Animated films unite numerous artistic genres and that is exactly why they are so attractive to those who encounter them for the first time. The icing on the cake of the Animafest Programme for Children and Youth is the international competition, this year for the first time divided into the Films for Children Competition and the Films for Youth Competition – 36 films selected by Nino Kovačić’s pre-selection by Slovenian media psychologist Martina Peštaj, editor of the Children and Youth Programme of the Radio Television of Slovenia. This exceptional selection of works is adapted to four age categories (3-6, 7-10, 11-14 and 15+).

Throughout the programme, themes of personal freedom and life wisdom, transience and empathy, friendship and cooperation are noticeable, and a large number of female characters with the ability to change the world. The programme for the youngest viewers is full of animal characters and tickles imagination with content that is important to discuss with children. We can single out Julia Ocker’s German miniature T-Rex about a hero who, given his physical prerequisites, is not good at basketball with monkeys, but soon discovers the advantages of his diversity. This section also shows the Croatian film by Vjekoslav Živković Who Who at the Birthday Party (produced by Recircle studio), the new continuation of the extremely successful and internationally acclaimed animated series.

The programme for schoolchildren deals with great insights and warm relationships, as well as inspiring stories which help us talk about small challenges and significant discoveries. The American film by the Japanese director Rika Nakayama Under a Shooting Contrail follows a small puppet who discovers the sensations of the touch and warmth of the sun and the freshness of the shade – just like a child who gets to know new sensations for the first time. Olga Titova’s Socks for the Star use the warmth of Slavic lace in the depiction of a spider weaving stars that light up the dark cosmos with colour, and with one of them develops a special relationship. Other film in this category, this time dealing with the development of sisterly love through growing up, is the French film To Be Sisters (dir. Anne-Sophie Gousset, Clément Céard).

The programme for younger teenagers brings witty miniatures, animated poetry and shocking events that are an integral part of life. Franco-Belgian Granny’s Cookies (dir. Frits Standaert) is a touching film about a grandson’s memory, which is embodied in the skill of baking cakes. Japanese Leapfrog (dir. Tomomi Handa) tells the story of a girl who despises PE and the title practice because no one wants her as a partner, but receives support from an unexpected source. Birds, by the Way (dir. Alla Vartanyan) is a witty parody of Road Runner or The Bird and the Worm – in addition to the expected chase, the bird and the worm in this film with a four-part structure at one point find the basis for cooperation and friendship. In the Croatian film The Journey by Mirela Ivanković Bielen (produced by Luma Film), desert camels represent natural forces, but also different human skills and abilities united for common good.

The programme for younger adults (Youth Film Competition, 15+) is designed with an age group in mind that wonderfully thinks, feels and judges in its own special way, and is dominated by (auto)biographical and documentary films. The Czech film Dede Is Dead (dir. Philippe Kastner) is another story of loss in which the author recalls the last days with his beloved dog. The French I Lived at Night (dir. Paola de Sousa, Sonia Velvien) is a biographical animated documentary about dealing with depression, and the Iranian Our Uniform is also an autobiographical documentary about memories of school days and growing up, which implies different clothes and social roles. The Taiwanese Me and Me (dir. Chiu-Ling Chen) features a strong message about the necessity of self-knowledge and reconciliation with loneliness as a prerequisite for potentially choosing a life partner.

Films for Children and Youth Competition are screened on Tuesday 6/6, Wednesday 6/7 and Saturday 6/10 in the morning and early afternoon at the Tuškanac Cinema. Films for Children Competition (3+) is also shown on Sunday, 6/4 at KUC Travno at 7 p.m., on Tuesday 6/6 at NS Sesvete at 10 and 11 a.m., at CKI Maksimir on Saturday 6/10 at 11 a.m., in NS Dubrava on Saturday 10 June at 10 a.m. and in KNAP on Saturday 10 June at 8 p.m. The f Films for Children Competition (7-10) will be shown on Wednesday 6/7 in NS Sesvete at 10 am. All screenings of the Films for Children and Youth Competition are free of charge.

The programme for children and youth also includes an attractive Family Programme, ideal for watching in the company of parents. The Croatian hit Cricket and Antoinette (dir. Luka Rukavina), the first Croatian feature-length 3D CGI film that took 13 years to make, will be shown on Saturday 6/10 at 11:30 a.m. in SC Cinema. With a discounted ticket for this screening (2 euros), Animafest joins the initiative “H15 – 15 Years in Our Film” with which HAVC celebrates 15 years of activity. On Saturday, June 10, at 10 a.m., a selection of short films for youth will be shown at the Sesvete Secondary School, and at CKI Maksimir and Dubrava Secondary School, on Saturday, June 3, at 10 a.m. (Dubrava) and 11 a.m. (Maksimir), a programme of films highlighting different aspects of sustainable development and preservation of the planet will be shown. A selection of films from the VAFI and RAFI festivals will be presented at Kino Tuškanac on Saturday, June 10 at 1 p.m. Admission to all screenings of the Family Programme, with the exception of Cricket and Antoinette, is free for all ages.