The NYC Children’s Film Festival is Back Again.
February 22, 2009 by Sil
Filed under Did You Hear?, Films, Highlights
Parents are you looking for something to do with your kids of all ages? Teens are you looking of cool weekend hangout with friends? Check out the New York International Children’s Film Festival for young people ages 3 -18.
The New York International Film Festival’s short films are my favorite and the heart of the festival. The short films are the best new works from around the world geared specifically for kids ages 3-18. You can find these films playing at several theaters around the city:
Cantor Film Ctr – 36 E 8th St DGA Theater – 110 W 57th St IFC Center – 323 6th Ave Scholastic – 557 Broadway Symph Space – 2537 B’way
Just at taste of what is in store:
Heart of Fire
Recommended Ages: 12 to Adult (Subtitled)
NY PREMIERE
Heart of Fire is the powerful new film from the award winning director of The Story of the Weeping Camel. The story centers on ten year old Awet, who is taken from an orphanage run by Italian nuns to live with the washed up rebel father she has never met. Awet and her older sister are soon recruited, along with other children, to become soldiers for the Eritrean Liberation Front, engaged in desperate guerrilla fighting with a rival rebel group. At the rebel camp, young Awet finds a role model in the powerful and independent female guerrilla leader, Ma’azza, a charismatic revolutionary and newfound parental figure. But when the war takes a turn for the worse and the children are given rifl es and sent to fight, Awet becomes disillusioned by the hypocrisy and pointlessness she sees, and she lashes out with a pacifistic action both courageous and dangerous. Inspired by the controversial memoir by Senait G. Mehari, Heart of Fire is elevated by the expressive debut performance of Letekidan Micael as Awet, whose commanding presence conveys an undiluted sense of justice, and whose eyes never fail to reflect her chronic disappointment in the adults around her.
NOTE: Film contains realistic battle scenes, including violence and bloodshed.
Presented as part of the special series CHILDREN AND WAR.
Check out http://www.gkids.tv/intheaters.cfm for more information.
