Educational Programme

Sihja, the Rebel Fairy

Sihja - kapinaa ilmassa

Sihja is a charming forest nymph who leaves her home in the woods to move to the city. There she quickly befriends Alfred, who loves nature. Together they enjoy the city until dead birds start falling from the sky. Is the culprit the smelly fertiliser factory where Alfred’s father works? Alfred and Sihja investigate what is threatening nature and how they can prevent all life in the woods from being destroyed. They fight using Sihja’s uncontrolled nymph powers, but then Sihja is suddenly accused of creating all the misery.

This fun and exciting story deals with themes such as climate change and the destruction of nature by mankind, but also with friendship, loneliness, being different and discovering your identity. The makers have created their own world in beautiful, colourful images.

My Very Own Circus

Mon cirque à moi

When Laura’s father is on the road with his clown act, Laura always announces him. Will this free life be her future too or does she desire something else? Laura’s teacher Patricia spots her intelligence and helps her get into a good private school. Laura really wants to go, but her father – a non-conformist to the bone – thinks it’s rubbish.

Joyful clown acts, playful details and unexpected spectacle provide the lively basis for more serious matters. One such being that people may not always be the way they first appear. For instance, the ostensibly cynical Patricia proves to be a nice lady who quickly passes Laura a pad when she has her first period. However, it is the father-daughter relationship that also makes this comedy a touching coming-of-age story. And don’t forget the always taciturn sidekick Mandeep. Very freely based on true events.

MARJA PYYKKÖ

FINLAND, THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 89’ | 7+

FACTS

Dutch title Sia, de rebelse bosfee Producer Venla Hellstedt, Elli Toivoniemi Screenwriter Kirsikka Saari, Jenni Toivoniemi Editor Jon Endre Mørk Composer Ginge Anvik Leading actors Elina Patrakka, Justus Hentula, Elmer Bäck, Paola Bärlund Production company Tuffi Films, Finland, tuffi@tuffifilms.com, www.tuffifilms.com Sales company Dutch Features Global Entertainment, The Netherlands, sales@dutchfeatures.com, www.dutchfeatures.com Distributor In The Air

MYRIAM BOUCHARD

CANADA | 2020 | 100’ | 9+

FACTS

Dutch title Mijn leven is een circus Producer Antonello Cozzolino Screenwriter Martin Forget, Myriam Bouchard Editor Valérie Héroux Composer Mathieu Vanasse Leading actors Patrick Huard, Sophie Laurin, Jasmine Lemée, Robin Aubert, Mathilde Boucher Production company Attraction Images, Canada, info@attractionimages.ca Sales company Attraction Distribution, Canada, info@attractiondistribution.ca, www.attractiondistribution.ca Distributor In The Air

Anansi the Spider

De avonturen van Anansi de spin

The folk tales of Anansi the spider are centuries old. They tell of a spider who always outwits his opponents. The message being: you must be smart if you are not big and strong. These West African fairy tales were spread to countries including Surinam, the Dutch Antilles as well as to the Caribbean in general by the slave trade. There, they were passed on by word of mouth as well as constantly refined. Everyone knows them, while in the Netherlands and Europe few people have heard of Anansi.

Author Iven Cudogham thought Dutch children should also get to know Anansi. Last year, he brought the spider to the Netherlands through his children’s books and an exhibition at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam. Now, there is this brand new, inclusive animation series for toddlers. Anansi the Spider’s global premiere will be at Cinekid.

Divorced Parents

Mijn ouders zijn gescheiden

In the Netherlands approximately one in three marriages fails and every year 86,000 children are told that their parents are getting divorced. A third of these children will experience a custody battle. Children tend not to talk much amongst themselves about tough situations at home and are loyal to both parents. This means they often face major dilemmas, are very sad and process that in silence. These four youth documentaries reveal how children deal with a divorced family situation.

This series’ objective is to give these children a voice and to open up their stories for discussion. For instance, Levin (9) is trying to find our why her parents are divorced by drawing, modelling in clay and making up stories. Din (12) prefers to express himself through football instead of talking. Children also look back at the moment their parents told them: we are getting divorced.

PATRICK RAATS

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 24’ | 4+

FACTS

Dutch title De avonturen van Anansi de spin Producer Michiel Snijders, Arnoud Rijken, Iven Cudogham Screenwriter Iven Cudogham, Arnoud Rijken, Michiel Snijders Editor Arnoud Rijken Composer Kim Arzbach Leading actors Rogier Comproe, Shirma Rouwse, Roué Verveer, Arjen Ederveen, Janouk Kelderman, Production company il Luster, The Netherlands, info@illuster.nl, www.illuster.nl Sales company ODMedia, The Netherlands, info@odmedia.com, www.odmedia.com

EEF HILGERS, TIM VAN GILS, NINA DE VRIENDT, HUIBERT VAN WIJK

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 60’ | 9+

FACTS

Dutch title Mijn ouders zijn gescheiden Producer Willemijn Cerutti Screenwriter Eef Hilgers, Tim van Gils, Nina de Vriendt, Huibert van Wijk Editor Joël Hielckert, Augustine Huijsser Composer Jillis Schriel, Daan Ares, Jaap Sijben, Leleane Lindenaar Production company Cerutti Film, The Netherlands, willemijn@ceruttifilm.nl, www.ceruttifilm.nl

Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary

Calamity, une enfance de Martha Jane Cannary

In 1863, a caravan treks westward though the United States, in search of more land. Twelve-year-old Martha Jane learns to drive the covered wagon after her father is injured in an accident. To make horse-riding easier, the energetic girl swaps her skirts for trousers. But such unorthodoxy is too much for the leader of the caravan. Following an explosive confrontation, Martha Jane sets off alone. She lives a life of adventure, discovers the sensation of freedom and learns her own value.

The dramatic youth of legendary Wild West character Martha Jane Cannary forms the backbone of this adventurous, exciting coming-of-age story inspired by the Western genre, but with a strong female protagonist. Jane continues to be a role model for today’s kids in this film that opened the Cinekid festival in 2020, which uses a stylised realistic animation style and makes appealing use of colour and true-to-life character sketches.

Wonderful Worlds

Wonderlijke Werelden

Join us in a journey through wondrous worlds of imagination! In this lovely selection of short animations you will experience the wonders of yodelling marmots in The Big Crunch, a beard-umbrella in Umbrellas, a bird learning to fly in Kiki the Feather, cows learning to play dirty in A Splash in the Mud and two kids navigating a massive flood in The Great Overflow. The characters of these films are explorers enamoured with their own universe and eager to find out more about them, while having to overcome all kinds of emotions, like fear, selfishness and disgust. So sit back and let us guide you along in these Wonderful Worlds!

RÉMI CHAYÉ

FRANCE, DENMARK | 2020 | 85’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title Calamity Producer Henri Magalon, Claire La Combe, Cleland Jericca, Claus Toksvig Kjaer Screenwriter Rémi Chayé, Sandra Tosello, Fabrice de Costil Editor Benjamin Massoubre Composer Florencia Di Concilio Leading actors Santiago Barban, Jérémy Bardeau, Gaspar Bellegarde, Salomé Boulven, Max Brunner, Claus Toksvig Kjaer Production company Maybe Movies, France, contact@maybemovies.com, www.maybemovies.com Sales company Indie Sales, France, info@indiesales.eu, www.indiesales.eu Distributor Cinéart Nederland SWEDEN, FRANCE | 2021 | 50’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title Wonderlijke Werelden Distributor Cinekid