Film morning 3
Celebrate a century of Estonian cinema and… animated carrot humor!
In this centennial year of Estonian cinema, the Festival’s youngest filmgoers will have the chance to discover some of the best children’s animation from the Baltic state.
Estonia’s film industry is a particularly lively environment for animation, producing a number of major, big-budget animated films each year. Estonian animation is renowned for a unique brand of surrealist humor, excellent technique, and refined esthetics, enjoying steady popularity among all age groups: for the past two decades, adult Estonian filmgoers have regularly named the animated heroine Lotte, whose adventures will screen at this year’s New Horizons, as one of their favorite film characters.
It is with great pleasure that we present the productions of two great animation studios – Nukufilm, which specializes in puppet animations, and Joonisfilm, best known for drawn animations.
As in previous years, all screenings will be followed by art workshops inspired by the films. This year, an added attraction will be on-hands lessons in stop-motion animation led by educator and Nukufilm animator Sondra Lampmann. The workshops are designed to introduce young fans to some of the secrets behind the magic on screen in a playful atmosphere. Attendance in this series of animation art workshops is free.
The program includes films recommended for children in the 3–6 and 6–9 age groups. The workshops, however, are designed for children aged 9 and older. All films in this series will be screened with Polish voice-over.
We invite everyone to join Miriam and Lotte in their great and small adventures, as well as a certain orange vegetable, without which Estonian animation just would not be the same.
The showing for children aged from 3 to 6.
Carrot on the Beach
Spring is bad news for a snowman, especially one who’s curious about summer. But unexpected help comes from a snowboard-loving rabbit whose snow-making machine keeps our hero from melting. Unfortunately, the rabbit has his sights set on the snowman’s carrot nose. Our hero can try to run, but can he escape the heat of summer? From a claymation series starring the carrot-nosed snowman and his long-eared pursuer.
Miriam’s Theatre
Miriam, her brother, and their friend, the hen, join an audience of bears to see a performance of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. Everyone is dressed in the Sunday’s best, but terrified of what might happen to the hero of the play, the children decide to help her defeat the wolf. A puppet animation classic about children’s emotional imagination and limitless creativity.
Miriam’s Picnic
A forest, a clearing, a meadow – bucolic settings for a picnic. But how filled with dangers awaiting the unwary! The hen is stalked by a terrifying scarecrow, while Miriam’s brother and his cake are pursued by a bee, a snake, and a frog. But, never fear, friendship and courage can overcome every obstacle, even in a big scary world. In the end, everyone has a swell and yummy time.
Miriam’s Colors
When Miriam, her little brother, and the hen come across an old photo album, strange things happen. Everything around them turns black and white, and colors are nowhere to be seen! But the brave little hen goes to fetch colors from a rainbow, and together the young heroes bring color back into the world. A tender vision of the world through children’s eyes, in which the animators use a range of techniques to manipulate color and form.
Miriam Broken Picture
Someone’s going to be in big trouble... Miriam, her little brother and the hen come home after playing ball outside – but the hen wants to keep playing. Parents always say not to play ball in the house… everything happens so fast – little brother doesn’t know what to do, Miriam ends up taking the blame, and the hen gets sent to the corner. But no one stays angry for long. A small fable on courage, guilt, and responsibility.
Miriam’s Christmas Gnome
The holidays are coming fast. Miriam dreams of a gnome bringing a heap of presents. In the middle of the night, when the hen nests under the bed, the cat lays on the windowsill, and an inflatable giraffe sleeps peacefully, a gnome appears and places a magical orange in Miriam’s slipper. But things get out of hand and the animals have to save the night. A tribute to Estonian folk beliefs and holiday traditions.