Tuesday, January 31, 2012

New York International Children's Film Festival tickets are on sale


Go here now.

Thats the link to the schedule for this years NYICFF. It will also allow you to buy tickets. I know the website says in some places February 1 but it says on sale now on the top of the front page. I also just got the schedule in the mail, so I'm guessing the big reveal has come early.

This is great news and you really want to get tickets.

DO NOT LET THE CHILDREN IN THE TITLE FOOL YOU, THIS IS A GREAT FILM FESTIVAL FOR ADULTS. I mean that with all sincerity and seriousness. Randi and I have had tickets for every festival since they started, so if there is one thing I know, without a doubt, the festival is all about good films, not kids films. Yes, the films are geared for families, but at the same time that doesn't mean they are just for kids. How else do you explain films like 5 Centimeters a Second from a couple years back, which works as both a kids film and as an aching look back at paths not chosen that rocks a adults.

This year the selections are killer. Its full of great films across the board so you really need to make an effort to see as much of the good stuff as possible. Take a look at the schedule and I'm sure you'll find something you want to see since it's the best programmed festival yet.

You want highlights? Here are some of the films that I'm looking forward to:

The Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Below, the newest film from Makoto Shinkai the director of the masterpiece films 5 Centimeters a Second and Voices From a Distant Star. A chance to see any film by this director is a treat.

The Beatles in both Yellow Submarine (sadly only one showing) and Hard Days Night. Yellow Submarine has always been a huge favorite of mine and the chance to see it big is a treat.

They are running Toys in the Attic, the English dubbed version of In the Attic or Who Has A Birthday which was one of the first films reviewed here at Unseen. It blew me away and is proof that sometimes treasures lie in unexpected places. My original review is here, Simply put this is one of the best animated films you'll ever see, and three years on the film is still with me. The chance to see it again is an absolute unexpected pleasure. Believe me you DO want to see this, even if you think you don't.

They are running Ninja Kids!!! which played last years NYAFF. Mondocurry and myself both reviewed it. Mondocurry's review can be found here, while my review (which was buried in a review of 22 NYAFF films) can be read below:

Takashi Miike's adaptation of the anime series is one of the best anime to live action films as you'll ever see. Keeping the weird designs of characters (many have distorted facial features) the film has the feeling of a cartoon come to life. The film follows Rantaro, the son of an ex-ninja now farmer as he goes to the ninja academy.

Its a kids film for real kids since it's full of jokes about farts, snot and dog poop...

Not only one of the best film of the festival it is easily one of my favorites of the whole year. Mondocurry said to me after the screening that if I said anything other than I loved the film he would have called me a liar. I loved the film. If you can, score tickets to see this.


As I said in the NYAFF review, I'm trying to figure out how I can see both of the screenings and still have time to eat.

Again don't take my word for it read Mondocurry's piece as well.

The opening night film is A Monster in Paris. I've heard the film is good, and I'll be there simply because it's the opening night and those are always a blast.

The special events are not to be missed especially the chance to see Aardman's The Pirates!Band of Misfits in 3D as well as Michael Ocelot's Tales of the Night.

Frequently and very mistakenly overlooked are the short film collections. GO SEE THESE. Oscar winners come out of them, not only that there are great films hidden in them that you might never get to see. The shorts are always fantastic.

As always get your tickets sooner than later- the screenings almost always sell out WAY in advance.

Lastly don't get upset if you can't see everything. Its not physically possible. Not only do some screenings over lap, the locations are all over Manhattan so you may very well end up not being able to get from one place to another. (The geographical diversity of the festival is the one thing that makes me crazy)

Look, choose, go and see.

Going in this seems like it's going to be the best year yet.

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