Kids' Films in New York

It is that time of year again, the time when New York City parents wish they had more time in the day--especially Saturdays--to take their kids to all the great cinematic venues around town. The city frequently has cinematic gems showing for kids at some venue or other, but now we're in for the double treat of the New York International Children's Film Festival at five locations in Manhattan and the BAMkids Film Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. (Above is a shot from Dave Pryor's three-minute film Alien for Christmas showing at BAM.) Both are literally world-class events, so you can't go wrong with either. The NYICFF provides showings over the course of several weeks, primarily weekends, from this Friday through March 15, so it's very nice if you're not available this week, for instance, or if you want to catch more than one screening. Inversely, the BAM event is concentrated in one place and one time, this weekend: you can take the kids for an immersive day of cinematic experience, with music, food, face painting, and other kid-friendly activities; it's a partner of the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, one of the top kids' film fests in the world. Both NYICFF and BAMkids have shorts, features, live-action, and 2D (cel, Flash, etc.), 3D CGI, and stop-motion animation. 

Mommy Poppins is a very good blog on kid-friendly events in the city, and this is what she has to say about NYICFF and BAMkids. I myself don't have much else to add except to urge all parents to go. These fests are both around a decade old, prices are reasonable (especially by festival standards), and they represent some of the best that a resurgent New York has to offer families, with the types of productions for children of all ages that you just can't get on television or Netflix. If nothing else it's worth it for the American premiere of the much anticipated new Wallace and Gromit film, A Matter of Loaf and Death, which premiered on British television this past Christmas season.