Children in line for a visual feast
In the heart of Paris lies the Forum des Images, an audiovisual landscape created in 1988 by the poet Pierre Emmanuel and designed by architect Paul Chemetov. With more than 5,000 hours of digital content in an array of genres,such as documentaries, fiction, short films and animated films, and more than 2,000 screenings each year, Forum des Images offers cinema lovers of all ages a rich and diverse selection of material.
Among its programs, Tout-Pet its Cinema, a project combining animation and concerts, is one of the most successful.
Started in 2008 and specifically designed for children, above the age of 18 months, the program will be brought to China for the first time this month.
So far, the Forum des Images has produced 25 programs, which have been staged in Paris annually during the winter vacation in France.
For its China debut, the Forum des Images has designed a new show using a series of animation films from the United States, Russia and France. Most of the films have been shown at international festivals in Los Angeles, Toronto and Berlin.
Titled Paris Baby Fest, the show comprises two parts: On the Wing, which will showcase four short animation films including Hop Frog directed by Leonid Shmelkov and My Mom Is an Airplane directed by Yulia Aronova, and Big and Tiny will feature five short animation films including The Little Hedgehog by Marjorie Caup and Giraffe by Anastasia Sokolova.
“After my son watched the show online he did a painting, which combines an airplane with my face. I like it very much because it is full of imagination,” says French photographer Anais Martane, who married award-winning Chinese actor Liu Ye in 2009. Their 5-yearold son, Nuoyi, and 3-year-old daughter Nina, have won many fans after Liu let them participate in the third season of popular Chinese reality TV show, Where Are We Going, Dad?, early this year. The show is aired by Hunan Satellite TV Station.
Martane also says she usually plays classic animation film sat home for her children, such as Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven. The 1960s film is an adaptation of the famous Chinesenovel Journey to the West.
“Tone, narration and speed are important elements to tell stories, which attract children,” she says. “Don’ t under estimate children. They can tell what good animation is .”
The promoter of the show, Martane first watched Tout-Petits Cinema online and was impressed by the warm and happy atmosphere.
“With simple pictures and charming music, sometimes hilarious and sometimes serious, I had a delightful experience,” she says. “I believe it’s a show that caters to the whole family.”