These 9 films from 7 different countries have been chosen especially for children aged 8 and upwards and include themes such as friendship, resilience, and self-discovery. They are films for the young but also the young at heart with several laugh-out-loud moments alongside tales that tug at the heart-strings.
Here you will meet charismatic characters such as a loopy family on their summer holidays, a young girl embarking on an enchanting journey as she tends for her cherished plant, a bunch of worm-like fluorescent critters grooving in their coastal world and many others in a series of stunning visuals showing that animation is the best tool to transform the everyday into the magical.
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Freelance – Luciano A. Muñoz Sessarego, Magnus I. Møller & Peter Smith, Denmark
A young hopeful knight reports for duty at the king’s court. Little does he know that slaying dragons might now be his biggest challenge.
2024 2’40 min
Freak of Nature – Alexandra Lermer, Germany
A shy and lonely creature is too scared to leave the old circus cage it once was trapped in until it finds a little seedling to care for. A story about personal growth and the process of overcoming fear.
2024 8’15 min
Hello Summer – Martin Smatana & Veronika Zacharová, Slovakia
Sea, sun, beaches and family holidays. But what if the hotel isn’t as stellar as promised, your room has a bit of a naughty view, the dinner is surprisingly exotic and your luggage travels elsewhere?
2024 10’45 min
Lulina and the Moon – Marcus Vinicius Vasconcelos & Alois Di Leo, Brazil
Lulina draws her greatest fears on the infinite white ground of the Moon. Magically, her illustrations come to life and teach her that her problems are not as monstrous as what her imagination depicted.
2023 13’50 min
Battery Mommy – Jeon Seung-bae, South Korea
Battery Mommy works with soap bubble guns, cameras and thermometers at the nursery. During the children’s nap time one winter’s day, she discovers that the Christmas tree in the nursery is on fire. She rushes to the rescue.
2023 8’40 min
What’s Inside that Crate? – Bram Algoed, Belgium
A story about a pilot, a captain, a machinist, a driver, a mailman, a girl… and a giant box. What’s in the box?
2023 9’35 min
This film is not included in our online programme
As If it Could – Ada Güvenir, Belgium
After realising her plant isn’t growing as it should, Olive goes on a quest to find new grounds to let her plant re-root. Soon after she embarks on the journey, she comes to realise she has to do a lot more before she can reach her goal.
2023 13’15 min
This film is not included in our online programme
Whoops! – Galvão Bertazzi & Luís Canau, Portugal
A boy lives surrounded by an oppressive cacophony of sounds, within a dysfunctional family. A day at the beach might be the long-expected opportunity for a break from a hellish existence.
2024 11’20 min
Rise Age – Tatjana Theuer, Germany
Fluorescent critters groove through a coastal world, led by a superior choir. Their carefree crawl, however, is increasingly disturbed by the rising seas.
2024 4’40 min
Our Funding Partners
With Special Thanks to the Arts Council England
Event supported by Film Hub London, managed by Film London. Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery.
Our Award Partner
Karrot
Since 2008, the award-winning Karrot have been making top-notch animated content for TV and online streaming platforms. Karrot generously sponsors our Best Childrens’ Film awards.
Venue
The Barbican is Europe’s largest multi-arts and conference venue presenting a diverse range of art, music, theatre, dance, film and education events. For more information about The Barbican and how to get there, find out more.
Barbican, Online
