Movies educate while entertaining
Reel 2 Real Film Festival for Youth's lineup speaks to its audience
For T Bannister, the opening film of this year's Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth represents something of a full circle.
“The first film I ever programmed for Reel 2 Real was Phantom Boy,” said Bannister, who began her current role at the Reel 2 Real Film Festival for Youth in 2016.
“Now, almost a decade later, I get to show another film by the same filmmakers. It's very exciting to first of all witness how long it takes for great animation to be made. And that they're still making films. And that they're translating them into English.”
The movie in question is Nina and the Hedgehog's Secret by French directors Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol, who also made A Cat in Paris, a 2010 film currently streaming on Apple TV. The new film is indeed dubbed, an important consideration for young audiences, says Bannister.
“It's difficult for young people to read subtitles, so we're trying to find accessible films,” Bannister said. “This film is really special, not only because of the animation style, but because of the storytelling and imagination that exists within the world that they create. It's a story of family and friendship and just beautiful animation.”
Nina and the Hedgehog's Secret is not the only animated film among the festival's eight features and 35 shorts, which have been sourced from over 25 countries and Indigenous nations. There is also Saleem, a feature from Jordanian director Cynthia Madanat about the emotional experience of a young refugee. Animated shorts include Meca (Mink) and Tiny, both from Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Territory on Northern Vancouver Island filmmakers Ritchie Hemphill and Ryan Haché. And, in her doc about Mi'kmaw poet and former poet laureate of Kjipuktuk (Halifax) Rebecca Thomas, director Stephanie Joline uses animation to illustrate some poems by Thomas.
“It was interesting to work with animators and illustrators because I hadn't done it much before,” said Joline, a Halifax-based Indigenous filmmaker. Her previous work includes Play Your Gender, a doc about gender disparity in the music industry that features B.C. singer and songwriter Kinnie Starr. Joline's four-part docuseries Women of This Land is currently streaming on CBC Gem.
“There wasn't a lot of direction from me,” Joline said of utilizing animation by Indigenous artists in the doc, I Place You Into the Fire. “I have the credit and director and producer on this, but a lot of people brought their own visions to the parts they did. I just said: What in this poem inspires you?”
Of course, many of the films are live action, including Sister & Sister and Boyz. Both are making their Canadian premières with the festival.
The former is a well-reviewed feature from first-time Costa Rican writer, director and producer Kattia G. Zúñiga and is described as “a tender and intimate portrait of sisterhood, desire, jealousy and self-acceptance in the malaise of Panama's sweltering summer.” Boyz, by German director Sylvain Cruziat, is a doc that follows two Gen-Z friends through their student life in Munich.
“We're looking for the best films that are for young people and families from around the world,” Bannister said. “We're not necessarily looking for films that are specifically made for children. We're looking for films that would be appropriate for young people to watch. There are films that are not necessarily tagged as family programming, that haven't been developed for that specific purpose. But they're great films that have something of value for a young audience.
“That's first and foremost. Then we're looking for work that fits with our educational mandate, that connect with school audiences across the Lower Mainland and B.C., and that tie in with what teachers are talking about. Then, we're looking for things that are in the zeitgeist of youth culture. What are the young people thinking about? We want to share those perspectives and let young people know that their voice matters.”