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A little pig haunted by a swamp monster, the friendship between two boys tested in a piano contest, young children becoming heroes, and two playful mosquitoes joining hands to drive away an attack by an army of wicked ants. All these loving and caring stories and an array of fun characters will be featured in the coming ¡°International Children¡¯s Film Carnival 2008¡± from July 12 to August 17.
As a contribution to the annual ¡°International Arts Carnival ¡°(IAC) this summer, the popular ¡°International Children¡¯s Film Carnival 2008¡± will showcase various outstanding children¡¯s feature films, animations and shorts from around the world.
These films include a stop-motion animation ¡°Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap¡±, the colourful ¡°A Tale of Two Mozzies¡±, the innovative ¡°Lotte from Gadgetville¡±, the heartwarming ¡°Bonkers¡±, the charming ¡°Where is Winky¡¯s Horse?¡±, the incredible adventure of the ¡°Little Heroes¡±, as well as the touching ¡° Little Soldier¡±, ¡°Piano Forest¡± and ¡°A Unique Schooling¡±.
Presented by the Film Programmes Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the screenings of ¡°International Children¡¯s Film Carnival 2008¡± will take place at the Lecture Halls of Hong Kong Space Museum and Hong Kong Science Museum, and the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive during the festival.
¡°Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap¡± (2006) is the first Swedish stop-motion animated feature film filled with suspense and excitement. It is about little pig Desmond and his friends, who are haunted by a terrible swamp monster. Electric guitar, boxing gloves, stock of makeup are all snatched without trace, how are the animals going to deal with the crisis?
¡°A Tale of Two Mozzies¡± (2007), which was the Official Selection of the Kinderfest at the Berlin International Film Festival 2008, is a happy animated tale with upbeat dance and music for little children. With funny little gadgets, ¡°Lotte from Gadgetville¡± (2006) is full of creativity and imagination. It won the Latvian Film Prize, Best Animated Feature Film at the Latvian National Film Festival 2007.
A sequel to last year¡¯s acclaimed ¡°Winky¡¯s Horse¡±, ¡°Where is Winky¡¯s Horse?¡± (2007) is another charming film about Winky¡¯s attachment to her pet horse. She secretly takes the horse for a ride and the horse escapes; will she be able to find it? The film opened the Kinderfest at the Berlin International Film Festival 2008 and won the Golden Film at the Golden and Platin Film of Netherlands 2007.
With the splendid piano performance of Russian prodigy Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Japanese comic ¡°Piano Forest¡± (2007) features two talented boys, with different upbringings, whose friendship is being tested as they become rivals in a piano contest.
A child can also become a hero. ¡°Little Heroes¡± (2006) depicts three courageous kids, who, despite their deficiencies, embark on a journey to save two injured teenagers. The film won the Best Feature Film for Children at the Zlin International Film Festival for Children and Youth (Czech Republic) in 2007. A courageous young boy in ¡°Little Soldier¡± (2007) turns into a brave hero in fighting against the Japanese invasion.
A lot can be achieved with love and care. In the award-winning film ¡°Bonkers¡± (2005), a mother who lives on medication, tries to cheer up her daughter by bringing home a pet elephant. The touching and funny story won the Audience Awards at the Amsterdam Cinekid and the Netherlands Film Festival 2006.
Kids who are unwilling to go to school do not know how fortunate they are to have a chance of schooling. ¡°A Unique Schooling¡± (2004) features a 12-year-old poor girl in rural China who struggles to earn money to continue her schooling. The film won the Best Directorial Debut, Best Film for Children, Best Screenplay and Special Jury Award at the Golden Rooster Award 2004 as well as the Award of the City of Zlin at the Zlin International Film Festival for Children and Youth (Czech Republic) in 2006.
Except ¡°Bonkers¡± which is dubbed in Cantonese, all feature films have English subtitles. ¡°Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap¡±, ¡°Piano Forest¡± (except the screening on August 9, which is with Chinese and English subtitles), ¡°Lotte from Gadgetville¡± and ¡°A Tale of Two Mozzies¡± are accompanied with live Cantonese interpretation from professional dubbing artists Ms Pat Kwok and Mr Cheung Chun-shing.
Eighteen fascinating animations and shorts from various countries including Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong are joining the carnival this year in the ¡°World Animation and Shorts¡± programmes.
Some of the highlights include ¡°Laban the Little Ghost¡± (2007), ¡°Aston¡¯s Stones¡± (2007) ¡°Santa Loses His Memory¡± (2006), ¡°Having A Brother¡± (2007), ¡°Little Kitchen¡± (2005), ¡°Day Dream (Summer Nap)¡± (2005) as well as ¡°Mask¡± (2007), ¡°Poor Bro, Rich Bro¡± (2007), ¡°Hoopala¡± (2007) and ¡°The Miniature Hero¡± (2007).
Most works in the ¡°World Animation and Shorts¡± series are in their original languages with English and Chinese subtitles together with a Cantonese introduction by Mr Kwan Chung-yeung.
Tickets priced at $44 are now available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessionary tickets are available for full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. There will be a 10% discount for each purchase of three to four different events of IAC and 15% discount for five more different events.
Programme details can be found in the booking brochure of ¡°International Children¡¯s Film Carnival 2008¡± or in the IAC programme brochure at all LCSD performing venues. Reservations can be made by phone on 2734 9009 or via the Internet at www.urbtix.hk.
For information call 2734 2900 or browse the website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp.
Ends/Monday, May 26, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:13
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