FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

From the Northampton Arts Council, 413 587 1069

February 10, 2011

Photos on Request

Full summaries with YouTube links on pgs 2-4

KidsBestFest, presented by the Northampton Arts Council & The Academy of Music Theatre runs February 21-25, 2011. It starts off on Monday with a box office disaster: the 1926 silent comedy, THE GENERAL starring Buster Keaton. It really was a flop, but is now considered one of the greatest films ever made. Alloy Orchestra makes it even better with live music.  On Tuesday, there is a veritable Feast Of Films presented by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. On Wednesday, a darling short film, STONEFLIES, gets us ready to fly in EEP! an award winning film from The Netherlands and Belgium. MAGIC SILVER, from Norway, on Thursday, will melt even the coldest hearts with its cast of blue AND red gnomes. CROCODILES, on Friday is about a pack of teens, not large aquatic reptiles. We’ve got a few more short films from around the world in the mix, please visit northamptonartcouncil.org for a complete listing.  Don’t worry if your German or Italian isn’t up to snuff, the glorious Ms Cate Damon will read the subtitles. Doors open at 1:30, cash only, and films start at 2:00 all week long. It’s a magical week at the Academy as we feature films from all over the world and every day, there is a chance to win a free bucket of buttery popped corn!

KidsBestFest

February 21-25, 2011

Academy of Music Theatre • Northampton, Massachusetts

Presented by the Northampton Arts Council & The Academy of Music Theatre

CASH only @ the door

Doors open @ 1:30

Films start @ 2:00

Subtitles read aloud by Cate Damon of New Century Theatre.

Summaries of films at: www.northamptonartscouncil.org

www.academyofmusictheatre.com and Valley Kids. Films are subject to change.

KidsBestFest

February 21-25, 2011

Academy of Music Theatre • Northampton, Massachusetts

Monday, February 21

The General, with live musical accompaniment by Alloy Orchestra

USA • all ages • 79 minutes ◆ 

$5 at the door

The General is a 1926 American silent comedy film released by United Artists, based upon the Great Locomotive Chase from 1862. Johnnie loves his train ("The General") and Annabelle Lee. When the Civil War begins he is turned down for service because he's more valuable as an engineer. Annabelle thinks it's because he's a coward. Union spies capture The General with Annabelle on board. Johnny must rescue both his loves. The film was a box-office disaster at its original release, but is now considered by critics as one of the greatest films ever made.

Alloy Orchestra is a three man musical ensemble, writing and performing live accompaniment to classic silent films. The ensemble's members have made it their mission to reintroduce the silent era to the surround-sound generation. The trio combines a percussive barrage (drums, hubcaps, truck springs, and other found metal) with rich synthesized melodies.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017925/

http://www.alloyorchestra.com/index.html

Tuesday, February 22

The Eric Carle Museum

Picture Book Art Day

USA • all ages • 100 minutes ◆ 

$3 at the door

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art celebrates the picture book in all its forms, building bridges to art appreciation and literacy through rich programming and a community of talented authors and illustrators. Join KidsBestFest and The Carle to celebrate food in children’s literature.  Fun films from Weston Woods include:  Mo Willems’ “The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog;” The Maurice Sendak Library's “Where the Wild Things Are” and “Chicken Soup with Rice;” Jane Yolen and Mark Teague’s “How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?” and Family Stories by William Steig with “Pete’s a Pizza.”  There will be a big screen story time featuring “Ella Sarah Gets Dressed” by Margaret Chodos-Irvine, a visit from The Very Hungry Caterpillar and free museum passes -- all to celebrate the Museum’s current exhibition: Eric Carle:  A Feast for the Eyes.   Bring your camera!

http://www.carlemuseum.org/

Wednesday, February 23

Eep!

INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNING FILM

Netherlands/Belgium • all ages • 80 minutes• subtitled ◆ 

$3 at the door

This is an imaginative and beautifully shot film. A bird watcher, Warre, finds a little living creature in the grass under a tree and no adult bird around to claim her. But this little thing is a bird person with the body and head of a baby, though she is small enough to fit in a palm, and wings instead of arms. The bird watcher brings the little special effects creature home to his wife, Tine, who insists this will be their child whom she will raise. This teeny, birdlike child starts feeling her natural instinct to fly, and finds it irresistible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwYoCj3cBMQ 

PLUS…

Steinfliegen (Stoneflies)

Germany• all ages • 15 minutes • subtitled ◆ 

A stop-motion short about a stonefly named Ferdi who can’t fly, but that doesn’t stop him from trying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QITvEL_yqf8

Thursday, February 24

Magic Silver

INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNING FILM

Norway• all ages • 84 minutes • subtitled ◆ 

$3 at the door

Deep within the Norwegian mountains, princess gnome Bluerose leads a small but powerful tribe. The Blue Gnomes are keepers of the silver for the Magic Hour, the enchanted twilight time between day and night. But when the silver is stolen from the gnomes, their bright and

beautiful world suddenly transforms into eternal dark. Brave Princess Bluerose must set out on a remarkable quest to bring back

the daylight, turning rival gnomes into new friends and finding the courage within herself along the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fySNqZAikG4&playnext=1&list=PLEA436237320658EF&index=4

PLUS…

SIXTEN

Sweden• all ages • 5 minutes • subtitled ◆ 

Bedtime for a not-so-sleepy cat.

http://www.rodaroboten.se/filmsidor/sixten.html

and

BOO AND BAA HAVE COMPANY

Sweden• all ages • 10 minutes • subtitled ◆

Boo and Baa, two small sheep, are raking leaves when they discover a cat stuck up a tree.

http://www.rodaroboten.se/filmsidor/bu_ba.html

Friday, February 25

Crocodiles

INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNING FILM

Germany • ages 11+ up • 98 minutes •subtitled ◆◆ 

$3 at the door

Based on a popular novel by Max von der Grun, this is a delightful family film about a group of 10/11 year-olds in Dortmund who learn a great deal about themselves and their community when they discover something criminal happening in their midst. A young boy in a wheelchair is ignored by his peers, until the group learns that being different, or disabled, does not disqualify you from being part of a group or appreciating the abilities that you do have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5TRZpl-CcA

PLUS…

THE KING OF THE ISLAND

Italy • all ages • 15minutes •subtitled

Gioannin is a 6-year-old who lives in Genoa, Italy, at the beginning of 1900. He always dreams of the strong and wonderful father he never knew, missing at sea and never returned, until now.

The Northampton Arts Council seeks to empower children with knowledge from viewing our world’s high quality and culturally diverse films. Over the years, we have been honored to show a wide range of films to children of all ages. As in the past, we draw from a variety of sources to help us in selecting the best films for KidsBestFest and YouthFilm.

The Northampton Arts Council is pleased to present KidsBestFest and YouthFilm 2011. Once again, we are indebted to John Morrison, of the California Film Institute’s Outreach and Education Program, who brings us contemporary international films. Renate Zylla offered us incredible short films. We are grateful to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for developing a delightful program and working with Weston Woods to bring this feast of films to the Academy screen. Thanks to the Academy of Music Theatre for hosting and co-presenting the event again. The Academy of Music Theatre is supported by Northampton Cooperative Bank and United Bank. Providence Children's Film Festival is an inspiration. A big thanks to Cate Damon for reading the subtitles. Alison Wood is an excellent designer, and as ever, we are stunned by her talent and vast pools of patience. We worked with many people to review the films, and are grateful for their input and ideas. Thanks to Valley Kids. Florence Savings Bank and Faces sponsor the series. Thank you once again for helping us bring these films to children and families.  WGBY and the Valley Advocate are our media sponsors. Volunteers are a big part of our programs…thanks for your help at every step of the way. Finally, a big thanks to the children in these films and in this community. We hope you enjoy KidsBestFest and YouthFilm 2011.