Day Three at The New York International Children's Film Festival 2016

I am going to do reviews of everything and they will hit this week. Right now just an over view of the day. And the goodies I saw.

The day opened with a surprisingly sold out screening of SHORTS ONE.  Who would have thought an 11am screening on a Sunday would pack them in but they did. I'll be reviewing all the films but I wanted to point out a couple of films that make the collection a must see-

ZOO STORY is about a young girl who becomes fascinated with a gorilla. I loved it, especially since the girl gives the gorilla a copy of Tarzan to read.  I also loved TWO FRIENDS, as did most of the audience until the denouncement which caused rumblings through the auditorium.

Rawan Rahim the director of the incredible LILOU

After the shorts I booked to get lunch and came back for SHORTS TWO. Its a another winning collection. I sat  next to the director of LILOU Rawan Rahim during the screening. In our brief chat she was absolutely wonderful. I will wax poetic when I do full reviews but you have to see her film. Its AMAZING. The delicate line work and images are beyond words. Stills do not do the animation justice. I want her to do a feature. I really do.

I also loved STEM a documentary about the brief lives of animation puppets. And I have to mention TWO LEFT FEET which has one of the best denouncements and flips I've seen in a long time. Its beautiful as what you think is cringe worthy moment is revealed to be something else.

Festival Director Nina Gurlnick and LILOU director Rawan Rahim

Between the films I spoke with Nina Gurlnick about the festival and stuff. I introduced my self and she said she knew who I was. That's a scary thought because its one of those statements that could be taken as a good thing or a bad thing. She pointed out that she knew my bag. Ms Rahim came over and Nina introduced me calling me the festivals "number one fan and biggest supporter". I corrected her and said I was the number one crazy.(Forgive me I am overly enthusiastic toward the festival and I fear it's overly annoying- but trust me it comes from love). I got a picture of the two ladies together,

Nina Gurlnick gets everyone to stand for t-shirts before BEYOND BEYOND

The third screening was BEYOND BEYOND a Danish film about a boy whose mother was carried off by the Feather King. He ends up on a quest to rescue her. The kids around me loved it. I and many of the adults around me got lost in the darkness of the tale (its an allegory about death). I have a great deal to say about it so a full review is coming.

The slide for APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD

The final film of the day was APRIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD (though the onscreen subtitle said the "Twisted World"). Set in an alternate world where the steam age never ended and France is at war with the US for its forests, the plot concerns the disappearance of scientists and the titled April, who's parents go missing and her years long quest to find them. Its a grand adventure that gets better the longer it goes. Again this is one I have a great deal to talk about so a full review is in order.

After 8 hours in the trenches I headed home.

Look for reviews all week. More reports next weekend and click on the NYICFF 2016 tag to see everything we've reviewed or reported.