KIDS
WEEKEND
GREAT CINEMA FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Latvia is a small country. And this is just the fourth year that a festival of such international significance takes place in Riga. We need new and young people to fall in love with the beautiful world of cinema! This is an honest answer as to why it is so important to have a whole weekend dedicated to films for the whole family, why it is important to provide additional captivating pastimes as well… Two fascinating days of a cinematic adventure for schoolchildren, pre-school kids and their kin.
FEATURE FILMS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
4 different and adventurous films for children of various ages (including parents and simply young people). Curator – Kristīne Simsone, film critic.
Toda, 10, lives in a bakery with her dad, the best pastry chef in town. She knows everything there is to know about cakes and pastries. But one day, everything changes: her dad is called away unexpectedly to defend his country. She thinks it means becoming a bush because soldiers have to stick branches to their helmets. Now Toda must undertake an adventurous and challenging journey to the unknown neighbouring country where her mother lives. On the way she meets strange people, encounters absurd situations and finds a special new friend.
This film belongs to Lithuanian cinema classics. The classmates of nine-year-old Inga call her “Beauty Queen”. Their attitude changes as soon as one boy states that she is actually ugly. The children are not aware of how deeply they hurt her. However, just a couple of kind words would be enough to make the situation better.
Elvira, Meja and Bea go on a summer camp after the 6th grade. The three girls are to stay in room 213 – where no one has lived for sixty years. Soon inexplicable events start to happen: girls’ belongings go missing, a cryptic letter written in an ancient handwriting appears. Is the legend about the camp’s ghost really true?
Niilas, 12, has been living with his father in the Netherlands. But this summer, Niilas has to travel to the North of Sweden to meet his mother he barely remembers since his parents are divorced. He is faced with an intriguing and emotional reunion and getting acquainted both with her mother’s new family and the magnificent Northern nature. At first, the unfamiliar surroundings scare Niilas but as soon as he has overcome his fear, this becomes the most adventurous summer of his life.
PIGTAIL AND MR. SLEEPLESSNESS – PREMIERE!
The new animated short from Latvian studio Atom Art is having it’s premiere with everyone involved and everyone on board! Included in the screeing is also a short from fellow Latvian director Nils Skapāns about a granny that’s uber-cool.
Brother and Sister have a hard time getting along. But then Granny gets involved and great adventures begin.
When a baby brother arrives in Pigtail’s family she and her friend Mr. Sleeplessness plot on how to regain her parents’ attention.
A SELECTION OF ANIMATED SHORTS FOR OUR YOUNGEST FESTIVAL GOERS
Co-curated by the authors of Shammies – Sabīne Andersone and Edmunds Jansons – this is a selection of animated short films from around the world made for children starting from the age of 3 and onwards.
It’s bedtime. Father and Daughter make up a world floating high above the clouds. The queen of this world is called Po.
If you are a crocodile eating cookies is much more difficult than one would think.
A chance meeting of a pocket-size man and a blind person grows into a beautiful friendship.
Mop brings the coffee machine to boil and wonders what would happen if he added a bag of green powder.
A friendly giant tries to help people but fear keeps them from seeing his good deeds.
Seven of the Octopus’s tentacles want to bake a peach tart, but one – a chocolate cake. Who will win?
When autumn comes to the river banks, all animals – big and small – ar getting ready for winter.
The delicious biscuit Mama Rabbit made turns out to be a true rascal and tricks even the Sly Fox.
What happens to Zebra’s stripes when it accidentally bumps into a tree?
Baby Squirrel finds a sled but to have real fun with it he has to learn to control it.
A mutual friendship is weaved when a small spider finds inspiration in a woman’s knitting patterns.