Charlotte's Web

KidsBestFest 2012

February 20-24

Sponsored by Florence Savings Bank and United Bank

Media Sponsors WGBY and Valley Advocate

Presented by the Northampton Arts Council and Academy of Music Theater

Academy of Music Theatre, Northampton, Massachusetts

Cash only@door

Doors open at 1:30

Films start at 2:00

The films presented in this year's KidsBestFest will be Charlotte's Web, I Am Kalam, Light of the River, Turtle: The Incredible Journey, and The Best of Pixar Shorts.

Monday, February 20

Charlotte's Web (1973 original version in 35mm)

USA•all ages•94 minutes•$3 at the door

E.B. White's perennial best-selling novel is translated to the screen in animated musical splendor. The classic story, described by author White as a tale of "friendship and salvation, a story of miracles - the miracle of birth, the miracle of friendship, the miracle of death," features the voices of Debbie Reynolds as Charlotte, Paul Lynde as Templeton the Rat, Agnes Moorehead as the Stuttering Goose, and Henry Gibson as Wilbur the Pig. Shown in 35mm.

Tuesday, February 21

I Am Kalam (Bollywood)

India•ages 7+up•87 minutes• subtitled•$3 at the door

International Award Winning Film

One day a prince and a pauper meet. The pauper eyes the crisp tie the prince is wearing. The prince eyes the camel the pauper has tamed. And thus Prince Ranvijay of the royal mansion and Chhotu, a boy working in Bhati's small time roadside food joint, strike a chord defying the age-old relationship of exploitation between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” The story revolves around "Chhotu" -- that's what people call all laboring boys when no one cares about their identity. "What is your real name?" Chhotu doesn't have an answer. The question changes his life. He realizes he doesn't want to be Chhotu like the thousands and millions of Chhotus working in food joints and other industries across the country. "I am Kalam," Chhotu finds himself saying. Why can't he be Kalam? Kalam is the name of India's former President! Well, he too was ten years old once, and Chhotu saw on TV that he was once a poor boy like “Chhotu,” selling newspapers when he was a kid. Chhotu is a dreamer. Ranvijay will do anything to make Chhotu's dream come true.

Wednesday, February 22

Light of the River

Japan•all ages•75 minutes•subtitled•$3 at the door

International Award Winning Film 

A unique family of rats sets out on a long journey to find a safe place to call home. Forced out of their peaceful riverbank by construction, the country rat family encounters many challenges, but also kindness from new city-animal friends.

Told through gorgeous Japanese animation, Light of the River celebrates the splendor of untouched nature, the freedom of embracing new challenges, and the joy of discovering new neighbors.

Thursday, February 23

Best of Pixar shorts

Turtle: The Incredible Journey 

USA•ages 6 and up•81 minutes•$3 at the door

TURTLE: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY is the story of a little loggerhead turtle, as she follows in the path of her ancestors on one of the most extraordinary journeys in the natural world.

Born on a beach in Florida, she rides the Gulf Stream up towards the Arctic and ultimately swims around the entire North Atlantic, across to Africa and back to the beach where she was born. But the odds are stacked against her; just one in ten thousand turtles survive the journey. She faces many hazards, her siblings are lost in the doldrums of the Sargasso Sea, she comes face to face with creatures of the deep, and she nearly dies at the hands of fishermen. She travels up north but she drifts from her life current, the Gulf Stream, into dangerously cold waters.

When she finally reaches the Azores, on the other side of the Atlantic, she sees the greatest celebration of life on Earth as sperm whale and bait balls explode from the water. But deep and powerful changes are happening in the oceans: the fish are disappearing, sea levels are rising, and the turtle’s birthing beach could be washed away, bringing a way of life to an end.

Then her calling comes: she must return to her beach. When she finally reaches the shores of Florida, 25 years will have passed!

Under a million stars, she crawls out of the sea to lay her own eggs and keeps the Turtle’s Journey alive.

Friday, February 24

The Best of Pixar Shorts (a rare look at the Pixar collection)

USA•all ages•$3 at the door

This exclusive reel from Pixar includes the very first computer-generated animation from John Lasseter and his team, through the newest short films available, including Hawaiian Vacation, where the Toy Story gang goes Pacific. Most of these shorts were Academy Award winners, Tin Toy being the first computer-animated film to win the Oscar. We’ve seen many of these marvelous shorts before the Pixar features, but what a joy to watch all together in one long giggle and guffaw. Luxo Jr., Red’s Dream, Tin Toy and Knick Knack were made before Pixar began making features, and were demonstrations of the computer program that rendered the three-dimensional style that has become the industry standard. Geri’s Game was the first short Pixar made after it started making features, and represents a much more sophisticated story and artwork. The rest has become history. Also included: For the Birds, Boundin’, One Man Band, Lifted, Presto, Partly Cloudy, Day and Night. KidsBestFest thanks Chris Wiggum and Pixar for making this possible. Total running time: 70 min. 

Subtitles read aloud by Cate Damon of New Century Theatre.

Films are subject to change.

Film summaries at:

www.northamptonartscouncil.org

www.academyofmusictheatre.com

Sponsors:

Florence Savings Bank

United Bank

Valley Advocate

WGBY

Presented by: 

Northampton Arts Council

Academy of Music

With Support from:

Massachusetts Cultural Council