44th KinderFilmFest Münster opens with 60 screenings and a children’s jury
Through Nov. 1, Münster’s KinderFilmFest shows more than 20 films, from “Emil and the Detectives” to “My Neighbor Totoro.” Guests include Bibi Blocksberg actress Nala.
Symbolic image · Photo: Schweigmatt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
The 44th KinderFilmFest, a children’s film festival, opens in Münster on Sunday. Through Nov. 1, more than 20 children’s films will be shown in a total of 60 screenings, with the Schloßtheater as the main venue and further films at the Meerwiese community center. The program features animated films for younger viewers and more demanding fare for older ones, including “Emil and the Detectives,” “Das doppelte Lottchen,” “The Brothers Lionheart,” “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Bibi Blocksberg: Die total verhexte Zeitreise.”
Under the motto “See, marvel, make it yourself!”, children are meant to do more than watch: a jury of 10- to 12-year-olds judges five competition films and awards the PELLI prize, while a children’s newsroom writes reviews and conducts interviews. Free workshops range from stunt training to animation and film music. Four theme days are devoted to children’s rights (with UNICEF), science, art and design, and image and book. Announced guests include Nala, who plays Bibi, on Oct. 31.
A cinema ticket costs 5 euros, or 3 euros with the Münster-Pass, the city’s discount card for low-income residents. The festival is organized by the city’s Children’s Office, the Münstersche Filmtheater-Betriebe cinema company, Münster University of Applied Sciences, the association Die Linse and the Theater in der Meerwiese. At the closing on Nov. 1, the prizes will be awarded and the workshop films premiered.