with 66 films from 23 countries. The institution rakes through submissions from around the world to select live-action and animated features and shorts, most of which are NY premieres, plus a few US and world premieres. The schedule can be found here.

“We strive to present the best films that children will enjoy but that are not necessarily exclusively for children, and thus they are of interest to parents as well,” said Suzanne Youngerman, director of BAM’s Department of Education and Humanities. “There are many animated films that have narration or are voiced by well known actors that the parents may get a kick out of hearing.”

These include “3rd & Bird: Jamaica,” with music sung by Ziggy Marley, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” written and voiced by Saturday Night Live’s Jenny Slater, “The Gruffalo,” featuring the voices of Helena Bonham-Carter, John Hurt and Robbie Coltrane, and “First the Egg,” narrated by Elle Fanning. “Moomkins and the Comet Chase” includes the voices of Max von Sydow and Stellan and Alexander Skarsgard of “True Blood,” plus music by Bjork.

“The Gruffalo” and “The Lost Things,” both featured in the Best Guess and Tantalizing Tales shorts programs respectively, have been nominated for Oscars in the Best Animated Short Films category.

“Films for children and families keep getting better,” Youngerman said. “I think parents want their children to see the best and not have them presented with watered-down fare that is just superficial entertainment.”

“They want films with high-caliber production values and thought-provoking stories that are both entertaining and educational,” she said.

Festival curator Nicole Dreiske of the International Children’s Media Center attends film festivals each year to track down such fare. She credits the growth of the festival, much of which tends to sell out, to the discovery of exciting new independent directors and studios.

“We started soliciting new films for 2011 the day after the 2010 festival ended,” Dreiske said. “That kind of long-term effort produces results and sets the BAMkids Film Festival apart.”

This year’s movies highlight themes of friendship, family and self-discovery. Children will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite films and speak with directors following most screenings. Based on the results of the vote, “Bammies” will be awarded in four categories: best feature, best animated short, best live action short, and best short film for 2- to 5-year-olds.
 
The festival will also feature live performances at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the BAMcafe. Face painting, movie-making and other hands-on events will be on offer throughout the weekend in the lobby.

Tickets for each screening cost $9 for children 13 and under, $12 for adults, $7 for Cinema Club members and $9 for seniors.

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