Sharing, being inclusive, addressing pollution and promoting peace are among the important lessons of dozens of animation and live-action shorts at the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, opening 3 p.m. Sunday and continuing every Sunday this month at the University of Hawaii-Manoa Art Auditorium.
“This is our 13th year and we’ve happily served over 11,000 family members with free screenings of programming from around the world, for toddlers through teens — and adults too,” said Ann Brandman, festival curator. “This year we’ve got 40 short films from 18 countries, many of them multiple award-winners.”
The festival kicks off Sunday with sweet shorts for the younger set who enjoy seeing familiar characters from books and TV, as well as new films, such as “Llama Llama,” “PigTails” and “Octonauts: Reef Rescue.”
“This year, we have some fabulous films made by or with students,” Brandman added, including “The Little Fish and the Crocodile” (July 14) and “Parker Bubblegum” (July 21).
On the final day, July 28, the event features a program that recognizes the rich inner life of children and encourages their empowerment in dealing with the issues of their times, Brandman said.
Among these films: “Little Warriors,” about students who helped to enact climate change legislation; “Educate Girls,” which advocates education for girls globally; and “Make a Difference,” about students who promote inclusiveness and seek solutions to bullying.
“KIDS FIRST! films are pre-screened and evaluated so that they are free of gratuitous violence and race, religious or gender bias,” Brandman said.
The festival is presented by UH-Manoa’s Outreach College. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. The program starts at 3 p.m. with door prizes followed by the screenings.
