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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 䩕International Children﷿s Film Carnival 2008蒅 from July 12 to August 17.
As a contribution to the annual 䩕International Arts Carnival 䩕(IAC) this summer, the popular 䩕International Children﷿s Film Carnival 2008蒅 will showcase various outstanding children﷿s feature films, animations and shorts from around the world.
These films include a stop-motion animation 䩕Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap蒅, the colourful 䩕A Tale of Two Mozzies蒅, the innovative 䩕Lotte from Gadgetville蒅, the heartwarming 䩕Bonkers蒅, the charming 䩕Where is Winky﷿s Horse?蒅, the incredible adventure of the 䩕Little Heroes蒅, as well as the touching 䩕 Little Soldier蒅, 䩕Piano Forest蒅 and 䩕A Unique Schooling蒅.
Presented by the Film Programmes Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the screenings of 䩕International Children﷿s Film Carnival 2008蒅 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.
䩕Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap蒅 (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?
䩕A Tale of Two Mozzies蒅 (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, 䩕Lotte from Gadgetville蒅 (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 䩕Winky﷿s Horse蒅, 䩕Where is Winky﷿s Horse?蒅 (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 䩕Piano Forest蒅 (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. 䩕Little Heroes蒅 (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 䩕Little Soldier蒅 (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 䩕Bonkers蒅 (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. 䩕A Unique Schooling蒅 (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 䩕Bonkers蒅 which is dubbed in Cantonese, all feature films have English subtitles. 䩕Desmond and the Swamp Barbarian Trap蒅, 䩕Piano Forest蒅 (except the screening on August 9, which is with Chinese and English subtitles), 䩕Lotte from Gadgetville蒅 and 䩕A Tale of Two Mozzies蒅 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 䩕World Animation and Shorts蒅 programmes.
Some of the highlights include 䩕Laban the Little Ghost蒅 (2007), 䩕Aston﷿s Stones蒅 (2007) 䩕Santa Loses His Memory蒅 (2006), 䩕Having A Brother蒅 (2007), 䩕Little Kitchen蒅 (2005), 䩕Day Dream (Summer Nap)蒅 (2005) as well as 䩕Mask蒅 (2007), 䩕Poor Bro, Rich Bro蒅 (2007), 䩕Hoopala蒅 (2007) and 䩕The Miniature Hero蒅 (2007).
Most works in the 䩕World Animation and Shorts蒅 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 䩕International Children﷿s Film Carnival 2008蒅 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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