2024 Festival Program
Centerpiece Spotlight: Chicken for Linda!
Feature
France | East Coast Premiere
Animation, Chiara Malta & Sébastien Laudenbach; 2023, 73 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In French; with English subtitles
This keenly observed, artful story—fresh from Cannes—has all the makings of a classic: mother-daughter drama, sneezing truck drivers, and a full-scale, community-wide search for a chicken.
Coco Farm
Feature
Canada | New York Premiere
Live Action, Sébastien Gagné; 2023, 89 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In French; with English subtitles
This hilarious film about an enterprising 12-year-old and his egg farm venture is sure to delight young eco-entrepreneurs, social media mavens, and farmer’s market fanatics alike.
The Concierge
Feature
Japan | New York Premiere
Animation, Yoshimi Itazu; 2023, 70 min
Recommended ages: 9+
In Japanese; with English subtitles
The word “no” does not exist in the concierge’s dictionary! So says trainee Akino, who caters to the every whim of her exclusively animal clientele in this characteristically zany anime from the legendary Production IG and Crunchyroll.
Double Bill: Magic Candies + The Klutzy Witch
Take in a double dose of the enchanting with Magic Candies and The Klutzy Witch, two spellbinding stories that remind us that life is magical, even when we stumble through it.
Dounia – The Great White North
Feature
Canada | US Premiere
Animation, André Kadi & Marya Zarif; 2023, 51 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In French; with English subtitles
It’s the return of Dounia, the little girl with big hair, in a new tale of love, resilience, cultural understanding, and multi-generational connection.
Frybread Face and Me
Feature
United States
Live Action, Billy Luther; 2023, 83 min
Recommended ages: 10+
In English; In Navajo; with English subtitles
This hilarious and touching slice-of-life story, executive produced by NYICFF alum Taika Waititi, is a warm portrait of cultural awakening and the adolescent summers that stay with us not because of what happened, but because of what they made us feel.
Insomniacs after school
Feature
Japan | East Coast Premiere
Live Action, Chihiro Ikeda; 2023, 112 min
Recommended ages: 10+
In Japanese; with English subtitles
In this adaptation of Makoto Ojiro’s popular manga about the trials and triumphs of high school, a budding friendship is truly written in the stars.
Kensuke’s Kingdom
Feature
France, Luxembourg, United Kingdom | New York Premiere
Animation, Neil Boyle & Kirk Hendry; 2023, 84 min
Recommended ages: 8+
In English
A gorgeously animated adaptation of the beloved, Robinson Crusoe-style chapter book about perseverance and friendship on a not-so-deserted island.
Kung Fu Lion
Feature
China, Netherlands | North American Premiere
Live Action, Froukje Tan; 2023, 85 min
Recommended ages: 9+
In Dutch; In Mandarin; with English subtitles
This Chinese and Dutch co-production uses Rotterdam as a vibrant urban backdrop to a story about adolescent rivalries, martial arts, and the challenges of growing up.
Lioness
Feature
Netherlands | New York Premiere
Live Action, Raymond Grimbergen; 2023, 86 min
Recommended ages: 9+
In Dutch; with English subtitles
Soccer is the sport that brings people together—and possibly tears them apart—in this winning fish-out-of-water story about friendship, belonging, acceptance, and resilience.
Moominvalley
Feature
Finland, United Kingdom | North American Theatrical Premiere
Animation, Jay Grace, Darren Robbie; 2022, 66 min
Recommended ages: 6+
In English
You may not have heard of the Moomins before (well, unless you’ve been to NYICFF in the past 6 years), but these adorable trolls and their whimsy have inspired movies, TV shows, operas, and even their own theme park around the world.
Puffin Rock and the New Friends
Feature
Ireland | North American Premiere
Animation, Jeremy Purcell; 2023, 80 min
Recommended ages: 3 to 6
In English
This new story from our friends at Cartoon Saloon (the Oscar® nominated geniuses behind The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea) is perfect for our youngest audiences, complete with puffin friends, on—what else?—an enchanting Irish isle.
Robot Dreams
Feature
France, Spain | Oscar® Nominee!
Animation, Pablo Berger; 2023, 103 min
Recommended ages: 8+
No dialogue
Even without dialogue, this Oscar® nominated, hand-drawn story about a dog and his robot captures all the sweetness that can span a friendship, whether it lasts for a reason or for a season.
Rosa and the Stone Troll
Feature
Denmark | New York Premiere
Animation, Karla Nor Holmbäck; 2023, 75 min
Recommended ages: 6+
In English
The fantastical tale of a flower fairy in a super-Scandi, Marimekko-inspired world as she learns to fight her fears.
Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds
Feature
Belgium, France | World Premiere English Language Version
Animation, Benoît Chieux; 2024, 80 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English
This skyward flight of fancy follows two sisters as they travel through their favorite story, where they meet a cast of characters in a Wizard of Oz meets Yellow Submarine fantasy land.
Story and Pictures By
Feature
United States | New York City Premiere
Documentary, Live Action, Joanna Rudnick; 2023, 85 min
Recommended ages: 10+
In English
One of our earliest introductions to storytelling comes in the form of picture books. This joyful doc follows emerging authors as they change the game by expanding the stories they tell—and the idea of who gets to tell them.
Toby Alone
Feature
Belgium, France, Germany | North American Premiere
Animation, Camille-Elvis Théry & Florian Thouret; 2023, 68 min
Recommended ages: 7+
In English
At only 1.5 millimeters tall, Toby Lolness might be tiny, but don’t count him out just yet: he’s here to prove that no one’s too small to fight for their environment—or become the most wanted person in the world.
Where is Anne Frank
Feature
Belgium, France, Israel, Luxembourg, Netherlands | East Coast Premiere 2022 | Fest Flashback
Animation, Ari Folman; 2021, 99 min
Recommended ages: 9+
In English
ICYMI: We’re bringing back Ari Folman’s acclaimed and inventive spin on Anne Frank’s story, which catapults from past to present, first screened at NYICFF 2022.
Shorts For Tots
Shorts 60 min.
Recommended ages: 3 to 6
In English
Created for our youngest and first-ever moviegoers, but beloved by grown-ups, Shorts for Tots is sure to delight all audiences.
Short Films One
Shorts 70 min.
Recommended ages: 5 to 10
Level up! Shorts in this program are for Tots graduates—and everyone else. Recommended for ages 5-10.
Short Films Two
Shorts 70 min.
Recommended ages: 8 to 14
Dig a little deeper, and explore a littler further, with Short Films Two.
Short Films Three
Shorts 88 min.
Recommended ages: 12+
Shorts for our older crowd: teens and grown-ups only.
Girls’ POV Shorts
Shorts 83 min.
Recommended ages: 10+
Not just for girls! These shorts feature stories of girls breaking the mold.
Celebrating Black Stories
Shorts 70 min.
Recommended ages: 8+
Celebrating Black Stories spotlights shorts from throughout the Festival and around the world that embrace the joy, resilience, and complexity of being young and Black.
¡Hola Cine!
Shorts 85 min.
Recommended ages: 9+
Our annual program delivers the best Latinx stories from around the world, and not just in Spanish, celebrating the many Latinx cultures, histories, identities and languages.
Future 400: Native Cultures, New Communities
In recognition of the 400th anniversary of the Dutch arrival to New Amsterdam (now NYC), the films with the Future 400 tag celebrate the cultural richness of indigenous communities and highlight outstanding cross-cultural storytelling.
Student Showcase: Animation U
Shorts 80 min.
Recommended ages: 12+
Join us for a showcase highlighting a new generation of talented student filmmakers and animators from universities in NYC and around the world. Take in this collection great short films in different genres and styles, then meet, mix, mingle with fellow students.
Best of the Fest
Shorts 90 min.
Recommended ages: 8+
Even we don’t know what’s going to be in this program—but we do know it’s going to be great! Join us for a special program of this year’s audience favorite and award-winning shorts!