These 10 films from 11 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 mythical boy whose head shines like the sun, some not very neighbourly penguins, a boy living on a floating whale-island and many others in a series of stunning visuals showing that animation is the best tool to transform the everyday into the magical.
Fire in my pocket – Janka Feiner, Hungary
A little boy, bored with building a bed, seeks something more exciting. A mischievous fire creature lures him away, and despite his father’s attempts to keep order, the boy follows his new friend into a magical mushroom world where anything is possible.
2026 10’00 min
Sketches on Ice – Marion Auvin, Belgium, France
When snow brings Lou and Marius out to build a snowman, an impatient call home sends them back to homework and clarinet practice. But as Marius plays his first uncertain notes, something impossible happens outside – the snowman moves.
2025 4’00 min
Shorts from the Box – Wild Things – Géza M. Tóth, Hungary
When I was a child, I often heard that “man can conquer nature.” Today, I know that nature as a whole can never be conquered. Fortunately!
2025 8’20 min
Hexapod – Axel Kinnear, Canada
A lone goblin prisoner must attempt a dazzling escape from a labyrinthine castle, as a mad noble struggles to retain his reluctant audience.
2025 9’00 min
Victor the Virus King – Fiona Bredebusch, UK
Victor, king of all viruses, unleashes his legion through sliding doors to infect humanity and trigger a new pandemic. As his microscopic army spreads, Victor’s triumph gives way to a startling discovery beyond the borders of his kingdom.
2026 2’35 min
Leave the Island – Chen Wu, Taiwan
In a fantastical world where a boy lives on a floating whale island, the bond between them is tested as the whale falls ill.
2025 11’30 min
Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe! – Andrea Szelesová, Czech Republic, Slovakia
Yios, a lonely, mythical boy whose head shines like the sun, struggles to make friends in the clouds. After he falls down to Earth everything changes…..
2026 12’55 min
If you buy an online ticket for this programme, this film is only viewable in the UK.
Where is my Home? – Hyelin Yoon, South Korea
Left alone in an empty field, the protagonist wanders through houses of fear, shame, and sorrow before finally finding a home that is truly his own.
2025 10’10 min
A Dog’s Life – Sophie Olga de Jong, Sytske Kok, Netherlands
When Grandma’s dog Stella dies, her granddaughter Luna helps with the burial. But what exactly happens when you are dead and six feet under? Grandma evades the answer, so Luna is tempted to see for herself what’s going on down there.
2025 9’10 min
Backstreet Birds – Gertrūda Nemčauskaitė, Lithuania
Penguin likes his evenings quiet, cosy and undisturbed – until Pigeon, the new neighbour, moves in with a taste for parties. As two very different birds clash over shared space and resources, a neighbourly dispute spirals towards an explosive catastrophe.
2025 7’20 min
Our Funding Partners
With Special Thanks to The Elf Factory, official sponsor of LIAF 2026.
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.
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
