Chicago International Children's Film Festival

By Elizabeth Shapiro in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 18, 2007 8:00PM

As the CIFF winds down, the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival kicks off. Over the next ten days, kid-friendly films from around the world will be shown at seven different area theaters, from Bronzeville to Lincoln Square and even Wilmette. Some showings feature a full-length film, but most are a thematically assembled collection of shorts.There will be actors on site to read the subtitles for movies directed towards those nine and under. How thoughtful is that? Tickets for each show are reasonable $6 for kids and $8 for adults; workshop prices vary. If you’re feeling flush with cash, check out the all ages opening gala tonight, hosted by Maestro Harrell, and featuring a brand new Disney short film ($60 adults, $25 kids).

You can find the complete list of screenings, workshops and locations on their website, but here are a few things we’re jazzed about.

My First Movies Festival schedules list a suggested age range for each film. A handful are designated “My First Movies” for the truly younger crowd. We can’t think of a more perfect first movie experience for our kid-- a series of short, well-done films, most only a handful of minutes long. We’ll definitely check out “Knuffle Bunny”, Maciek Albrecht’s take on one of our favorite Mo Willems stories at the Facets Cinema on October 28.

Labou What happens when you combine jazz, Louisiana, oil tycoons and elements of The Goonies? You get Labou, an American film showing at the Davis Theater on Saturday, October 20.

Workshops For inspiring preteen filmmakers, CICFF is offering six different workshops on topics from acting to directing a documentary. Megan Foley (granddaughter of sound effects pioneer Jack Foley) will teach a class on sound in film. A pair of Disney animators will walk budding artists through animation techniques. Fees range from $20 to $75 for the stop motion film lesson and you must register in advance.