The festival was founded in 1997 to celebrate works geared toward a younger audience and to stretch the meaning of children’s film.
The first night’s events will take place Dec. 5 in the IU Fine Arts Theater. The second will be on Dec. 6 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The first program starts at 2:15 p.m. and 5 p.m. both days, the second 3:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
Peter LoPilato, director of the festival, said the event returns each year because of the popularity among the children and parents. The films offer a variety of interesting layers that LoPilato said he enjoys as well.
“They’re imaginative,” he said. “They are, at times, very funny and, since they are from around the world, sometimes you get a perspective of ways of looking at things that you wouldn’t get from an American film.”
Films range from animated to live-action and differ from the standard children’s movie tropes, LoPilato said.
One of LoPilato’s favorites from past years is a Dutch film titled “A Single Life.” This short movie follows a young woman named Pia who discovers a 45-rpm vinyl record at a vintage store and, upon playing, travels through time, visiting various parts of her life.
“She gets older and younger as she listens to the records,” LoPilato said. “I like the concept, watching her age and grow, watching just the expression on her face because she doesn’t know what’s going on.”
The Ryder Film Series, responsible for film programming both on and off campus, organizes this festival each year. Even in the realm of adult programming, the films often cover topics from across the globe and represent a wide range of perspectives, LoPilato said.
LoPilato said the level of discussion and appreciation for world culture that children take away is what sets it apart from traditional children’s cinema.
“Parents who have gone in past years said they have had very interesting discussions with their children after seeing a film at the festival,” LoPilato said. “It’s a window onto the world for younger children. If you’re five, there’s a chance you’ve never left the state — maybe you’ve never left Indiana.”
