Ages 8+

Who says being a kid is easy? The young people in these films must overcome all kinds of challenges, big and small, to follow their dreams. Meet a non-gender-conforming kid who finds courage in a new friendship, a boy who works to buy the basketball hoop of his dreams, a girl who craves familiar food in a place far from home, and another boy who learns not to rely on superstition.This collection also includes a film about boys from Senegal who just want to go to the movies, and concludes with a documentary about a talented young Iraqi refugee, living in Lebanon. A fast-paced film from India, championing the right of all children to education, and “Can You See the Future,” from Turkey, round out the program.

Click here for field trip schedule.

• Can You See the Future?

  West Coast premiere and winner of the CFFS Plural+ Prize, for a international film by a filmmaker 25 years or younger!
  If you look closely, you can see that children are always dreaming of what they will be. This film encourages us all to support those dreams. ​

  (Ismet Kale, Turkey, live action and animation, 2017, 2 min, nonverbal)

• Cup of Tea

  West Coast Premiere!
  Expect the unexpected in this film about a chance encounter between a young teacher and a knowledge-hungry boy.

  (Jitendra Rai, India, live action, 2016, 3 min, nonverbal)

• Hoop Dreamin’

  A young man learns that through hard work, sacrifice, and with a strong mother’s love, any dream can be realized.

  ​(Nick Brooks, USA, live action, 2017, 6:17 min, English)

• Sammy Paramaribo: Bittersweet

  West Coast premiere!
  Sammy from Almere goes on vacation to her aunt in Paramaribo, where she discovers the different foods of Suriname and makes new friends.

  ​(Barbara Bredero, The Netherlands and Suriname, live action, 2015, 8 min, Dutch, with English subtitles)

• Samedi Cinema

  Seattle Premiere!
  Two young avid cinephiles are desperate to see a movie on the big screen of their local cinema before it closes its door forever.

  ​
  (Mamadou Dia, Senegal, live action, 2016, 11 min, Fulani, Wolof and French, with English subtitles)

• ​
  

  Mrs. McCutcheon

  West Coast premiere!
  Tom, a 10-year-old, prefers the flow of a dress than the cut of a pant. Now at his third school, Tom is having trouble finding acceptance from the other kids in the class — except for Trevor, a tough little charmer who also suffers prejudice due to his Aboriginal heritage. Together, the pair sets off for the school dance.

  ​
  (John Sheedy, Australia, live action, 2017, 16:30 min, English)

• ​
  

  The Autograph

  Seattle premiere!
  Shaunak, a star-struck 10-year-old, bumps into his television idol at a mall and scores an autograph on the palm of his hand. But to save this lucky charm, Shaunak stops washing his hands — leading to consequences that don’t leave him very happy or feeling lucky.

  ​
  (Mohit Modi, India, live action, 2016, 19 min, English and Hindi, with English subtitles)

• ​
  

  Spotlight on Merna

  US premiere!
  After fleeing Iraq, Merna becomes a superstar by participating in The Voice Kids, but her biggest dream is to be able to live in a safe environment.

  
  ​(Mirjam Marks, The Netherlands, live action, 2016, 15 min, Arabic and English, with English subtitles)