MICHEL Children’s and Youth Film Festival announces programme
Of superheroes, healing powers and first love
20. August 2024
MICHEL Children’s and Youth Film Festival takes you on a cinematic journey around the world. From 27 September to 3 October, a total of 16 feature-length and short films will be shown at Studio Kino and Cinemaxx Dammtor in Hamburg. Young audiences can look forward to stories from New Zealand, Canada, South Korea and many other countries.
Eight films are in the competition for the MICHEL film award MAJA, which is endowed with 10,000 euros and sponsored by Hamburg cinema operator Hans-Peter Jansen. The prize will be awarded on 3 October by a young seven-member MICHEL jury. The animated films Niko – Beyond the Northern Lights and The Super Elfkins, as well as two new episodes of the ARD series Peppercorns will be shown out of competition.
»I am particularly pleased that this year’s MICHEL films offer a consistently positive outlook. We can really benefit from that, whether young or old«, says Steffi Falk, who has been running the MICHEL Filmfest since 2021.
What do you do when you’re insecure in real life but would actually like to have superpowers? Lev asks himself this question in this year’s opening film Superpowers For Your Head. Lev is a huge fan of superhero Helix and dreams of being as strong as him. His parents don’t want to hear about it. But when his grandma turns up with all sorts of crazy ideas, Lev’s life suddenly becomes turbulent.
All the other films in the MICHEL program also invite young and old to laugh, wonder and reflect:
Not only humans celebrate Christmas! In the animated film Animal Tales of Christmas Magic, humans and animals experience magical winter wonders in five fairytale stories from all over the world. The film is being presented together with the Mo&Friese Young Short Film Festival Hamburg.
In the Norwegian film Lars is LOL, 11-year-old Amanda is delighted to become the buddy of a first grader. Then she is assigned Lars, the new classmate with Down’s syndrome. Amanda is disappointed – why does she of all people have to look after Lars? Although she doesn’t want to admit it, a special friendship develops between the two.
In the Canadian film Blue Sky Joe, 10-year-old Helene calls herself »Jo«, after her musketeer heroine Jo-Séphine. With a vivid imagination and a big heart, she decides to make her family’s life a little happier.
In her first feature-length film It’s Okay, South Korean director Kim Hye-Young tells the story of passionate dancer In-Young. After her mother’s tragic accident, she secretly moves into dance school. Despite initial difficulties, new friendships quickly develop.
Sam is ill and firmly believes that the power of Taranaki Mountain can heal her. In the New Zealand film Mountain, Sam runs away from the clinic to climb the peak. On the way, she is joined by Mallory and Bronco, and together they embark on a magical journey.
Greetings from Mars tells the story of 10-year-old Tom. He doesn’t like change, he hates red things and he can’t stand noise. Vacations with his siblings at grandma and grandpa’s in the country are particularly bad! What he loves is space. Encouraged by his mother, he sets off on his very own mission.
In the Dutch graduation film Jippie No More!, 16-year-old Jippie is full of anticipation. In a few days, his big sister is getting married. While the family prepares for the wedding in their beloved country house, Jippie falls in love for the first time – with Lily. But Lily’s heart belongs to someone else.
Outside the competition, two episodes of the children’s crime series Peppercorns will be shown with a new cast.
A premiere at the MICHEL Children’s and Youth Film Festival this year is the Animation theme day on September 28. The programme includes not only the films Niko – Beyond the Northern Lights and Animal Tales of Christmas Magic, but also the one-hour hands-on show »Adventure Animation« with Hamburg producer Maite Woköck.
In Niko – Beyond the Northern Lights by Kari Juusonen and Jørgen Lerdam, Santa’s helper goes on another big journey.
Things also get exciting for the Heinzels: they have to do everything in their power to prevent Inspector Lanski from tracking them down. The film The Super Elfkins will be shown free of charge at Cinemaxx Dammtor on 3 October, on Free for all day.
The »Reihe für Minis/Series for minis«, for cinema-goers aged four and older, is back in the programme. Here, a curious fan explores his desk, baker Boris struggles with a sneezing fit, a little hippo has an adventure with a new friend, a cloud protects its flower and sea creatures want to listen to music together.
Almost all MICHEL films are shown in their original version voiced-over live in German by actors in the cinema.
The film talks at the MICHEL Filmfest are moderated by children and youths between the ages of 11 and 16. They introduce the films and lead the audience discussions with guests. The young reporters of the MICHEL MOVIE KIDS accompany the entire festival through the media, conduct interviews and discuss the films on their own blog (www.michelmoviekids.de).
Tickets for MICHEL go on sale from 12 September.
