Explore the world without leaving New York! The New York International Children’s Film Festival takes place February 28–March 16 throughout New York City in 2025, with six screenings at Scandinavia House. For complete lineup and tickets visit nyicff.org/tickets.
Fill out a ballot at every screening, and your votes will determine the Festival award winners.
SCHEDULE
SAT—MARCH 1
11:30 AM: Kensuke’s Kingdom
89 min. Ages 8+ | Dir. Neil Boyle & Kirk Hendry | France, Luxembourg & United Kingdom, 2023
In Spanish with English subtitles
When a violent storm befalls his family’s sailing trip, Michael and his dog, Stella, are swept overboard. They awake dazed on a beautiful remote island where they must quickly find their wits and the resources to survive—a challenge no less steep for all the island’s beauty. Upon their return from an unsuccessful expedition, they may not be alone; someone has left water near their camp. Soon he meets his mysterious benefactor: an ornery Japanese man named Kensuke, who has been the island’s sole inhabitant since World War II. Despite Kensuke’s rigid boundaries and rules for the island, a friendship begins to form. It couldn’t come at a more fortuitous time, as dangerous invaders begin to threaten their secret world and they must work together to preserve their fragile paradise.
1:30 PM: ¡Salta!
85 min. Ages 8+ | Dir. Olga Osorio | Spain, 2023
In Spanish with English subtitles
Oscar and Teo (13 and 11 years old) are two brothers, very different from each other, who will have to face the loss of their mother, a scientist obsessed with wormholes. Come for the killer ‘80s soundtrack and gorgeous Spanish seaside vistas. Stay for the wormholes and a brotherly love that spans decades (1940s, 1980s, and 2020s, to be exact—just not always in that order).
3:30 PM: Winners
119 min. Ages 10+ | Dir. Soleen Yusef | Germany, 2024
In German with English subtitles
After arriving with her Kurdish family in Berlin, Mona is struggling to find her footing. Her hair is wrong, her accent’s wrong, and she misses home. Home is Syria, or at least it was before she was forced to flee. They’re safe now, but busy Berlin offers a different kind of chaos. Kids challenge teachers, mean girls pick fights, and Mona barely knows any German. What she does know is soccer, even if she vowed never to play after leaving her Syrian team and her cherished aunt Helin. Things don’t get any better when her new teacher and coach convinces her to join the team. Mona and her mates know that teamwork doesn’t come easy, but there’s only one way to win.
SAT—MARCH 8
11:30 AM: Moominvalley
66 min. Ages 5+ | Dir. Nigel Davies | Finland & United Kingdom, 2024
In English
Just in time to celebrate their 80th anniversary (and they don’t look a day over…however old they’re supposed to be!), our Moominfriends return for more all-new adventures. In Moominpappa and Aunt Jane, Moominpappa mustn’t let a surprise visit from his formidable Aunt spoil his book launch party. Then, Little My and Snorkmaiden head to the Lonely Mountains to confront a solitary bogeywoman in Song of the Groke. Finally, an SOS from an old friend sends Moominpappa and Moomintroll on a rescue mission into the frozen wilderness in Moominpappa the Great Explorer.
1:15 PM: Short Films 1
The program SHORT FILMS ONE features selections for our littlest crowd—moviegoers ages five to ten. Whether you’re a baby chick who’s flown the coop, a budding Lego master, or just out for a movie, there’s lots to get into in Short Films One. Shorts include the Portuguese animation The Girl with the Occupied Eyes (André Carrilho, 2024, 8 min. No dialogue), and others; see the full lineup for this program here.
3:00 PM: Short Films 3
SHORT FILMS THREE features selections for our older crowd: teens and grown-ups only. Shorts include the Japanese animation A Night at the Rest Area (Saki Muramoto, 2024, 12 min. In Japanese with English subtitles), and others; see the full lineup for this program here.
ABOUT NYICFF
New York International Children’s Film Festival is dedicated to inspiring, entertaining and educating through innovative film programs that cultivate an appreciation for the arts, stimulate critical thought and promote media literacy.
Each year, the Festival invites New York families to travel the globe, discover new ideas and gain a deeper understanding of the world they live in — all from the comfort of their theater seats.