Belmont World Film's 22nd Family Festival

West Newton Cinema1296 Washington StreetWest Newton MA 02465
Google Map

Notes regarding time

There are four film programs with breaks in between each one.

Description

Belmont World Film’s Family Festival, presented by German International School Boston, celebrates some of the world’s most imaginative films for and about children aged 3-12, brought to life on the big screen as a shared experience. It takes place January 18 at the West Newton Cinema, January 19 and 26 at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, and January 20 at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge. It features films from eleven different countries with more than half the selections adapted or re-imagined from literature, and almost all North American premieres. For younger viewers and those with difficulty reading, subtitles for non-English films will be read aloud by a professional voice-over through headphones.

Films screening at the West Newton Cinema include:

Shorts Program: “Pet Projects”: From playful pets to wild creatures, this wordless collection of funny and creative international short films—from charming stop-motion to stunning 2D and 3D animation—blends humor, emotion, and creativity. (10:30 AM)

Elli and the Ghostly Ghost Train (Canada): In a futuristic world where ghosts and the abnormal are no longer allowed in society, homeless little ghost Elli goes in search of her missing uncle and ends up hiding in a Ghost Train filled with eccentric residents. (11:45 AM)

Dounia: The Great White North (Canada) shown with Skipping Rope (Taiwan): Dounia and her grandparents experience life in Canada after fleeing the war in Syria, leaving her father in Aleppo. She and her new French-Canadian and indigenous friends delight in sharing their respective cultures. Missing her father deeply, Dounia follows her indigenous friend’s grandmother’s advice to call out to him with all her heart. In Skipping Rope, a young girl yearns for the life her older sister leads: being part of a rope skipping team, trendy shoes, a close circle of friends, and the affectionate gaze of their parents. (1:30 PM)

Winners (Germany): Mona, an 11-year-old Kurdish girl who fled Syria with her family, now lives in a Berlin neighborhood where most kids are from other countries. She longs for her country and street soccer matches. When a teacher persuades her to join the school soccer team, she faces new challenges as she navigates clashes with her teammates, each grappling with their own struggles. To win the school’s first city-wide championship, the team must overcome obstacles on and off the field to discover the true meaning of teamwork. (3:00 PM)