Belmont World Film will present its 21st Family Festival, for children ages 3-12, in Arlington, Cambridge, and Newton in January. On January 21, the festival will show these films at West Newton Cinema (1296 Washington Street):
10:30AM — Two films for ages 3-8:
- Tabby McTat (North American premiere) brings to life The Gruffalo, a picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler about the warm and wonderful friendship between a musical cat and a street busker in London, featuring the voice of Jodi Whittaker (Dr. Who).
- The Snail and the Whale, a film about a tiny snail goes on an amazing journey by hitching a ride on the tail of a huge humpback whale, features the voices of the late Dame Diana Rigg and Oscar-winner Sally Hawkins.
11:45AM — For ages 5-12:
- Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light (US premiere | Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia) is an original, stop-motion animated film that won the Contretemps Award at the Annecy International Animation Festival. It’s about an 11-year-old boy who was born glowing and goes on an adventurous search for the strange, dark creatures that suck the sunshine out of their house.
1:45PM — For ages 8+:
- Coco Farm (East Coast premiere | Canada) tells the story of a 12-year-old fast-talking boy who moves with his father to the country and comes up with an idea to make money by starting an egg farming business with the help of his cousin and local YouTuber Alice.
3:00PM For ages 10+:
- OkThanksBye (New England premiere | Netherlands) is about two 12-year-old girls at a boarding school for the deaf who set off on an unexpected road trip from Rotterdam to Paris, when one of the girl’s deaf grandmothers falls sick. Followed by a discussion with ASL interpretation.
Belmont World Films is a nonprofit promoting cross-cultural understanding through films screened for both adults and children in events accompanied by topical speakers, cultural performances, and international food experiences. Its 21st Family Festival takes place over four days, January 13-21, for children ages 3-12, in Arlington, Cambridge, and Newton. The festival features films from around the world in English and multiple languages, including Chinese, Czech, French, Dutch, Norwegian—even sign language. Most films cannot be seen anywhere else in New England.
Tickets are available online — $12 for feature films and $8 for shorts programs. Festival Passes, which include admission to all films in all locations, are $40. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare card holder tickets are half price. For more information, call 617-484-3980.
