Who said film festivals were reserved for grown-up intellectuals? Come December at the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff), a bouquet of children’s films that celebrate hope and family values will be rolled out as a part of their Cinema For Children segment. They will be showcased at Diff’s outdoor venue, The Beach, opposite JBR, for free. There will also be ticketed children’s red carpet galas at the Madinat Jumeriah Arena.
“We’ve selected these brilliant films from the world’s best directors, who have shown the power of a fantastic story through their works. Whether you’re eight or 80, there’s something for you: these films won’t disappoint.” said Myrna Maakaron, programmer, Diff’s Cinema for Children, in a statement.
On the top of the list is BBC’s 3D nature adventure Enchanted Kingdom, which will whisk the audience away on a journey of discovery: from the forests to the underworld, to the sea and the mountains and beyond, culminating in a celebration of nature in all its glory. Directed by Patrick Morris and Neil Nightingale, the documentary is narrated by Idris Elba.
Starring Sam Worthington, Paper Planes follows the story of 11-year-old Dylan Webber, who struggles to deal with his mother’s death. Things start to look up after he meets Kimi, the Junior Japanese Paper Plane Champion, and he discovers that he too is an expert at flying paper planes.
In Le Pere Noel (Father Christmas), six-year-old Antoine’s dream to meet Santa Claus seems to come true when he crash lands on the boy’s balcony. What he doesn’t realise is that Santa isn’t who he seems to be, and is in fact a burglar intent on stealing from the rich families of Paris.
From India, you will be served The Crow’s Egg (Kaaka Muttai), a tale about two Indian brothers who long to taste their first pizza after seeing a tasty-looking slice on TV. The brothers live with their mother and grandmother in a tiny home in Chennai, with no money. Their lives change dramatically after their mother sources a TV set, and they start to yearn for the amazing new world they see portrayed in advertisements.
If you are yearning for another adventure film, look no further than Fiddlesticks (Quatsch) which follows a group of children intent on changing their town’s reputation for being completely boring and mundane.
Diff runs from December 10 to 17. For information, including screening times and venues, log on to dubaifilmfest.com.
