Hawke’s Bay Film Festival for Kids returns in 2019

Following the success of the first-ever Screenies Children’s Film Festival in Napier in 2018, the festival has returned in 2019 with a treasure trove of feature and short films during the school holidays.

Screenies was set up to offer alternative content for children aged 3-15 years, drawing on similar festivals from Australia, Europe and North America.

“Increasingly, our kids gain their knowledge of the world from media” says festival director Janette Howe, “but it’s also important for them to explore and develop their own outlook. Offering new digital experiences and a range of films from across the globe allows children to broaden their view. It’s something I’m passionate about, which is why our tickets are low cost or koha.”

More than 100 feature and short films will screen in 15 sessions from 10-13 July. MTG Hawke’s Bay Director Laura Vodanovich is delighted to be hosting the Screenies Film Festival again this year in MTG’s Century Theatre. “It’s a real school holiday treat for families, and an exciting opportunity to explore the diversity of movies created for young people. We want to help grow a new generation of movie lovers who look beyond the mainstream for entertainment, inspiration and information.”

This year, the festival opens Wednesday 10 July with the New Zealand red-carpet premiere of Tito and the Birds, an award-winning feature film from Portugal. For the littlies, The Magical World of Margaret Mahy includes five animated short stories by the internationally acclaimed and beloved kiwi author. Best of the Fest is a special collection of films as voted by kids and industry juries. The festival closes on Saturday 13 July with kiwi classic The Silent One (1984), a mythological drama about the friendship between a boy and a rare white turtle. A talk with director Yvonne Mackay will follow.

 Click here for more information on the films screening in this year's festival.

11 July 2019

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