JEF festival 2023 catalogue

Preface

“Spring is in the air, and we are ready for the annual JEF festival. A festival by film fans for film fans.

For children who are stimulated to think creatively, form their own opinions or just... enjoy film. For students looking for inspiration. For adults who want to share the film experience with their children or play together. For filmmakers looking for a chance to be in the spotlight. For developers who want to show their media installation to a large audience.

Or for anyone who simply wants to have fun. Because at JEF festival, everyone feels at home, both at the various locations where films are screened and guests drop by, and in the XL and mini media lab. This is thanks to the atmosphere, the great films and the lovely people!

Every year, a large group of passionate people work together to create this week full of film fantasy. Volunteers, employees, children’s jury, professional juries, hospital jury, students, interns, freelancers, you name it.

For example, behind the scenes we collaborated on the programming of the 12+ programme (check it out on page 55!). And during the festival week, you can follow us on @jeugdfilm on TikTok and Instagram!

Happy greetings and see you at JEF festival!”

Young programmers Dmitri Dijkstra & Josephine Burssens

Josephine Burssens Dmitri Dijkstra

JEF awards

During the JEF festival, there are various competitions, prizes and jury’s.

Best Feature films

E A cash award of €2,500 (sponsored by TENTOO) for the director, to support a new project.

E The film will be eligible for the ECFA award for Feature film of the year. Various international film festivals for children and youngsters across Europe hand out an ECFA award. ECFA stands for European Children’s Film Association. All ECFA winners are eligible to receive the overall ECFA award for film of the year. The award will be presented at the Berlin International Film Festival.

E A nomination for the Felix Vanginderhuysen distribution award.

E 3 JEF awards.

Best Short films

E A cash award of €1,250 for the director, to support a new project.

E 3 JEF awards.

Best documentaries

E A cash award of €500 (sponsored by TENTOO) for the director, to support a new project.

E 2 JEF awards.

Best media lab installation or video game

E A JEF award.

Best JEF makers film

E A golden JEF festival ticket or free try out for a workshop (when the winner is a school).

E 3 JEF awards.

JEF award designed by Ronny & Johny

International ECFA jury

The international ECFA jury hands out three prizes: best feature film, best short film and best documentary in competition.

Elsa Lovat CH

Elsa Lovat is involved in the organisation of events at different International festivals in Switzerland such as the Locarno Film Festival, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival and the Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival. She is a member of the Swiss ‘Roadmovie’ mobile cinema association.

Lara Melegari IT

Lara Melegari is a linguist and translator with a deep fascination for all types of art. In 2017, Lara co-founded the theatre company Kàos Teatri and joined the staff of Ennesimo Film Festival, an international short film festival based in Fiorano Modenese. She has been working for Ennesimo in various capacities for the last six editions.

Kato De Boeck BE

Kato De Boeck is a Flemish director and screenwriter. Her autobiographical short film Provence won more than 20 international festival awards. In a creative duo Floko Films with director-screenwriter Flo Van Deuren, she made the short film Echo and the fiction series Roomies, which was awarded Best Flemish Fiction Series of the Year in 2022 by multiple Belgian media.

Ilse Schooneknaep BE

Ilse Schooneknaep made a transition from her academic background to the audiovisual world as a programmer of the Ostend Film Festival and a consultant for various film companies. She currently works as a producer for Borgerhoff & Lamberigts TV and teaches at the RITCS film school. As a founding member of Gender Spectrum and WANDA Collective, she strives for gender equality and diversity.

Anthony Nti BE

Anthony Nti is a Ghanaian-born filmmaker. His latest film Da Yie was selected for over 200 festivals and was shortlisted for the Academy Awards for Best Short Live action. In 2020, he was listed as one of the most promising filmmakers in Belgium and the Netherlands; in 2022 he was listed on the Forbes ‘30 under 30 Europe’ list among the most influential upcoming artists.

Elsa Lovat

Kato De Boeck

Lara Melegari

Ilse Schooneknaep

Anthony Nti

Children’s jury

The children’s jury in Antwerp hands out four prizes: best feature film, best short film, best documentary in competition and the medialab award.

Nina Cordova Castillo

Hello, I’m Nina. I am happy to be in the children’s jury of the JEF festival because I really enjoy watching films. My favourite film is Yes day because it’s fun that the parents have to say yes to everything and they undergo all kinds of adventures as a result.

Leon Baeckelandt

My name is Leon and I am 10 years old. Reading and writing stories is really my cup of tea, plus I’m very sporty. I was super excited when I heard that I can attend the JEF festival as a jury member. I love films like The lion king but also nature documentaries. It’s going to be super cool to watch and evaluate so many great films with other kids. A good storyline always makes me enjoy the film more.

Otso Van Acker

Hello, my name is Otso and I am 10 years old. When I’m not playing football or ‘circus’ (especially juggling the diabolo) in my spare time, I really enjoy watching films. It’s hard to choose, but my favourite film at the moment is The call of the wild. A bit of suspense and adventure, starring animals. The perfect mix for me. A whole holiday watching films for the children’s jury seems like a top one! I am curious to see which film will win this festival.

Maëlle Jannis

Hello, my name is Maëlle, 11 years old. Who am I? I love riding horses, I play theater, I like to craft and draw. And of course I love watching movies! My favourite movie is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, because it is very exciting and because Harry Potter is simply cool. I look forward to being on the children’s jury because I really like judging and evaluating things. Ah yes, I am also participating in the 2022-23 Reading Jury. Greetings!

Nina Cordova Castillo

Otso Van Acker

Leon Baeckelandt

Maëlle Jannis

Children’s jury

Arthur Ledoux

I think it’s super cool that I get to participate in the JEF festival, because I love talking about films (and enacting the beautiful parts). I also find it very interesting how they work with greenscreen. Brammetje Baas is my favourite film. I like it when filmmakers tackle taboo subjects. Greetings, Arthur.

Emma Van Mulders

I’m Emma, 9 years old and I play the ukulele. I love drawing and crafts. On Sundays, you can find me with the sea scouts. My favourite film is Pirates of the Caribbean because it has cool effects and the music is really good. I am very happy to be on the children’s jury because I love watching films and being on a jury seems fun and exciting.

Lenke Willemsens

I am Lenke, a 10-year-old girl from Beerse. I am in the fifth grade. My favourite film is Shark tale because I like its comedy. I am very happy to be in the JEF festival’s children’s jury because I love watching films. I also like expressing my opinion and making new friends.

Arthur Ledoux

Lenke Willemsens

Emma Van Mulders

Audience jury

The audience jury in Antwerp decides which feature film in competition will take the award home. The audience jury in Antwerp can also vote for their favourite JEF makers film.

JEF in the Hospital jury

Via the online JEF in the Hospital platform, children with restricted mobility can watch all short films in competition and vote for their favourite film. The winning short film receives a JEF award. The award will be presented by one of the participating children from a hospital during the closing ceremony.

JEF makers jury

The awards in the JEF makers competition are awarded by a specially composed jury of film-makers and by the audience. The awards are handed out during the JEF makers day.

Noa Bromley BE

Noa Bromley is a Master student at KASK Animation in Ghent. She was born in Sevilla and grew up in Antwerp. As a little girl, crafting was already one of her favourite hobbies. Her need to ‘mess around’ has always been present. In animation, she found a way to breathe life into her artistic work. She experimented with stop-motion, set design and lighting during her education. Her films are mainly focused around dreams, emotional spaces and the subconscious, and she tries to make these tangible.

Anton Claeys BE

Anton Claeys is a Belgian multimedia and video artist, and a filmmaker, who mainly works with computer graphics. He studied the Master programme Animation film at KASK, and at the same time taught 3D at the department of Visual Design at LUCA School of Arts. His bachelor film Fossil (2021) received awards and was screened at several international film festivals, such as Odense IFF and Ottawa International Animation Festival. As a freelancer and teacher, he currently focuses on music videos, visuals for theatre, animations in the art circuit, film and games.

Lies Van der Auwera BE

Lies van der Auwera graduated from HIVT (Higher Institute for Translators and Interpreters) in 2000, and later earned a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology at KU Leuven. After a first career as a teacher for Dutch as a second language, she switched careers towards film and video. For fifteen years, Lies worked as a freelance television producer. Currently, she makes word and image content for Visie.net. For documentaries, Lies gladly reserves a timeslot. After De Roma is Ours and Reset, Skate the City is her third film.

Noa Bromley

Lies Van der Auwera

Anton Claeys

Ambassadors

Our wonderful festival ambassadors Francisco Schuster (#LikeMe) and Mathias Vergels (Thuis) will welcome you during the festive opening on Saturday 11 February at Kinepolis Antwerp and guide you through the festival.

Francisco Schuster

Francisco Schuster has been playing the role of Yemi Mwamba in #LikeMe, the hit series on Ketnet, since 2019. He has performed on several musical stages, works as a voice actor for animated films, and is a particularly talented singer and dancer.

“I have fond memories of films from my childhood. Whether we snuggled up with the family or went to the cinema, I stepped out full of new inspiration every time! I always followed JEF festival closely, so being an ambassador is a huge honour. The circle is full :)”

Mathias Vergels

Mathias Vergels made an early start in acting. What began in plays like Wolf en hond, later brought him fine film roles in Bo, Aspe and Allez, Eddy! Later, Mathias got a place in the cast of Thuis, where he has been playing the role of Lowie Bomans for 10 years now. Apart from being a celebrated actor, Mathias has also emerged as a singer in recent years. The first singles he released immediately found their way to a wide audience, and together with his band ‘Het Goede Voorbeeld’ he sets many a Flemish stage on fire.

“A youth film festival in a country with such a big heart for cinema? What an honour to help support it.

Now that I have a son of my own, I can’t wait to create similar memories for him.”

I remember well a family trip to see The Kriegel Sisters.

Francisco Schuster, © Gerson Ntiti

Mathias Vergels, © Gerson Ntiti

Guests

During the festival we welcome several guests to introduce the films and/or be part of the Q&A after the screening. Confirmed guests include actors Herbert Flack, Charlotte Leysen, Titus de Voogdt and Jelle de Beule, directors Sahim

Omar Kallifa and Mascha

Halberstad, foley artist Rémi Decker, the festival ambassadors, and many, many more.

Baghdad Messi

Sahim Omar Kalifa: director BE

Extraordinary Mona Bijzonder buitengewoon

Sarah van dale: director BE

Mona Walraevens: herself BE

Maarten Schmidt: producer BE

Bim

Rémi Decker: Foley artist BE

The incredible journey

De ongelofelijke reis

Sergej Kreso: director NL

Dojo

Boris Paval Conen: director NL

Ky-mani Pinas: actor NL

Delano Watchman: actor NL

Eneris

Julie Daems: director BE

Manon Benjou Etchoua: herself BE

Steven Dhoedt: producer BE

Interstella Ella

Interstella ella: herself BE

Knor

Oink

Mascha Halberstad: director BE

Titus de Voogdt: voice actor BE

Jelle de Beule: voice actor BE

Leonie, Skeet and the piglets

Leonie, skeet en de biggen

Jip Heijenga: director BE

Leonie: herself BE

Sofie Van Noten: producer BE

No-No goes to space

Nono’s ruimteavontuur

Dominique Van Malder: voice actor BE

One week to go until I see my mom again

Over een week zie ik mijn moeder weer

Marinka de Jongh: director NL Skate the city

Lies van der auwera: director BE

Pippa: herself BE

Katleen Goossens: producer BE

Wim Goossens: producer BE

Super Furball saves the future!

Super Furball redt de toekomst!

Senta Bourdiaudhy: live dub BE

Kasper Vervoort: live dub BE

Sahim Omar Kalifa

Mona Walraevens

Sergej Kreso

Delano Watchman

Manon Benjou Etchoua

Titus de Voogdt

Sarah Van Dale

Rémi Decker

Ky-mani Pinas

Julie Daems

Mascha Halberstad

Jelle de Beule

Jip Heijenga

Senta Bourdiaudhy

Lies van der auwera

Kasper Vervoort

Guests

Titina

Herbert Flack: voice actor BE

Charlotte Leysen: voice actor BE

Mona Van Eeden: voice actor BE

Sara Gracia Santacreu: voice director BE

Pieter Jan De Paepe: voice actor BE

One Frame Movement: jazz trio BE

Totem

Ole van Hoogdalem: actor NL

Warre and the Three Willows

Warre en de Drie Wilgen

Yasmin Versteele: director BE

Warre: himself BE Wolf

Cees van Kempen: director NL

Journey to Yourland

Yourland

Katrien Carton: producer BE

Jan Hameeuw: producer BE

Dominique Sijs: voice director BE Wout Verstappen: voice director BE

Summer without you

Zomer zonder jou

Milou Gevers: director BE

WANDA talk

Nadège Bibo-Tansia: panel BE

Hinda Bluekens: panel BE

Kato De Boeck: panel BE

Inès Eshun: panel BE

Nadia Kara: moderator BE

Ole van Hoogdalem

Cees van Kempen

Yasmin Versteele

Milou Gevers

Specials

Opening film and reception

The opening film of JEF festival is Titina (P036). After the film the cast & crew of Titina will answer all your questions, and we open the festival at the festive reception.

Awards ceremony

During the festive awards ceremony, hosted by Dempsey Hendrickx, you find out who are the big winners of the JEF festival 2023! The international jury, the children’s jury and the JEF makers jury will present their awards. The JEF for children in hospitals jury will award a best short film as well.

After the screening of the winning short films it’s time for a snack and a drink at the reception in the media lab.

Performance Muurman

Optical illusions create an installation of hyper-realistic experience that takes you through the halls of the Opera. A must-see mix of theatre and cinematic special effects.

Toddler cinema

At the Zuiderpershuis in Antwerp, there is a toddler cinema with cosy cushions, adapted sound and lighting, loose atmosphere and a digital playground tailored to the needs of the little ones.

Piro Piro, your very first film concert

Accompanied by live music, this South Korean short film compilation about nature comes even more to life. With music by Musica and Academie Mol. More about the film on P022.

Experience screening

Kiwi & Strit 3 & No-No goes to space

Before the film, we warm up our movie muscles. We jump around like popcorn and snore at the loudest. During the film, we play Bingo. Do you see the same thing on the film screen as on your bingo card? Then put a sticker on

your card! Make noise and run and dance with the characters from the film. Can you fill up your card? Will you be the first to shout ‘Bingo’? More about the films on P018 and P028.

Expo Anybody home?

Visit the expo Anybody home? before the screenings of Mister Paper and My life in Versailles at the MAS museum. What is home? Is it a roof and four walls, or is there much more to it? Is it a place, a feeling, or nothing more than a memory? What if you don’t feel at home anywhere?

Meet & greet Interstellar

The real Interstellar Ella is coming to visit the Zuiderpershuis in Antwerp. Stop by for a hug and a picture with the space traveller! More about the film on P030.

Experience screening Bim

Warm up your vocal chords for this experiential screening! Together with a foley artist, you will create the sounds to some scenes from Bim. A unique and interactive look at how sound is created in films. More about the film on P031.

JEF makers reception

On The JEF Makersday, we show selected films of our young participants (6-14) on the big screen and we celebrate their selection during a joyous reception.

Pancakes and cinema

At some screenings of No-No goes to space, come have pancakes first! More about the film on P028.

Live Dub Super Furball saves the future!

Hilarity guaranteed at the screenings of Super Furball saves the future!: the film will be voiced live by Senta Bourdiaudhy (voice actor at Disney) and Kasper Vervoort (musical actor at Deep Bridge). More about the film on P035.

Craft antenna with Little All

Would you like to contact aliens or would you rather transform yourself into a spaceman? It’s all possible. After the film Little Allan - the human antenna, craft your own antenna or alien headgear. More about the film on P035.

Welcome to the home of superhero Marcel Muerman!

Specials

Experience screening Jumanji

During this screening we play Bingo. Do you see the same thing on the movie screen as on your bingo card? Then put a sticker on your card! Encourage the actors, find film quotes and count how many times characters roll dice. Will you fill your card? More about the film on P056.

Wolf quiz

What do you know about wolves? Test your wolf knowledge after the documentary Wolf. More about the film on P042.

Become a judo hero!

Do you want to learn how to become a judo hero like in the movie Dojo? Learn your moves after the screening! More about the film on P053.

Become a comedy queen or king

Before each screening of Comedy queen, you can grab a joke from a real Flemish comedy queen. Do you dare to tell them in front of the audience? More about the film on P055.

Photo booth Goodbye, Don Glees!

After the opening film of the 12+ programme, have your picture taken as one of the characters in the phone booth. Why a phone booth? You’ll find out during the film! More about the film on P058.

Point of U

Point of U is the bountiful youth section at this year’s JEF festival. No less than 10 film premieres selected by young programmers, a vertical smartphone cinema, acting workshops and SO. MUCH. MORE. Check JEFfestival.be or pointofufest.com for the complete programme.

Neon messaging Heartbeast

After this opening film of the 16 + programme, leave your neon message about Heartbeast. More about the film on P062.

JEF festival at the library

When JEF festival and libraries join forces, you can expect heaps of fun! For two weeks, you can find insta-corners, short films or stop motion workshops in five libraries in Antwerp. Make sure to check whether your library offers free activities too.

Films W P W P

Colourful animal mess

Bonte beestenboel

different directors, different countries, no dialogue, 28’ COMPILATION

2→4y

A raccoon, a cat, a tiger, a squirrel, a T-Rex, and a lonely space creature. A motley crew in these entertaining short films!

Cat 2→4y Cat

Julia Ocker, Germany, no dialogue, 4’, 2019 contact → Studio Film Bilder

PREMIERE

A cat is making stew, following a recipe step by step, but ends up befriending one of the ingredients.

Franzy’s soup kitchen 2→4y La soupe de Franzy

Ana Chubinidze, France, no dialogue, 8’, 2022 contact → Folimage

A lonely space creature named Franzy serves soup to aliens using spice from their planet. This short is hilariously cute. It’s fun for all ages, full of laughs and wonders. The animation is satisfying, as well as painstakingly crafted into a tasty treat for the eyes. Franzy’s Soup Kitchen is easily one of the best animated shorts ever made.

Squirrel 2→4y Squirrel

Julia Ocker, Germany, no dialogue, 4’, 2019 contact → Studio Film Bilder

PREMIERE

Mother squirrel gathers acorns in preparation for winter. She takes her task so seriously that the nest is filled to overflowing.

T-Rex 2→4y T-Rex

Julia Ocker, Germany, no dialogue, 4’, 2019 contact → Studio Film Bilder

PREMIERE

T-Rex is training with a basketball team, but it’s difficult for him to play because of his short arms.

The masked avenger 2→4y Maskirani Osvetnik

Luna Strmotić, Croatia, no dialogue, 4’, 2021 contact → Luna Strmotic

A small raccoon is happily decorating his den. Without any worries, he goes to sleep. The next day a lumberjack suddenly appears and destroys the den that the raccoon loves so much.

Tiger 2→4y Tiger

Julia Ocker, Germany, no dialogue, 4’, 2019 contact → Studio Film Bilder

PREMIERE

A tiger works in a circus and has to do a series of tricks for the show, but everything is too scary for him. How will he manage?

Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4y Kiwi & Strit 3

Esben Toft Jacobsen, Denmark, no dialogue, 30’, 2022 contact → Copenhagen Bombay COMPILATION

This series of beautifully animated and colourful episodes about a lively duo of friends will most definitely make toddlers laugh. Hilariously funny, adventurous and varied.

Two funny, fluffy and cuddly creatures live in a clearing in the woods. Kiwi is yellow, tidy and careful. Strit is purple, grubby and wild. But both are curious and want to try everything. Whatever they do, it usually goes wrong. Fortunately, they can laugh really hard at it. With their candy-like shape and droll gibberish, they almost seem like distant relatives of the Minions, but they are even cuter!

A pool of mud

2→4y A pool of mud

Esben Toft Jacobsen, Denmark, no dialogue, 5’, 2022 contact → Copenhagen Bombay

Strit finds a pool of mud in the forest. He shows it to Kiwi but to Strit’s surprise, Kiwi is not happy about the mud at all. How can Strit convince Kiwi to enjoy MUD?

Duplicator wand

Duplicator wand

Esben Toft Jacobsen, Denmark, no dialogue, 5’, 2022 contact → Copenhagen Bombay

2→4y

The witch uses her wand to duplicate a muffin. Everyone in the forest gets a muffin, until Strit eats the one muffin she was duplicating from. Strit grabs the wand in order to fix the problem, only he doesn’t succeed – rather the opposite.

Films

It followed me home

It followed me home

Esben Toft Jacobsen, Denmark, no dialogue, 5’, 2022 contact → Copenhagen Bombay

2→4y

Strit finds a baby dragon in the mountain. It is very cute, so he brings it along. Kiwi tells Strit to put it back where he found it, but the baby dragon continues to follow him. Everything is fine until dragon mom starts missing her baby.

Let’s dance

Let’s dance

Esben Toft Jacobsen, Denmark, no dialogue, 5’, 2022 contact → Copenhagen Bombay

2→4y

Kiwi builds a stage to show Strit how to dance correctly, but Strit wants to act funny and dance silly. Kiwi is not happy with his dance moves and kicks out Strit. Kiwi finds out that Strit builds his stage, and everyone enjoys his funny dance.

The stolen party

The stolen party

Esben Toft Jacobsen, Denmark, no dialogue, 5’, 2022 contact → Copenhagen Bombay

2→4y

Kiwi has set a wonderful table for Strit’s birthday with all it takes of cake, presents and decorations. But when he gets Strit to show him the surprise, everything is gone. Who has stolen the birthday party?

Things have legs

Things have legs

Esben Toft Jacobsen, Denmark, no dialogue, 5’, 2022 contact → Copenhagen Bombay

Boulders with legs start filling up the clearing where Kiwi and Strit live. Strit borrows the witch’s wand to make them go away. That is when the trouble starts.

2→4y

Mister Paper 2→5y Meneer papier

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 35’, 2021 contact → JEF

COMPILATION

Mister Paper makes his own world: he cuts a bottle of water when he is thirsty, an apple when he is hungry, a dog when he wants to go for a walk. But sometimes, his cut-outs have a will of their own. These stop motion movies (based on the books by Elvis Peeters and Gerda Dendooven) are a celebration of imagination.

It’s Mister Paper’s birthday

2→5y Meneer papier is jarig

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

Mister Paper throws a party to celebrate his birthday.

Mister Paper and the drought

2→5y Meneer papier en de droogte

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

Mr Paper and Cat are panting from the heat. The land is parched and the garden needs water. The flow from the sprinkler is not enough. Only rain can still save the tree.

Mister Paper has a picnic

Meneer papier houdt een picknick

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

2→5y

The weather is nice and Mister Paper decides to go for a picnic. But it doesn’t stay nice for long.

Mister Paper is ill

Meneer papier is ziek

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

2→5y

Mister Paper isn’t feeling well so he cuts out a doctor to help him feel better.

Mister paper is looking for cat

2→5y Meneer papier zoekt poes

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

Mister Paper puts out a bowl of cat food, but when his cat doesn’t show up to eat, he goes looking for it.

Mister Paper is ripped

2→5y Meneer papier is verscheurd

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

Mister Paper gets stuck in the door and rips in two.

Mister Paper learns how to whistle

2→5y Meneer papier leert fluiten

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

Mister Paper enjoys the sound of birds in the morning. Can he make the same sound?

Mister Paper makes a self-portrait

2→5y Meneer papier maakt een zelfportret

Steven De Beul, Ben Tesseur, Belgium, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2021 contact → JEF

Mister Paper painted himself, but his self-portrait comes to life.

Piro Piro, your very first film concert

2→4y Piro Piro

different directors, South Korea, no dialogue, 40’ contact → Cinéma Public Films

COMPILATION

Beautifully matching drawing styles in an abstract and soothing compilation. Particularly interesting and accessible for young children. This South Korean short film compilation about flying, fluttering and whirling is eye-catching. Toddlers and preschoolers happily frolic along with the butterflies and soar through the air with the birds. Accompanied by live incidental music, these works of art about nature are definitely not to be missed.

A bird who loves a flower

A bird who loves a flower

Baek Miyoung, South Korea, no dialogue, 3’, 2011 contact → Cinéma Public Films

The story of a bird that loved flowers.

Balam

Balam

Baek Miyoung, South Korea, no dialogue, 9’, 2015 contact → Cinéma Public Films

2→4y

2→4y

A butterfly is unexpectedly born inside a bottle. The butterfly wants to follow its instinct and fly to the flowers. But as it leaves the bottle, a crisis strikes.

Koong ! Flap Flap

Koong

! Flap Flap

Min Sung Ah, South Korea, no dialogue, 6’, 2013 contact → Cinéma Public Films

The story of a sleeping crocodile and a little bird.

2→4y

Baek Miyoung, South Korea, no dialogue, 10’, 2020 contact → Cinéma Public Films

PREMIERE

The bird Piropiro comes from the forest, while Dalle comes from the city florist’s shop. They meet in front of the flower shop, and Piropiro wants to fly to the forest with Dalle.

Rita Horst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 60’, 2002 contact → JEF

CLASSIC

The relatable little adventures of super cute toddler Huggleboo have become real TV classics. The short episodes are as fun to watch for young children as for their parents. An animated spin-off of the series is also being broadcast on Ketnet, but make sure not to miss the original on the big screen!

Huggleboo is a cute, ginger-haired girl of four (and a half!) years old who lives in a beautiful house with her dad and pregnant mum. In this compilation Huggleboo plays hide-and-seek, builds a castle, buries a dead bumblebee and tries to fall asleep. But how can she fall asleep when there’s a baby on the way?

Baby cradle

3→5y Het wiegje

Rita Horst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 10’, 2002 contact → JEF

Mom and Huggleboo get everything ready for the new baby. They wash the clothes. But Huggleboo is so interested in the cradle. She would like to lie in it for a while.

Grumpy 3→5y Brompje

Rita Horst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 10’, 2002 contact → JEF

Mom allows Huggleboo to buy bread all by herself. She knows it exactly. On the way home she finds Brompje. Grandma tells why Brompje doesn’t like bread.

Hide and seek 3→5y Verstoppertje

Rita Horst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 10’, 2002 contact → JEF

Huggleboo is playing with her stuffed toys. They’re sick and have to go to the hospital. Mom is making diner. Then they go play

hide-and-seek. Mom is the seeker en Huggleboo hides all of her toys en herself. Mom finds everyone, except for Flut. Then Dad comes home.

New baby 3→5y

De nieuwe baby

Rita Horst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 10’, 2003 contact → JEF

The time has finally come. The new baby is arriving. Huggleboo has to go to sleep. But how can she sleep when a baby is coming?

Princess 3→5y De prinses

Rita Horst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 10’, 2003 contact → JEF

Huggleboo is a princess. So Dad makes a castle for her. A castle to live in. And to sleep in.

Thumb sucking 3→5y Duimen

Rita Horst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 10’, 2002 contact → JEF

Huggleboo is a four(and-a-half!)year-old girl. She lives with her mom and dad in a house and she doesn’t suck her thumb. She has a doll named Flut. Mom is pregnant. When Mom takes a nap, Huggleboo sneaks out of her bed and checks out the crib in the attic with Flut. Then Mom wakes up.

In the clouds

In de wolken

different directors, different countries, live Dutch dub, 48’ COMPILATION

3→5y

Do you walk with your head in the clouds? Then you’re dreaming, right? Or are you really floating? These short films figure it out. Don’t blow it up

3→5y Odpusť

Alžbeta Mačáková Mišejková, Czech Republic, live Dutch dub, 8’, 2022 contact → FAMU

Two little girls are playing with a ball. But after a petty quarrel, they get angry with each other and take offense. Their umbrage makes them inflate like balloons, they fly all the way up to the clouds. Girls get stuck up there, with no idea how to get down and save their kitten stuck in the tree.

Hush hush little bear

3→5y Čuči čuči

M ra Lini a, Latvia, live Dutch dub, 5’, 2022 contact → Atom Art

It’s time to say good night. Ever so gently, the bears lift their children onto a fluffy bed of clouds. But there is still so much left to explore! With the grown-ups off collecting honey and berries, the little cubs start to romp around, getting tangled up in the kind sheep’s ball of cloud-yarn and making a bit of a mess. M ra Lini a’s animated short spins the Latvian lullaby “Aij žužu, l ča b rni” into a cuddly and poetic bedtime tale.

Letters from the edge of the forest

3→5y Pisma na kraju sume

Jelena Oroz, Croatia, live Dutch dub, 12’, 2022 contact → Bonobostudio PREMIERE

A group of forest animals set out on the adventure of learning to write. A squirrel, a tiger, a hedgehog and an elephant will write many wrong letters and scrambled words, and in the end, learn the importance of togetherness, perseverance and knowledge. Along the

Films

way, they will, of course, make some new friends who will teach them a few more secrets the alphabet has to offer.

Life and butterflies

3→5y Life and butterflies

Pablo Reigada, Spain, live Dutch dub, 5’, 2022 contact → Selected Films

PREMIERE

Life and butterflies is a metaphor for life. We follow a kid playing with his ball until a butterfly captures his attention. From that point he’ll learn that time flies and that there’s no way to stop it since he can’t stop growing up while following that butterfly.

Poum Poum!

3→5y Poum Poum!

Damien Tran, France, live Dutch dub, 5’, 2021 contact → Midralgar

PREMIERE

Built using rudimentary techniques and tools: animation of drawings frame by frame, reproduction with old black and white dirty photocopiers, use of minimal percussions and uncluttered sounds, Poum Poum is an experimental animated film that tries to make visible and transmit to the spectator the raw, obstinate and joyful energy of the artistic gesture of its author.

The goose

3→5y L’Oie du plus fort

Jan Mika, Czech Republic, France, live Dutch dub, 13’, 2022 contact → Studio Wasia

PREMIERE

A boy fantasizes about becoming a famous footballer, playing in big stadiums - but first he has to win a match in a small backyard against a goose.

No-No goes to space

Non-Non dans l’espace

Washim Boutaleb Joutei, France, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 47’ contact → Autour de minuit

COMPILATION

Thrilling 3D animation for the youngest viewers, and humorous references for their parents in an adventurous story for all! Including well-known voice actors Gene Thomas, Tom Audenaert, and Dominique Van Malder.

The simple story about interplanetary friendship will delight all ages. During JEF festival, we combine this space adventure with additional No-No episodes into a boundlessly enjoyable compilation.

No-No sleeps over

No-No sleeps over

Washim Boutaleb Joutei, France, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 7’, 2017 contact → Autour de minuit

3→5y

No-No and Magaiver’s burrow stinks, and while it’s being aired out they decide to sleep over at Bigtooth’s. But a series of blunders means they accidentally activate the “rocket fiesta” mode. They then need to find somewhere else to sleep, and end up wreaking havoc in their other friends’ houses too…

The unruly rocket

The unruly rocket

Washim Boutaleb Joutei, France, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 7’, 2017 contact → Autour de minuit

3→5y

Bigtooth has to go away for a few days. There’s no need to look after his house while he’s gone, as he has invented the Bigtoothomatic! It’s a revolutionary invention that runs his house all by itself. But as soon as Bigtooth has gone, an alarm starts blaring loudly. The friends try and disable it, but in the process accidentally set off the rocket... for real!

Films

Bigtooth astro-not

Bigtooth astro-not

Washim Boutaleb Joutei, France, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 7’, 2017 contact → Autour de minuit

Bigtooth fails yet again at launching his rocket, and his morale hits rock bottom. He resolves not to get out of the rocket until he has figured out what’s wrong with it. Then No-No has an idea… If Bigtooth can’t get to the moon, why don’t they bring the moon to Bigtooth?

No-no goes to space

Non-Non dans l’espace

Washim Boutaleb Joutei, France, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 26’, 2022 contact → Autour de minuit 3, 2, 1, ... ready for take-off! In this imaginative Belgium-made adventure, No-No and his crazy friends end up on an uncharted planet. They experience the craziest adventures and even make a new friend: the little green creature Croak! The colourful 3D stop-motion clay animation is full of humour for children and adults alike.

Interstellar Ella 4→7y Interstellar Ella

Tom van Gestel, Freek Quartier, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 44’, 2022 contact → Fabrique Fantastique COMPILATION

Otherworldly animation from Belgian soil. Interstellar Ella is an animation series by animation studio Fabrique Fantastique (known for Ridder Muis and Vos en Haas). The fantastic adventures between stars, planets, comets and meteors contain beautiful messages about friendship, respect, tolerance and emancipation.

To the curious girl Ella, the Milky Way is one big playground. She won’t stop exploring the universe until she has seen absolutely everything. Ella and her best friends Slippy and Madhu surf on supernovas, ride comets and race on moon scooters around the rings of Saturn.

A star is born

Waar sterren worden geboren

Tom van Gestel, Freek Quartier, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 11’, 2022 contact → Fabrique Fantastique

Ella discovers how stars are born!

4→7y

Interstellar treasure hunter

4→7y Interstellaire schattenjager

Tom van Gestel, Freek Quartier, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 11’, 2022 contact → Fabrique Fantastique

Can a mysterious treasure map point the way to a space treasure?

Jupiter’s moons

De manen van Jupiter

Tom van Gestel, Freek Quartier, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 11’, 2022 contact → Fabrique Fantastique

On which of Jupiter’s 79 moons did Slippy get stranded?

Saving Mooncake

Missie Maanman

Tom van Gestel, Freek Quartier, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 11’, 2022 contact → Fabrique Fantastique

On an exciting journey to rescue the little toy robot Mooncake.

4→7y

4→7y

Tom Van Gestel, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 70’, 2023 contact → Kinepolis Film Distribution (KFD)

The visuals in this Easter adventure make for a unique combination of live action and animation. The backgrounds of the flying bells are filmed using drones, which lets the viewer discover Europe from a different perspective. You soar, in a way, over real-life villages, cities, forests, lakes, pastures and mountains.

In a twist on the European legend in which church bells fly to Rome to pick up chocolate eggs for children, little bell Bim embarks on a dangerous journey with his friends. They need to find a special egg in order to end winter. On the way, they meet many different wonderful bells, and Bim discovers the power of his talents. Who would’ve ever though that Easter bells could be so cute? The unpredictable story is flavored with a large dose of humor and a touch of absurdity. You’ll never look at your Easter eggs the same way again.

Yuku and the Himalayan flower

Yuku et la fleur de l’Himalaya

Arnaud Demuynck, Rémi Durin, Belgium, France, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 65’, 2022 contact → JEF

A lively adventure full of surprising friendships and catchy music. With the voices of Bent Van Looy, Gloria Monserez, Tine Embrechts, Lucas van den Eynde, Lotte Villays and Ben Segers, among others. Award-winner for Best Children’s Film at Cinekid 2022.

As the oldest mouse in the family, Yuku must guard the food supply. But she would rather listen to her grandmother, an incredible storyteller with a wonderful ukulele. As the end of grandmother’s life nears, Yuku sets off on an musical quest to find the eternally glowing Himalayan flower, for grandmother to take with her on her “final journey”.

Mascha Halberstad, the Netherlands, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 72’, 2022 contact → O’brother

EARCATCH SUBCATCH PREMIERE

With as much charm as droppings, the first stop-motion feature film from the Netherlands captures everyone’s hearts. With a fingerlicking great Flemish voice cast, including Maaike Cafmeyer, Titus De Voogt, Barbara Sarafian, Jelle De Beule and Jan Bijvoet.

Nine-year-old Babs gets a piglet from her grandfather, against the wishes of her surly dad and convinced veggie mum. While Babs trains Knor to get his puppy diploma, little does she know someone has sneaky plans with Knor. A cheerful and humorous film by Dutch Mascha Halberstads, who converted her garage into a real animation studio for this film!

Exceptional challenges 6→8y

Uitzonderlijke uitdagingen

different directors, different countries, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 56’ COMPILATION

You have to overcome a lot in life, but the characters in these short films face some of the craziest challenges. Curious?

Ana Horvat, Croatia, no dialogue, 11’, 2021 contact → Bonobostudio

PREMIERE

A romantic couple is spending the day cycling in the countryside. They enjoy it at first, despite their different attitudes to nature and expectations from the trip. When a storm hits, it becomes clear they have a problem dealing with the situation together now that it is unpleasant. Is it going to pull them apart, or bring them closer together?

I’m not afraid! 6→8y Ich habe keine Angst!

Marita Mayer, Norway, Germany, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 7’, 2022 contact → Dalton

During a game of hide and seek Vanja leaves the bright living room and enters a dimly lit courtyard, which has far too many dark corners, weird shadows and strange noises. To overcome their fear, Vanja turns into a dangerous tiger!

Misophonia Orchestra

6→8y Misophonia Orchestra

Daniela Hýbnerová, Czech Republic, no dialogue, 6’, 2022 contact → FAMU

PREMIERE

Sounds from neighbouring flats take on the shape of whoever is causing them. They break into a young woman’s flat, which drives her crazy.

Sausage King

Koning Worst

Mascha Halberstad, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 21’, 2022 contact → Gusto PREMIERE

When Greetjes’ father, butcher Tuitjes, gets into an argument with the Italian Smakkerelli, the quiet village of Moppel is suddenly upended. Greetje risks losing not only the annual sausage competition, but also her great love Nol.

Sisters

Sestry

Andrea Szelesová, Czech Republic, no dialogue, 11’, 2021 contact → FAMU

The Big Sister – a person of colossal size – is trapped in sand in a deserted landscape. With no way to take care of herself, this burden falls on her resentful little sister. But The Big Sister keeps growing and sinking into her trap. Despite of The Little Sister’s attempts to stop it, she is left with one night to say goodbye and let go.

Mom is always right

Máma má vždycky pravdu

Marie Urbánková, Czech Republic, live Dutch dub, 8’, 2022 contact → FAMU

COMPETITION PREMIERE

6→8y

Mirek has a huge belly and nobody knows why. Diets and strenuous exercise don’t help. His big belly causes many complications. The simple act of putting on socks turns into a hellish mission. We follow the stories of several heroes, each with unusual troubles. Where do they stem from?

Super Furball saves the future

Supermarsu 2

Joona Tena, Finland, live Dutch dub, 90’, 2022 contact → Yellow Film & TV

COMPETITION PREMIERE

6→8y

An amusing adventure about a plucky girl who must save the world from a bee-less, colourless future. A madcap ride full of jokes, time-traveling guinea pigs, and fearless bees.

You don’t have to be big to be super! After all, feisty Emilia transforms into a guinea pig with super powers to help animals in need. When a message from the future arrives her, she has to travel through time to save the bees. During her mission, Emilia discovers that the school bully holds the solution to the bee problem. But what will happen when she suddenly loses her guinea pig superpowers? Based on a Finnish children’s book series full of humour, adventure and animal fun.

Little Allan – the human antenna

Lille Allan – den menneskelige antenne

Amalie Næsby Fick, Denmark, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 80’, 2022 contact → JEF

PREMIERE

6→9y

An exhilarating and comical 3D animated film full of adventures at a lively pace. With a Pixar-like emotional finale about the value of friendship and the importance of saying what you really think.

When All acts as a human antenna so his neighbour can contact

UFOs, he initiates an incredible adventure. A telepathic green space girl lands, just when All feels a bit lonely, and they quickly become friends. But a collector of taxidermied animals wants to add the girl to his collection. All does everything he can to shoot her back into space as soon as possible.

Mini-Zlatan and uncle Darling 6→9y Lill-Zlatan och morbror Raring

Christian Lo, Norway, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 80’, 2022 contact → JEF

Infectious feel-good film packed with engaging characters, an entertaining yet understanding insight into children’s perspective on the world.

Football fan Ella’s BFF is her uncle Tommy, who owns a hair salon and is the only one who understands her. But then suddenly a certain Steve shows up, hogging all her bestie’s attention! There is nothing for the jealous Ella to do but sabotage the relationship, with hilarious results. Mini-Zlatan and uncle Darling perfectly captures what it feels like to be a child. The joyful film translates how differently children and adults deal with jealousy, and is a sunny lesson in openness and tolerance.

Titina 6→9y Titina

Kajsa Næss, Norway, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 90’, 2022 contact → Lumière

COMPETITION PREMIERE OPENING FILM

This quirky 2D animated film stands out thanks to its simple line drawings that jump off the screen, and the bold and playful direction of Kajsa Næss. A sequence of breathtaking shadow play, great natural beauty, white snow landscapes and authentic film fragments from 1926.

One day, the Italian engineer Umberto Nobile is asked to build an airship for the famous Norwegian adventurer Roald Amundsen... and to travel with him to the North Pole. Nobile takes his beloved little dog Titina with him on the sensational expedition. Without pointing fingers, the as-good-as-true story about triumphs and setbacks criticises nationalism and overconfidence in a subtle manner. An amazing story in time through the eyes of the cutest four-legged explorer.

Films

Cedric Igodt, David Van de Weyer, Belgium, Bulgaria, no dialogue, 15’, 2022 contact → Cineventure

COMPETITION

Rosemary is a young fairy who is bored by the strict and formal life in the fairytale castle where fairies always have to be sweet and wear pink dresses. She would rather become a witch because witches are allowed to scream, get dirty, and fly on brooms. Since her mother strongly opposes her daughter’s wish, Rosemary escapes to the witch forest.

My life in Versailles 6→12y La vie de château

different directors, different countries, 40' contact → JEF

COMPILATION

The beautiful historical sets of the film look like works of art. Equally timeless are the sincere feelings of joy and sorrow. The result is a wonderfully beautiful, moving animation film, accompanied by two equally beautiful short films.

Firefighter 6→12y Pozharnik

Yulia Aronova, France, no dialogue, 10’, 2020 contact → JEF

In Pompier, a firefighter is always ready to save the day. Unfortunately, no real fire ever breaks out... Until a lady’s passion burns brightly for him.

Umbrellas 6→12y

Umbrellas

Jose Prats, Álvaro Robles, Spain, France, no dialogue, 10’, 2020 contact → JEF

Kyrna is scared of the rain. In Umbrellas, she conquers her fear to save her little dog.

My life in Versailles

La vie de château

6→12y

Clémence Madeleine-Perdrillat, Nathaniel H’Limi, France, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 20’, 2022 contact → JEF

Violette recently lost her parents. The 8-year-old girl goes to live with her uncle, who takes care of the maintenance of the famous Palace of Versailles. Violette hates him: he stinks, has no table manners and snores terribly. But between the shining mirror halls and neatly landscaped gardens, the big grumpy grouch and the stubborn girl gradually grow closer. Together, they can cope with their grief.

JEF makers selection

JEF makersselectie

different directors, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 60’, 2023 COMPILATION COMPETITION PREMIERE

6→14y

On The JEF Makersday, we show selected films of our young participants (6→14) on the big screen. The winners will go home with a golden ticket for the rest of the festival, and their film will later travel to other film festivals abroad.

Vacht

Madeleine Homan, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 5’, 2022 contact → Kapitein Kort

COMPETITION PREMIERE

A girl pursues a connection with her sister, who is covered by a strange grey fur. It is soft and uncanny at the same time. It grows between them, and they drift further apart from each other.

Journey to Yourland 7→10y

Tvojazem

Peter Budinský, Slovakia, Chech republic, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 85’, 2022 contact → Stacka

COMPETITION PREMIERE

This colourful 3D animated film is an imaginative and mystical exploration of a hidden world full of traps, humour and... heart.

10-year-old Riki runs away from home, following the instructions of a glowing stone, straight to the parallel world of Yourland where he forgets his weak heart and everyday problems. Yourland is populated by eccentric characters, wondrous machines, and talking monkeys and ravens. Teaming up with the sassy but brave Emma, a metal robot and a monkey general, Riki tries to keep the magic stone out of the hands of other suitors. He keeps it hidden in his heart where, hopefully, it is safe.

My robot brother

Robotbror

Frederik Meldal Nørgaard, Denmark, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 84’, 2022 contact → Sola Media GmbH

COMPETITION PREMIERE

8→11y

In this hopeful science fiction film, all climate issues have been solved. People have learnt to recycle and to grow their own food. Or is that mostly thanks to their robot assistants? A funny, recognizable and cheerful story that also poses interesting questions about technology and the future.

School life sucks for 12-year-old Alberte. Her old android Robbi is quite an embarrassment to her. With the perfect birthday present – the latest model of humanoids – everything seems to change. The new robot Konrad looks and acts completely like a human, and suddenly Alberte’s popularity spikes. She is now the kid with the most advanced technology at school. But can the bond with a robot stand up to a true friendship?

Nelly Rapp – monster agent

Nelly Rapp – monsteragent

Amanda Adolfsson, Sweden, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 93’, 2020 contact → JEF

8→11y

Nothing but shivers and giggles with this imaginative homage to classic monster movies. At the 2022 JEF festival, the children’s jury gave this monstrous comedy the award for Best Feature Film.

Tough and stubborn Nelly isn’t afraid of monsters. On the contrary! Just like her uncle Hannibal, she wants to become a monster agent and keep an eye on vampires, werewolves, ghosts and Frankensteins. The scarier, the better! But there’s just one problem: Hannibal thinks Nelly is still way too young...

Planet Robin

Robin og planeten

Johan Kaos, Norway, Norwegian spoken with Dutch subitles, 18’, 2022 contact → Mer Film

COMPETITION PREMIERE

8→11y

Nine-year-old Robin is an imaginative and resourceful girl, but also a

victim of her parents’ crumbling marriage. One day, she discovers a small planet in the woods that is damaged and needs help, so Robin takes it home and hides it in the garage. As her parents’ separation takes its toll on her, Robin clings to the planet with disastrous consequences.

The blanket

Teppo Airaksinen, Finland, Finnish spoken with Dutch subtitles, 15’, 2022 contact → Tack Films

COMPETITION PREMIERE

10-year old Marja is sent to fetch milk for her baby brother. On the way, there are things even more dangerous than the thin ice.

Sander Burger, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 95’, 2022 contact → MOOOV

COMPETITION EARCATCH SUBCATCH PREMIERE

This opening film of the Dutch film festival Cinekid is both an imaginative thriller and a refugee drama. The expressive image of the porcupine literally and figuratively standing behind the main character strengthens the emotional yet optimistic meaning.

Ama was born on the boat journey from Senegal to the Netherlands, yet she feels 100% Dutch. That’s why she finds it absurd that the police wants to send her family away. Ama isn’t going to sit around and let that happen. She count on her friends to help: her best friend Thijs and... an enormous porcupine, her totem animal!

Wolf

Cees van Kempen, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 100’, 2022 contact → Paradiso

PREMIERE

Four years. That’s how long it took to film an animal that is almost impossible to capture on camera. The result? A magnificant glimpse into the secret life of a legendary creature. For anyone who loves nature and fairytales.

Dirk Draulans tells the mind-blowing story of the return of the wolf in the Netherlands. After disappearing from the country for over a century, the “big bad wolf” is now making a comeback. But is he really that big and bad? This fascinating nature film lets you follow the life of the young wolf Scout and shows you that the wolf is much more than a fairytale-like predator you should be afraid of.

Birth of the Oases

Naissance des Oasis

Marion Jamault, France, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 10’, 2022 contact → Miyu

COMPETITION PREMIERE

A cold-blooded snake and a hot-blooded camel become close friends.

Dounia & the princess of Aleppo

Dounia & la princesse d’Alep

Marya Zarif, André Kadi, Canada, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 72’, 2022 contact → MOOOV

PREMIERE

The deceptively simple animation style and enchanting music draw the audience into this celebration of life, no matter how bleak the outlooks are at times. The style is sometimes reminiscent of that of Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis). Which makes sense, as this film is also based on the graphic novel written by one of the directors. A beautiful ode to resilience and optimism.

Cheerful six-year-old girl Dounia must leave her house in Aleppo and sets out with her grandparents to find a new home. They get help from enchanted seeds that Dounia finds in her pocket. This magical-realistic animation film refers to old Arabic stories full of universal attraction, for both children and adults.

Erik Stoneheart

Erik Kivisüda

Ilmar Raag, Estonia, Estonian spoken with Dutch subtitles, 105’, 2022 contact → Pink Parrot Media

COMPETITION PREMIERE

9→11y

Nothing but adventure past the frontiers of time and space themselves. An exciting fantasy film filled with ferocious buccaneers, roaring waves and top-notch special effects. Two fascinating main characters who hate each other, until they throw themselves into battle together. Erik is convinced he has a heart of stone; nothing can really faze him. Until he goes on a cheerful and exciting trip to the in-between-world with Maria. On a ghost ship full of pirates, they discover that the heart of the pirate captain is as cold as the bottom of the ocean. Luckily, their frienship is a lot warmer.

Far away and yet so close

Ver weg en toch dichtbij

different directors, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 60’

COMPILATION PREMIERE

9→11y

Sometimes you are near people and yet they seem far away. Sometimes you’re far from home but it’s stuck in your head. These short documentaries feel with you.

One week to go until I see my mom again

Over een week zie ik mijn moeder weer

Marinka de Jongh, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2021 contact → Moondocs

PREMIERE

9→11y

Nika cannot live with her mother, so she lives in a community home. Once a month, Nika and her mother agree to see each other. But sometimes something comes up. Will they manage to meet this time?

Summer without you

Zomer zonder jou

Milou Gevers, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 25’, 2023 contact → De Coproducent PREMIERE

Julie is going camping with her little brother and her mother but she is dreading it. It is a holiday without her father and she misses him a lot. But she has to get used to the new reality of her parents being separated. Luckily, Julie is not the only one; at a one-parent campsite in France, all the children are going through the same experience. Her new holiday friends help Julie look at the divorce with a fresh perspective.

The incredible journey 9→11y De ongelofelijke

reis

Sergej Kreso, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 20’, 2022 contact → Sergej Kreso PREMIERE

Documentary about five children at an asylum seekers centre in Katwijk working on a puppet show about a journey to Rainbowland. They themselves travelled to a new country as refugees. While preparing for the show they answer with humor and honesty the questions about their journey, life and dreams.

Growing pains 9→11y

Groeipijnen

different directors, different countries, different languages, 55’, 2021 COMPILATION

Does it hurt to grow up? This short-film compilation delves into the tricks and struggles of growing up.

Channidae 9→11y

Channidae

Pauline Morel, Belgium, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 7’, 2021 contact → Pauline Morel

Colin, Charlie and Martin are three children who meet in a park to play together. Colin suggests playing family with masks. He becomes more and more convincing in his role, until he goes beyond the limits. Therefore, playing pretend can become more than real.

Josefine 9→11y

Josefine

Johanna Andersson, Sweden, Swedish spoken with Dutch subtitles, 14’, 2021 contact → Färgfilm

PREMIERE

Josefine is excluded from the majority in a dysfunctional class. Two drama teachers are invited in to take control of the class. This is a nuanced film about status, suppression techniques, and standing up for your friends.

Pig 9→11y

Varken

Jorn Leeuwerink, the Netherlands, no dialogue, 8’, 2022 contact → Kaboom Animation Festival

A group of animals hook up a power grid to the socket-shaped snout of one big, sleeping pig. The animals use the pig’s energy for simple things at first, but soon they render themselves dependent on a city where every single thing - the useful and the useless - is automated...

Las Infantas

Andrea Herrera Catalá, Spain, Spanish spoken with Dutch subtitles, 14’, 2021 contact → Morethan

PREMIERE

Carnival in Barcelona. The Dominican troupe is the most popular at the most attended parade in the city, and for the first time this year, they are parading with a float. Ruth, the owner of a Latin hairdresser’s, is sponsoring the float so that she can put her daughter Rihanna in it. Rihanna usually dresses like a tomboy and Ruth wants everyone to see her like a princess for once. But the tutu and tiara are a shaming too unbearable for the until then submissive Rihanna.

The sky is a square 9→11y

The sky is a square

Agnes Maagaard, Germany, German spoken with Dutch subtitles, 12’, 2022 contact → Rudel Film

PREMIERE

Chelar is upset. Upset with climate change, upset with the rules of her classmate’s games and upset with the absence of any real connection with nature. So Chelar decides to become a tree. What starts out spontaneously, soon becomes a mind-changer for her friends and the adults around her.

Ket & Doc 2023

Ket & Doc 2023

Different directors, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 75’, 2023 contact → JEF

COMPILATION COMPETITION PREMIERE

During JEF festival we premiere the fourth set of documentaries of the five selected Flemish filmmakers.

Every year, VAF (Flanders Audiovisual Fund), Ketnet and JEF supervise the production of five documentaries for children. You will see them for the first time at JEF festival! Eneris

Julie Daems, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2023 contact → JEF, Visualantics Productions

COMPETITION PREMIERE

This hybrid documentary tickles our fantasy, showing us a world created from existing objects, in which a child’s imagination takes on a life of its own. In this surprising story, young viewers will recognize the loneliness of a little girl and the way in which she plays with other children.

A lazy summer’s day in the Matongé area in Brussels. A girl tries to kill time while she watches client after client come and go at her aunt’s hair salon. The passers-by, the radio station in the background, the games the children are playing, the mural in the gallery... as she daydreams, they blend into a story. We end up in the legend of Eneris, the princess of the ocean, and her encounter with a purple whale. Slowly, the shopping centre transforms into an underwater world.

Extraordinary Mona

Bijzonder buitengewoon

Sarah Van Dale, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2023 contact → JEF, Storyhouse

COMPETITION PREMIERE

This hybrid documentary shows that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has many different faces. The film offers a new perspective on a known phenomenon, such as the way in which sounds are integrated into the world of Mona. The out of the ordinary can be extraordinary!

Mona is an imaginitive teenager who, just like her brother, lives with ASD. She’s on the eve of a giant step in her life: she will be making the transition to regular education. She has to say goodbye to her classmates and make new friends, but on the upside she will get her own bedroom soon! A new, exciting world opens up to her, but that can be nerve-racking, too.

Leonie, Skeet & the piglets

Leonie, Skeet en de biggen

Jip Heijenga, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2023 contact → JEF, De Mensen

COMPETITION PREMIERE

This documentary shows the downfall of farm life through the portrait of a spontaneous girl with a love for farming. Leonie’s views challenge the audience to a conversation about climate change, smallscale agriculture and butchering. So much harshness and so much tenderness combined in one movie!

Leonie enjoys daily life at her parents’ farm. Taking care of the pigs, lying down in the hay with her big sisters, playing with Skeetje the cat, Leonie enjoys it all. She wants to become a farmer too when she grows up. But the farm isn’t doing great. Pressured by the nitrogen agreements, they might have to part with all the pigs. Maybe then, Leonie would have more time to play with Skeetje, but it means searching for a new dream for the future, too.

Skate the city

Skate the city

Lies Van der Auwera, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2023 contact → JEF, Bulletproof Cupid COMPETITION PREMIERE

A film about skating in which skating isn’t allowed? This documentary displays the perfect skater philosophy: the freedom to turn the city into your own playground, and what happens when the government puts a stop to it.

Three skaters wander through the city searching for a place to skate, without success. Eventually they decide to go to town hall and claim their rights. That takes guts, something Pippa has in abundance. This sympathetic trio shows youngsters at their best.

Warren and the three Willows

Warre en de Drie Wilgen

Yasmin Versteele, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2023 contact → JEF, Storyhouse COMPETITION PREMIERE

When talking about nature, it’s nice to give the animals themselves a voice. That is the wonder of this short documentary, in which children plant, pick and go exploring without a care in the world. The clear message to “take care of our environment!” is conveyed with much love and passion.

Maybe you can’t tell right away, but a garden is a magical place. Little critters are hidden everywhere, and sometimes you run into a magical creature like Willow. He guides his friend Warre through nature and shows him all the beautiful things you can discover in the garden. But who exactly is Willow, and why can we only see two willows on the horizon instead of three?

Verrassende perspectieven

Different directors, different countries, different languages, 69’ COMPILATION

Italy’s Ennesimo Film Festival aims to use cinema to change the way people look at the world. Their selection of European short films does exactly that: open your eyes!

All in good time

All in good time

Bonnie Dempsey, Ireland, English spoken with Dutch subtitles, 15’, 2018 contact → Ennesimo Film Festival

Two children, one born in 1918, the other in 2018, find a way to communicate through messages in a bottle. Will they succeed in solving each other’s problems?

I’m so far

I’m so far

Léo Grandperre, France, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 3’, 2019 contact → Ennesimo Film Festival

Sometimes, things that seem simple, just aren’t.

My letter to the oilmen

My letter to the oilmen

Xander De Boer, the Netherlands, English spoken with Dutch subtitles, 15’, 2018 contact → Ennesimo Film Festival

9→11y

9→11y

9→11y

Nigeria. Fourteen-year-old Papilou lives on the edge of a plot of land deeply polluted by oil that has leaked into a river. Crops have failed and his family is in a dramatic situation. So, he writes a letter to Shell to have everything cleaned up. Will they listen to him?

Second to none

Second to none

Vincent Gallagher, Ireland, no dialogue, 7’, 2016 contact → Ennesimo Film Festival

9→11y

Frederick Butterfield has always been runner up to his twin brother Herman. When Herman, the older by a mere minute, becomes the world’s oldest man, Frederick finally sees an opportunity to be

firstSplace. ‘second to none’ is a stop motion comedy about ambition, where second best is never enough.

The life of Esteban

The life of Esteban

Inès Eshun, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 16’, 2017 contact → Ennesimo Film Festival

9→11y

Italy’s Ennesimo Film Festival aims to use cinema to change the way people look at the world. Their selection of European short films does exactly that: open your eyes!

Wave 9→11y

Wave

Benjamin Cleartytj & O’grady Peyton, Ireland, English spoken with Dutch subtitles, 13’, 2017 contact → Ennesimo Film Festival

A man wakes from a coma speaking an unrecognizable language to linguistic experts from around the globe. Will he be able to communicate?

Astra 9→12y Astra

Michał Łubi ski, Poland, Mexico, no dialogue, 15’, 2022 contact → Radiator IP Sales

COMPETITION PREMIERE

Astra is a universal story about sisterly love, great adventures and the unavoidable difficulties of life. The main character of the animation is a 6-year-old Astra, who tries to stop her sister from taking part in a dangerous mission. However, when Anna needs help, the little girl will go into space on her own without hesitation.

How I learned to fly

Leto kada sam naucila da letim

9→12y

Radivoje Andric, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Serbian and Croatian spoken with Dutch subtitles, 85’, 2022 contact → Pluto Film

COMPETITION PREMIERE

This charming coming-of-age film to the beat of summer tackles light-hearted and serious themes alike and effortlessly maneuvers between young love, first kisses, and reflections on wartime past.

Sofija is forced to spend the summer with her two aunts and ‘selfie terrorist’ grandma. Boring! But then her first kiss happens, and she discovers a host of family secrets. Romantic, playful and summery coming-of-age story set on a beautiful Croatian island, that simultaneouslydoesn’t shy away from the country’s complex history.

Dojo

Dojo

Boris Paval Conen, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 87’, 2022 contact → Phanta Basta!

COMPETITION PREMIERE

9→13y

Forget about The Karate Kid, the judo mat is the place to be! The Dutch Dojo is a thrilling coming-of-age film with a talented lead actor.

Surinamese-Dutch Brandon is taken in by Billy, the leader of the local youth gang. Judo teacher Kai catches him during a break-in at his

judo school. Instead of punishing Brandon, he gives him the chance to come and train for an important judo match. Will Brandon make the right decisions? Or will he follow his best friend Stefano to the street gang?

Finn’s Heel 9→13y

Finns Hiel

Cato Kusters, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 18’, 2022 contact → Cato Kusters

COMPETITION

Arthur and Finn meet when Arthur starts taking boxing lessons at the club where Finn’s father is coach. When Arthur accidentally witnesses both an argument between Finn and his strict father, and an accidental fall in which Finn sprains his ankle, he offers to help.

Comedy queen

Comedy queen

Sanna Lenken, Sweden, Swedish spoken with Dutch subtitles, 93’, 2022 contact → JEF

COMPETITION PREMIERE

10→13y

An intense and moving but equally funny coming-of-age film about a great loss. The unpretentious story is valuable in its simplicity and especially touching thanks to lead actress Sigrid Johnson’s infectious and heartfelt performance. The film adaptation of psychologist Jenny Jägerfeld’s acclaimed children’s book effortlessly combines the heartbreaking with the heartwarming.

Sasha has made a list, a survival plan to keep her from becoming anything like her mother. To do this, she cuts off her hair, stops reading books, and won’t look after other people or animals. All this to avoid starting to fret like mum. But the most crucial step in the plan? Become a comedy queen! As a stand-up comedian, she might manage to make her father laugh again, something he hasn’t done since they lost mum.

Ice merchants

Ice merchants

João Gonzalez, Portugal, UK, France, no dialogue, 14’, 2022 contact → Agência

COMPETITION

10→13y

Every day, a father and his son jump with a parachute from their vertiginous cold house, attached to a cliff, to go to the village on the ground, far away, where they sell the ice they produce daily.

Louis I., king of the sheep

Louis I., king of the sheep

Markus Wulf, Germany, German spoken with Dutch subtitles, 8’, 2022 contact → Hübner/Wallenfels

COMPETITION PREMIERE

10→13y

When a crown rolled in front of his hooves, Louis, a sheep among other sheep, grabs it, puts it on and becomes king. From then on, he plays through everything that kings do to banish boredom and to demonstrate power.

No dogs or Italians allowed 10→13y Interdit aux chiens et aux italiens

Alain Ughetto, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 70’, 2022 contact → Bantam Films

COMPETITION PREMIERE

Both big, sociopolitical tragedies and small, everyday occurences of happiness and sadness come to life in this cute claymation full of fun details. Alain Ughetto combines poetry and realism in an endearing story that urgently needed to be told, a story about being welcome or unwelcome.

The story of Luigi, an Italian immigrant who clandestinely crossed the Alps in the 1920s and found a family and a new life in France. The film is based on the journey of filmmaker Alain Ughetto’s family, who, coming from Piemonte, crossed the border some hundred years ago looking for happiness and prosperity. A trip full of humiliation and rejection, but also full of pure heroism.

Jumanji 10→14y

Jumanji

Joe Johnston, US, English spoken with Dutch subtitles, 104’, 1995 contact → Bevrijdingsfilms

Twenty-seven years ago, this fantasy classic with Robin Williams used to scare the (fun) pants off children. The jungle adventure effortlessly stood the test of time and got an animated series and two sequel movies with Dayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. But who dares to go see the exciting original on the big screen?

In 1969, young Alan Parish gets sucked into the magical board game of Jumanji, where he’ll be stuck until he wins the game. Impossible to do on his own! Until 26 years later, when orphaned children Judy and Peter find the game. When they too start playing, they release terrifying carnivorous plants, ferocious elephants and rhinos, gigantic spiders and an insane hunter into the city they live in. Will they ever win Jumanji and calm down the chaos?

Films

Alma Viva

Alma Viva

Cristèle Alves Meira, Belgium, Portugal, France, Portugese and French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 85’, 2022 contact → Vedette

Point of U is the bountiful youth section at this year's JEF festival. With film premieres of feature and short films chosen by young programmers. With a vertical smartphone cinema, acting workshops and SO. MUCH. MORE.

Check pointofufest.com or JEFfestival.be

Every year, starting in the summer, JEF monthly receives two groups of young people to watch, review, and ultimately program films for the festival's 12+ and 16+ selections. They are the Young Programmers.

A spiritual and spheric mystery about revenge, migration and the powerful stories that cinematographer Cristèle Alves Meira heard by the fireplace as a child. With excellent young actress Lua Michel and an authentic setting in Northern Portugal.

On her deathbed, Salomé’s grandma claims that the neighbor poisoned her with witchcraft. While the rest of the family sorts out the funeral, it seems as though Salomé is possessed by her grandma’s spirit. She has her mind set on avenging the death of her favourite family member. Mystical elements fuse together nicely in this story about a family of Portuguese migrants that gradually falls apart.

Baghdad Messi

Baghdad Messi

Sahim Omar Kalifa, Belgium, Arabic & Kurdish spoken with Dutch subtitles, 84’, 2023 contact → The searchers

12→15y

Compelling and socially engaged cinema filled with beautiful acting performances. Kalifa uses the love for football as a bridge to simply yet powerfully reflect the life of children in war.

Iraqi Hamoudi is, just like the other kids in his village, mad about football. His greatest dream is to become a star player like his hero Lionel Messi one day. Even when he loses a leg in a terrorist attack, he doesn’t just give up on his dream. Baghdad Messi is based on the short film of the same name of Flemish-Kurdish director Sahim Omar Kalifa, which earned him a spot on the shortlist of the 2015 Oscars.

Dad’s sneakers

Papyni krosivky

Olha Zhurba, Ukraine, Ukranian spoken with Dutch subtitles, 20’, 2021 contact → Raina Films

12→15y

An immersive insight into the last hours of 13-year-old Sasha’s life in a boarding school for children deprived of parental care. He is one of the luckiest - an American family finally adopted him. Today he will move to another country forever but there’s something that doesn’t let him go.

Dalva 12→15y

Dalva

Emmanuelle Nicot, Belgium, France, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 83’, 2022 contact → O’brother

This feature film debut of the Belgian Emmanuelle Nicot was rewarded the prize for Best Film in two parallel competitions by the Fipresci jury at the Cannes Film Festival of 2022. Not suprisingly, as her thoughtfully structured film touches on an exceptionally sensitive theme without becoming sensational. The young actress Zelda Samson received another prize for her remarkable performance as Dalva.

Although she’s a twelve-year-old girl, Dalva acts and dresses as an adult woman. One night, she is suddenly taken away from her father and brought to a centre. She doesn’t understand and is angry. Until she develops a friendship with caretaker Jayden and her fierce co-inhabitant Samia along the way. This way, Dalva learns to feel at home in her own body and to finally live the life of a teenage girl.

Goodbye, Don Glees!

Gubbai, Don Gurîzu!

Atsuko Ishizuka, Japan, Japanese spoken with Dutch subtitles, 95’, 2021 contact → Kadokawa

12→15y

An adventurous anime full of big emotions, compelling visuals and a booming soundtrack. A breathtaking spectacle situated at the edge of reality, which is exactly the place where anime films feel the most at home.

Roma, Toto and Drop call themselves the ‘Don Glees’, heroes in their small adventures in the backyard. Until one day a big adventure calls... They are being suspected of starting a forest fire! They have to find the lost drone in the forest that can prove their innocence. Not only that, their bond is also put to the test.

Liquid bread

Chlieb nás kazdodenný

Alica Bednáriková, Slovakia, Slovakian spoken with Dutch subtitles, 26’, 2022 contact → FTF

PREMIERE

12→15y

A family of three generations meets under one roof. An unexpected visit from Zoja, the granddaughter, stirs up the routine. Under the quiet presence of God and alcohol, the family unweaves its tragicomical past and a few unsaid secrets.

Memoir of a veering storm

Anamniseis mias efivikis kataigidas

Sofia Georgovassili, Greece, Greek spoken with Dutch subtitles, 14’, 2022 contact → Lights On

14→17y

Anna sneaks out of school with her boyfriend to get an abortion.

Spotless

Vlekkeloos

Emma Branderhorst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2021 contact → Kapitein Kort

12→15y

During her menstrual period, 15-year-old Ruby does not dare to ask her mother for tampons or pads, because she knows that there is really no money for them. In order not to be a burden to anyone around her, she tries to solve it herself.

The bitter on the edge of the lips

14→17y L’amer au bord des lèvres

Sanae Khamlichi, Belgium, French & Arabic spoken with Dutch subtitles, 20’, 2022 contact → Sanae Khamlichi

L’amer au bord des lèvres is a fictional portrait of 33-year-old Israe, who on the day of her arranged marriage, is confronted with the fine line between free will and social pressure, but also between convictions, enthusiasm and fear.

Girl picture

Tytöt tytöt tytöt

Alli Haapasalo, Finland, Finnish & French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 101’, 2022 contact → Cinemien

14→17y

This easy-going and refreshing film about teenage love and female sexuality won the Audience Award in the World Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Festival.

Best friends Rönkkö and Mimmi exuberantly and comically take on the dark Finnish winter. Rönkkö has no trouble attracting boys’ attention but is at a loss as to how to get past the flirting. And after the hot-tempered Mimmi meets ice dancer Emma, she lives on cloud nine. In this intimate and liberating crowdpleaser, the three young actresses unaffectedly paint the rocky balance between dreams, reality, friendship, and relationships. Must-see!

Beautiful beings

Berdreymi

16→25y

Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Icelandic spoken with Dutch subtitles, 123’, 2022 contact → Arti Film

Following his moving coming-of-age film Heartstone, Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson warms the hearts of his audience yet again with a cruel yet poetic story about poverty and absent parents. A compelling combination of bleak and hopeful moments with an excellent ensemble cast.

Addi and his eccentric mother live in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik. When he decides to care for unwashed, neglected Balli, the dynamic within his friend group changes. The four teenage boys struggle between aggression and tenderness, between bullying and loyalty.

Granny’s sexual life

Granny’s sexual life

16→25y

Urska Djukic, Emilie Pigeard, France, Slovania, Slovanian spoken with Dutch subtitles, 14’, 2021 contact → Varicoloured

An animated film based on the anonymous testimonials gathered by Milena Miklavcic in the book ‘Fire, Ass and Snakes are not toys’.

Happy New Year, Jim

Happy New Year, Jim

Andrea Gatopoulos, Italy, Italian spoken with Dutch subtitles, 9’, 2022 contact → Gargantua Film Distribution

16→25y

It’s New Year’s Eve. Jim and Morten are playing videogames all night long, like every day. But Morten tonight is uncomfortable.

Heartbeast 16→25y

Heartbeast

Aino Suni, France, Finland, Germany, Finnish & French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 102’, 2022 contact → Kinology

PREMIERE OPENING FILM 16 +

Stunning and original thriller that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. A visually remarkable clash between the worlds of hip hop and ballet, full of great music and with a magnificent final scene that lingers.

Elina moves from Finland to France to move in with her mother’s new boyfriend. The seventeen-year-old rapper develops an obsessive love for her stepsister Sofia, a charismatic ballet dancer. A toxic game between the two girls develops, which quickly turns venomous.

Neighbour Abdi

Buurman Abdi

Douwe Dijkstra, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 29’, 2022 contact → Square Eyes

16→25y

How can you understand a violent past? Somali-born Abdi reenacts his life, marked by war and criminality, with the help of his neighbour and filmmaker Douwe. Through playful reconstructions in a special effects studio, they embark on a candid and investigative journey through a painful history, focusing on the creative process throughout.

Noisetrain 16→25y

Noisetrain

Pol De Plecker, Belgium, no dialogue, 22’, 2022 contact → Pol De Plecker

Surrounded by sleeping passengers, three men wake up on a stationary train in a desolate area. They embark on a journey through a picture-perfect snowy landscape.

Oh Dear, I’m being followed by a Mariachi band 16→25y

Oh Dear, I’m being followed by a Mariachi band

Alexander Goesaert, Belgium, no dialogue, 16’, 2022 contact → Alexander Goesaert

In the dark of night, an unlucky man appears to be followed by a Mariachi band and a woman in a car.

Sick of myself

16→25y Syk pike

Kristoffer Borgli, Norway, Sweden, Norwegian spoken with Dutch subtitles, 95’, 2022 contact → Cherry Pickers

PREMIERE

This grotesque and dark comedy takes a caustic look at someone who would do anything to feel loved and seen. An uncomfortable yet hilarious satire.

The toxic relationship between Signe and her self-absorbed boyfriend Thomas turns completely sour when he breaks through as an artist. To shift the focus back to her, Signe starts to poison herself. Behind the narcissism, the tragicomedy and the light body horror hides the story of a lonely young woman with an excessive need for attention and an obsession for the validation of others.

Talia’s journey 16→25y

Le voyage de Talia

Christophe Rolin, Belgium, Senegal, Luxembourg, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 78’, 2022 contact → Christophe Rolin

PREMIERE

A moving feature-length debut about an unexpected friendship and the search for identity and origins.

Young Afro-Belgian Talia visits her native Senegal for the first time. She stays in the luxurious villa of her family in Dakar, hoping to find her grandmother there. But she proves nowhere to be found, and the villa soon becomes a golden cage. Until one day Talia meets the mysterious bird seller Malika.

Short films online

In a film corner in 5 Antwerp libraries, young visitors can enjoy short films from an online platform. In these libraries there are also 'filmwise' games. Children learn more about camera positions, film professions, etc. In addition, there will be a 3-day workshop in the different libraries.

You are not my mother 16→25y You are not my mother

Kate Dolan, Ireland, English spoken with Dutch subtitles, 93’, 2021 contact → Première TV

PREMIERE

Thrillingly scary horror movie about monsters in the family. As relatable as it is horrifying, full of suspense and jump scares. Char’s mother goes missing for a while, and when she returns, she behaves stranger than ever before. Char barely recognises her mother and wants to uncover the truth about her disappearance. But does she really want to release the monster that’s lurking in the family?

Badli, Charlotte De Cort, BE, 2022

Buck fever, Griet Goelen & Louise Van Assche, BE, 2021 9→12y

Wannes Destoop, BE, 2015 12→15y

Brothers, Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, BE, 2011 12→15y

Downside up, Peter Ghesquière, BE, 2016 12→15y

Mind my mind, Floor Adams, BE, 2019 12→15y

Swimsuit 46, Wannes Destoop, BE, 2011 12→15y

At night we fly, Gert-Jan Verdeyen, BE, 2021 16→25y

Come here, Marieke Elzerman, BE, 2020 16→25y

Easter eggs, Nicolas Keppens, BE, 2020 16→25y

Girlhood, Heleen Declercq, BE, 2018 16→25y

Gyre, Charlotte Lybaert, BE, 2019 16→25y

Melanie, Jacinta Agten, BE, 2019 16→25y

Versailles, Hyun Lories, BE, 2020 16→25y

Wildebeest, Nicolas Keppens & Matthias Phlips, BE, 2017 16→25y

Genesis

Jörg Courtial, Germany, English spoken without subtitles, 13’, 2021 contact → Faber Courtial

PREMIERE

An intense exploration of life on our planet.

The creation of Earth in thirteen minutes. Become a time traveler, jumping through visually impressive images of the evolution of our world and ancestors. From meteorites, dinosaurs and prehistoric jungles to gigantic insects and the first humans.

Reimagined volume I: Nyssa

Reimagined volume I: Nyssa

Julie Cavaliere, US, English spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2022 contact → Very Cavaliere Productions

PREMIERE

Beautifully animated horror tale.

9→99y

Fearlessly but a little naively, Nyssa sets out to find her best friend, the toy broom called Broom. On the way, she meets the ghost Blue who accompanies her to the underworld.

Letter from the heart

Letter from the heart

Jef Dehouse, Belgium, English spoken with Dutch subtitles, 94’, 2023 contact → Stacka

PREMIERE

9→99y

The wonderful VR journal of a mother, addressed to her unborn child. The virtual reality is an extension of the world in the film Journey to Yourland, which is part of the festival’s competition.

Anna is very sick and fears she won’t be able to show this beautiful world to her baby. That’s why she decides to make this animated home video.

Alex Honnold: the soloist

Jonathan Griffith, France, UK, US, English spoken without subtitles, 15’, 2022 contact → Jonathan Griffith Productions

Breathtaking, exciting and meditative at the same time. In our VR cinema you join the famous free climber Alex Honnold on a climb. Imagine what it feels like to cling to a rock wall thousands of metres high. Nothing to catch you if you fall! The American Alex Honnold, the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo, climbs rocks without equipment, robes or harnesses. This dangerous niche sport is only practiced by top athletes and the unique feeling is unattainable for anyone else. Until now. Thanks to this immersive VR, you can experience for yourself what makes this sport so magnificant - and why one mistake can be fatal.

Workshops C L

Workshops

StoryScope

Studio Interactive Culture, 90’, 2022 contact → Stichting Interactive Culture

PREMIERE

Draw your own character, make up your own fantasy stories and animate them yourself by using an almost-magical technique. Create stories and instantly bring them to life on the screen. During the workshop, you will get started with the StoryScope. This magical box dynamically combines the old technique of shadow play with modern animation technology. By moving small wooden objects back and forth across the glass plate, the projected figures immediately come to life.

3D Mask makers

3D Masker makers

Nou&Herkauw, 150’, 2022 contact → Nou&Herkauw

PREMIERE

6→9y

Design and craft your own mask and costume using special 3D programmes. Put on your suit, step in front of the green screen and become the star of your very own music video. You will discover how cutting, pasting and special effects come together musically.

Become your own animation figure

Word je eigen animatiefiguur

JEF, 120’, 2022 contact → JEF

PREMIERE

6→9y / 9→12y

In two hours time you capture your own movements with the motion capture technique and convert them into a cool animation. Filmmakers can do magic! With amazing special effects, they bring their fantasy to life. Want to get started with one of the coolest special effects? We convert your movements into an animation figure! With the ‘Motion Capture’ technique you can film the most swinging scenarios: from a sunbathing giraffe to a dancing superhero. Work together on a crazy movie and experience your own imagination in real life!

Workshops

5-day Theatre film week

5-daagse Theaterfilmweek

Astrid Bode & Alex Akwete, 5 dagen, 2022 contact → hetpaleis & JEF

PREMIERE

7→9y

Camera positions, stop-motion, mirrors, light, sound and projections: these words may seem strange now, but after this week, they’ll be part of your world. You can do theatrical experiments to your heart’s content, and a small showing will take place on Friday. In collaboration with hetpaleis.

During this five-day workshop, you can experiment with audiovisual techniques together with film and theater makers. You watch, discover and capture the world with a camera. You make animations and audiovisual collages. Inspired by the JEF festival and the show Vuur/toren by hetpaleis & Laika, you explore the boundaries of film and discover the similarities with theater.

2-day Game jam

2-daagse Game jam

Lennert Mottar & Bram Allegaert - Brain Bugs, 2 dagen, 2022 contact → Brain Bugs

PREMIERE

9→12y

In teams at everyone’s level, you work for two days on different levels of one big game that will then be available online! No prior knowledge is necessary, but it is allowed.

Welcome to the Antwerp of the future. The city and the Scheldt are in danger and are suffocating from pollution, unhinged mafia drones, culture barbarians, PFOS mutants and alien influencers. You can’t make that stuff up. Or can you? Create your own futuristic version of the city and come up with a hero to tackle the problems. With the necessary digital copy and past work, we can create our own online game! The Super Code HEROES will finally make Antwerp a liveable city again.

Workshops

Create a movie for your ears in

9→12y

Maak een film voor je oren in Het Geluidshuis

Het Geluidshuis, 180’, 2022 contact → Het Geluidshuis

PREMIERE

In Studio XL of Het Geluidshuis we’ll create a radio play like real voice actors, complete with foley and sound effects. An audio production experience you won’t forget. What to bring with you? Only a drinking bottle to wet your whistle.

Together with Het Geluidshuis we will make our own version of Heerlijk Hoorspel (Wonderful Radio Play) “Wild Swans”. With our voice and a lot of material to create atmospheres, we will make a film, just for our ears! How can we imitate sounds of objects, vehicles or atmospheres? What do our characters sound like? And the icing on the cake, we will make a real recording of the result!

Workshop XR (for schools)

Workshop XR (voor scholen)

JEF, 180’, 2023 contact → JEF

PREMIERE

10→14y

Dive into the future and get started with augmented and virtual reality. Step into a fully virtual world with VR glasses. Experiment with AR apps and put a digital filter on your environment. Participants will discover the various applications of Extended Reality (XR). This workshop is designed for classes.

Medialabs

From interactive installations with projections of your own body to film studios and self-made animation figures. You can play endlessly, experiment and get lost in fairytale-like or futuristic virtual worlds in this big digital playground.

Medialabs

Baby Dino Adventures

Baby Dino Adventures

Sleeping Panda Games, Belgium, English spoken with English subtitles, 30’, 2023 Antoine Guédès is a 33-year-old hobby game developer from Ottignies, Louvain-la-Neuve. contact → Sleepings Panda Games

3→99y

A peaceful atmosphere with cute characters. No time for hate, violence, or blood. Just dinosaurs, friendships, collaboration, and fun.

Baby Dino Adventures is a cute platformer game inspired by classic retro games. You play a lost baby T-Rex, and help him find his parents back by solving puzzles, and making new allies throughout this lovely adventure. Walk, run, and jump into a pixelated world full of handcrafted sprites and smooth animations.

Island Series

Island Series

Studio Marpi, US, no dialogue, 1–5’, 2023

4→99y

Studio Marpi creates artworks, inspired by the complexity of nature and the many possible alternative futures. They ask the audience to co-create with them and to transform their interactions into avatars, gestures and physics. This way, their work takes shape in a playful and surprising manner. contact → Studio Marpi

PREMIERE

An interactive experiment based on sci-fi and robotics, full of creatures that look like alien spiders, sea creatures and insects.

Island Series is a generative, interactive installation which invites audiences to play with imaginary lifeforms. Visitors can enter the digital space through their abstract avatars thanks to Kinect sensors that capture the audience’s movement and gestures, and allow them to interact with the creatures that are being continuously generated inside the artwork. The artwork is inspired by a mix of sci-fi robotics, and abstract, alien-like arachnids, crustaceans and insects. It’s an experiment in randomness, mixing Unity pseudo random number generator, Perlin noise, Brownian motion, hypercubes and trigonometric functions, creating an infinite stream of shapes and colors.

Medialabs

Stop­motion

Stop­motion

JEF, Belgium, no dialogue, 15’, 2017 contact → JEF

In a guided installation, children and families experiment with stop motion animation. You bring puppets and figures to life, just like the creators of Rintje or Buurman & Buurman. But how do you make figures move? And how do you find an appropriate setting for each story? Experiment with an animation app, think up a story and create characters. You’ll make your own film!

Medialabs

Studio Optical Illusions

Studio Optical Illusions

ABC-huis, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 60’, 2023 Non-profit organisation ABC sits on the border between art and education: it’s a laboratory for aesthetic experiences, creativity development and artistic awareness. contact → ART BASICS for CHILDREN

A studio full of visual activities and fun for children of all ages. Not everything is what it seems... Marvel at an extensive collection of optical toys, objects and materials and take a peek at the fascinating world of artistic imagination. Discover the three dimensions in the perspective diorama boxes by Samuel Van Hoogstraaten, the depth effect in the Roto reliefs by Marcel Duchamp, take a look at distorted Anamorphosis drawings using a magical mirror or lose yourself in the large collection of seek-and-find images. In the workshop area, you can start making your own Kaleidoscope, Thaumatrope, flip book or spiral spinning top, or design mosaic patterns inspired by the Tessellated drawings by M.C. Escher. A thematic collection of books supports the voyage of discovery and invites everyone to do further investigation.

Miroir Arcade

Miroir Arcade

Emilie Breslavetz, Dorian Rigal & Leon Denis, France, no dialogue, 5’, 2022

Emilie Breslavetz is a Parisian game designer. As an interactive artist and creative ‘technologist’, she develops experimental video games, alternative controllers and playful installations from several components and materials. Neon Minuit is an artist duo whose artistic approach is inspired by scientific experiments and coincidences. As modern magicians, they make pixels sing and polygons dance. contact → Leon Denise

Using handmade game controllers, visitors control distorted projections of their own bodies.

Miroir Arcade is an interactive multiplayer projection, which you control with handmade game controllers. Your body is projected into a digital space with a Kinect camera, and by picking a controller from the hanging bunches, you create spectacular effects. By sharing the controls with the other visitors and trying out all the switches and filters, you will discover every possibility.

Medialabs

Blanc 5→99y Blanc

Casus Ludi, France, no dialogue,’, 2023

Studio Casus Ludi designs fun and interactive experiences. They transform well-documented and substantiated subjects into immersive systems. They explore the media of news games, interactive documentaries and participatory storytelling.

contact → Casus Ludi PREMIERE

Lovingly made by a small team over many years, Blanc blends breathtaking hand-crafted art while telling its emotional tale.

The unlikely duo of a wolf cub and a fawn are lost in a sudden snowstorm. To find their way home, they must follow their family’s tracks through the frosty wilderness.

Splitter critters

Splitter critters

RAC7, Canada, Dutch spoken with Dutch subtitles, 3’, 2018

5→99y

RAC7 is a two person team from Vancouver, Canada. They make fun and innovative games for mobile and desktop.

Splitter critters is an award-winning freeform puzzle game that puts world-splitting power into your hands.

Split and rearrange the world to bring faraway platforms together, move deadly lasers out of the way, and create floating swimming pools to guide alien critters back to their spaceship.

The lamplighter

L’allumeur de réverbères

5→99y

Solène Moulin, Élie Michel, Léo Macaigne, Félix David, Clément David, France, no dialogue, 2–15’, 2018

The artists at the origin of the lamplighter have collaborated during their studies at Arts et Technologies de l’Image (Université Paris 8). The diversity of their technical and artistic profiles directs their creation towards a hybridization of media exploring new ways to involve the viewer in the work through innovative interactions.

contact → Random Bazar PREMIERE

The lamplighter is an interactive installation born from the hybridization of the video game and the traditional construction game.

In a child’s room, the construction set has a unique place: it is a

Medialabs

platform of creativity that allows to link toys from different worlds by making them interact on the same surface. In a sense, the construction game has always been augmented by other games, characters and toys, by being the support of a story that brings them together.

The creators have taken up the creative process that a child can have, by associating it this time with digital elements, projected on a wall. The resulting work thus takes again the universal mechanics of the game of construction as a support for a platform game.

ToasterBall 5→99y

ToasterBall

Les Crafteurs, France, no dialogue, 3–10’, 2021

Les Crafteurs are four independent creatives based in Lille, France ; Alexandre Huyghe, Simon Brioul, Joris Mazelle & Théo Maria. Together, they decided to join forces to make a bunch of original projects, including Toasterball, a multiplayer sports game with toasters. contact → Random Bazar

PREMIERE

An innovative multiplayer sports game featuring toasters. One ball, two goals, and... toasters: Welcome to Toasterball ! Compete against your friends in this unconventional tournament where the athletes are toasters, and the laws of physics are optional. Toasterball is an arcade sports game for 2 players. Based on physics, it will provide you with a good dose of absurd situations, but also enough gameplay variations to keep surprising you. The basics of Toasterball are pretty simple: with your foot press one of the pedals, release it, and voilà ! Your toast is ejected into the air. You then have to gauge the pressure time to send your toaster higher or lower, and send the ball back before it reaches your goal. Each ejection also blows up your toaster, allowing you to move around the field and push your opponents into difficult situations. With these simple rules, you can do anything to get the ball into your opponent’s goal !

Medialabs

Catalogue 2023

FlipLoop 6→11y FlipLoop

Sandy Claes & Daan Wampers, Belgium, no dialogue, 10’, 2022

Sandy Claes and Daan Wampers made several lauded animated short films like Bruised, On a Lead and Domino. In addition, they created art installations such as Exploded Film #2 and FlipLABO. Sandy also explores the boundary between media and installation in her research practice on participatory media. Today, she is an assistant professor at the Institute for Media Studies of the KU Leuven and Intermedia/Mediated Environments of the LUCA School of Arts.

contact → Sandy Claes

Create short segments of an animation film, just like with a classic flip book, but much cooler. With a LEGO train that runs over a series of drawings! A camera is mounted on the train and transmits the animation live to a screen. You come up with the action you want to animate and the colours you use.

Banana flip 6→99y

Banana flip

Stef Pieters & Karo Creutzburg, Devine, Belgium, Dutch spoken with Dutch subtitles, 5’, 2023 Digital Design & Development is a bachelor programme at the KASK Conservatory, the school of arts of HOGENT and Howest. As a Deviner, you use design, development and research skills to shape near- and far-future online experiences.

contact → Karo Creutzburg

PREMIERE

Wacky virtual pinball machine.

Will you help Mr Willow through the wild levels of this virtual pinball game? The adventurous armadillo is determined and wants you to flip him with the big banana through the swamp, towards the temple that holds the hidden diamond. He needs that one to finally conquer Ms Uzie!

Light Kiss 6→99y

De lumineuze lichtbak

Kaat Clinckemaillie & Silke Janssens, Devine, Belgium, Dutch spoken with Dutch subtitles, 10’, 2023 Digital Design & Development is a bachelor programme at the KASK Conservatory, the school of arts of HOGENT and Howest. As a Deviner, you use design, development and research skills to shape near- and far-future online experiences.

contact → Silke Janssens

PREMIERE

The end of the film has to be earned!

Medialabs

Lights off, spotlight on. ACTION! Without lights, no movie. This is what Light Kiss revolves around. A game in which children try to collect as many luminous orbs as possible to be able to watch the end of an important scene.

Mash-up table 6→99y Mash-uptafel

JEF, Belgium, no dialogue, 10’, 2018

This installation is developed by Romuald Beugnon and coproduced by ACAD pôle image picardie, Alhambra Cinémarseille, Ciclic and MJC centre image. Romuald approaches the installation process like a magician. They also have experience with the educational world as well cinematography. contact → JEF

Take place behind the mash-up table and unleash your inner DJ. You mix images, sound effects and music into a new video yourself. In a playful and intuitive way, you take existing fragments out of context, creating your own story. You’ll see that by editing image and sound you give fragments a different meaning. Making mash-ups has never been so much fun!

Onde 6→99y Onde

Lance, 3-50, France, no dialogue, 10’, 2022 Lance participated in the 2017 Global Game jam - where they met Grhyll - and developed the first prototype of Onde. Grhyll works on the sound and the technical art of Onde. contact → Assemble Entertainment

Onde is a smooth sound-surfing platformer game that lets you ride waves through an ethereal world.

Deep in the stillness of underground caves carved into rocks and crystal, removed from the world, there is an empty shell. Yet, life finds its way through the darkness, and by filling the shell, sparks a light. With the light comes a sound, and the waves of this communion propagate in all directions. A new being sets out to follow their lead to discover a world of wonders and witness life unfolding on its way. Will the tiny creature get through the dark spaces to find that it is darkness that makes light really shine?

Medialabs

JEF’s space station

JEF’s space station

8→99y

Gertjan Vermaerke & Loeka Wyseure, Devine, Belgium, Dutch spoken with Dutch subtitles, 10’, 2023 Digital Design & Development is a bachelor programme at the KASK Conservatory, the school of arts of HOGENT and Howest. As a Deviner, you use design, development and research skills to shape near- and far-future online experiences.

contact → Gertjan Vermaerke

PREMIERE

Gripping virtual puzzle game.

Earth is in grave danger from an oncoming asteroid. Only two brave astronauts can save us by solving puzzles in the space station and launching a rocket.

Paper trail

Paper trail

8→99y

Newfangled Games, UK, English spoken with English subtitles,’, 2023 Newfangled Games is a premium mobile, PC and console game development studio based in London. Founded by BAFTA-winning game developer Henry Hoffman and award-winning artist Frederick Hoffman, Newfangled develops original IP with a focus on artistic, narrative-driven, emotionally engaging experiences.

contact → Newfangled Games

Fun and engaging characters in beautiful worlds to explore.

Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home, set in a paper world. You must fold and tear your way through a diverse, populated paper world. As you progress, new gameplay opportunities emerge, enhanced by the folding mechanics. Drag objects, shine lights, and push boulders across the paths you create through folding.

Silent dot

Silent dot

Sander Vanhove, Belgium, no dialogue, 5–10’, 2022

8→99y

Sander Vanhove is the creative and optimistic Belgian game designer of Give Me Bread!, Bouncy Box and Silent Dot. He currently is the lead game developer at Studio Tolima and co-founder of Playing Grounds. contact → Sander Vanhove

A game for everyone who loves a good puzzle.

Silent Dot is a minimalist puzzle game. Move the dot in over 180 levels towards the triangle. Solve many fascinating puzzles. Easy to pick up, hard to master. Can you find the optimal route in each level?

Medialabs

Shores of Loci

9→18y Shores of Loci

Ellen Utrecht, the Netherlands, English spoken with English subtitles, 20’, 2022 MikeTeevee, located in Los Angeles and Amsterdam, was founded in 2011 and is a female-run production company. Our award-winning team has a deep passion for entertainment and harnessing the power of emergent digital platforms to create truly unforgettable content experiences. Shores of Loci is the studio’s first VR title, the culmination of decades of storytelling craft, love, and passion, translated in an immersive and interactive world. MikeTeeVee hopes to continue developing and releasing similar puzzle games that positively impacts its players.

contact → MIKETEEVEE

With compelling characters, beautiful cinematic scenes and surreal worlds, Shores of Loci will take you to other dimensions to create visions larger than life.

Shores of Loci is a single player narrative puzzle game that can only be experienced in VR. With compelling characters, beautiful cinematic scenes and surreal worlds, the Shores of Loci will transport you to other dimensions to create visions larger than life. In this multidimensional story, Giants and Villagers alike need your help to reclaim their lands and rebuild their homes. Complete your journey creating a universe where puzzled pieces are assembled and transformed.

30 birds game

30 birds game

Ram Ram Games, Belgium, English spoken with English subtitles, 30’, 2024 Ram Ram and Business Goose are Brussels and Hasselt based developers.

contact → Ram Ram Games & Business Goose

PREMIERE

10→99y

30 Birds is an adventure game with visuals unlike you’ve ever seen before in a game. Is it 2D? Is it 3D? Who knows? The universe is unique: the places look like Persian paintings, bursting with colors, patterns and crazy perspectives! They’re filled with bizarre characters: jinns, human beings, magic animals, regular weirdos, and Simurgh, the giant bird Goddess.

A long time ago, Simurgh pinned five gigantic lanterns onto the night sky, before painting the whole city on their sides. But now, she’s been abducted in her sleep! Here comes Zig, our mysterious character. You’ll have to help her explore the rotating Lanterns, solve puzzles, play music games and more... It is said thirty birds will help her bring the goddess back, so go get ’em!

Medialabs

Yee-Haw

Lukas Denorme, Emile Catteeuw, Devine, Belgium, Dutch spoken with Dutch subtitles, 10’, 2023 Digital Design & Development is a bachelor programme at the KASK Conservatory, the school of arts of HOGENT and Howest. As a Deviner, you use design, development and research skills to shape near- and far-future online experiences. contact → Lukas Denorme PREMIERE

Delightful mix of reality and ‘virtuality’!

YEE-HAW is a mixed reality game in which players control a character using their own movements, while having to dodge various obstacles.

School Screenings

School screenings

Mamma Moo finds her way home 3→5y Mamma Mu hittar hem

Christian Ryltenius, Tomas Tivemark, Sweden, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 63’, 2021 contact → JEF

Upbeat animated film in which a curious cow discovers the world. Most certainly a rewarding first cinema experience thanks to playful humour, cosy songs, and adventurous characters.

After a long journey from South Africa, a stork lands on Mamma Moo’s farm to build a nest. Her arrival makes Mamma Moo wonder about her own home. After all, what is a home? How can you be sure that the meadow and farm where you live are indeed your home? And might it be better elsewhere on our great planet? Her best friend Crow does everything he can to show her that the grass is not always greener on the other side but that sometimes you have to get lost to find your way home.

Kabam!

Kabam!

Elisabeth Hesemans, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 45’, 2020 contact → JEF

Kabam! received an International Emmy Award in the category Kids: Live Action! and was selected Best Dutch Fiction Series at the Dutch Cinekid festival. A clear reflection of the world of preschoolers and children thanks to the diverse casting and themes.

Everyone gets scared sometimes, right? With a pounding heart and trembling legs? The children from teacher Mo’s class certainly do. For example, of the hairdresser, or for swimming lessons, or of making a fool of yourself in class. In this six-part compilation, we meet a class of preschoolers and their worst fears. Every character is energetic and stubborn and has a completely unique fear. But above all, we discover that there is a playful solution for every fear with a little imagination!

School screenings

A monster under my bed 4→6y Spullenmonster

Elisabeth Hesemans, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 8’, 2020 contact → JEF

The toys that a girl shoved under her bed turns into a monster.

Lucky charm 4→6y Voetbalketting

Elisabeth Hesemans, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 8’, 2020 contact → JEF

Will Jairo’s lucky charm do the trick when he has to read out loud in class?

Nailed it 4→6y Spijkerbroek

Elisabeth Hesemans, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 8’, 2020 contact → JEF

A boy goes to the hairdresser for the first time, but can he sit still?

School trip 4→6y Schoolreisje

Elisabeth Hesemans, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 8’, 2020 contact → JEF

A girl is made fun of for pretending to be a knight, but her heroism comes in handy when she sees a boy who is getting bullied.

Swimming game 4→6y Zwemspelletje

Elisabeth Hesemans, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 8’, 2020 contact → JEF

Alisa is afraid of swimming through the hoop, but then she thinks of a game she always plays.

Tree of worry 4→6y Knuffelboom

Elisabeth Hesemans, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 8’, 2020 contact → JEF

Kyona is worried that she won’t make friends in her new school. She entrusts her worries to a big tree.

School screenings

Best birthday ever

Best birthday ever

Michael Ekblad, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 70’, 2022 contact → JEF

EARCATCH

4→7y

An exciting adventure set in a recognisable universe for preschoolers, with colourful 2D animation, based on the hugely popular picture books about Charlie the rabbit.

It looks like this is going to be the best birthday ever for Charlie. There are presents, a carrot cake and a picnic by the lake. But then his little sister gets ill and is hurried to the doctor. Charlie is determined: this will not ruin his birthday! He is stubborn and decides to visit his grandma, who lives farther away. On his way there, the birthday bunny runs into many adventures.

Even mice belong in heaven

I mysi patrí do nebe

6→9y

Denisa Grimmova, Jan Bubenícek, France, Poland, Slovakia, Chech Republic, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 87’, 2021 contact → JEF

Even mice belong in heaven is a stunning stop-motion film for the entire family about overcoming prejudice and about the power of friendship.

After a sudden accident, a short-tempered young mouse and an anxious fox end up in animal heaven. As newcomers in this unknown world, they have to learn to control their instincts and work together to meet the challenges of this gorgeous but thrilling new environment. Their journey is full of threats and surprises that help them become great friends.

School screenings

Captain Nova

Captain Nova

Maurice Trouwborst, the Netherlands, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 90’, 2021 contact → O’brother EARCATCH SUBCATCH

This exciting and environmentally conscious adventure respects children’s issues and won ‘Best Child’s Movie’ at the Dutch Cinekid festival. It’s the year 2050. Captain Nova travels back through time to save the world from a natural disaster. But time travel changes Nova into a 12-year-old girl. And who will listen to a seemingly ignorant child? And yet, she is the only one who can save the world.

Birds of passage

Les oiseaux de passage

Olivier Ringer, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 83’, 2015 contact → JEF

8→11y

A tender and melancholy picture, and very cuddly! French-speaking director Olivier Ringer cleverly uses an adorable story to sketch a metaphor about the relationship between parents and children. Recognisable and touching.

When ducklings crawl out of the egg, they immediately start looking for their mother. Bad luck for Cathy! She receives a duck egg as a present for her 10th birthday, but the chick chooses her best friend Margaux as its mother. But Margaux cannot take care of the little animal. She is in a wheelchair, and her parents don’t want the cute little animal in the house. So what now? If no one wants to take care of the chick, it risks becoming cat food. For Cathy and Margaux, this marks the beginning of a great adventure: they secretly set off on a trip to the estuary, where they intend to release the chick with its peers. Meanwhile, their worried parents and even the police are on their heels.

School screenings

Ket & Doc 2023

Ket & Doc 2023

Different directors, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 75’, 2023 contact → JEF

COMPILATION COMPETITION

Check P048 → P050 for everything on Ket & Doc 2023.

My very own circus

Mon cirque à moi

Miryam Bouchard, Canada, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 105’, 2020 contact → JEF

9→11y

9→13y

Straight out of circus life! Director Miryam Bouchard herself grew up in the world of clowns and performers and perfectly knew how to capture that infectious chaos on camera.

When your dad is a clown, all you do is laugh and joke around, right? Not in Laura’s case. She is a good student who dreams of going to a private school far away from the crappy caravan she lives in now. Her dad hates everything neat and organised - even a nice spread on a sandwich isn’t for him. Can he accept that his daughter chases her dreams, even though they are different from his? “The film is inspired by my childhood. My father was an actor, clown, artist, and eternal rebel. We toured in a converted school bus, but all the while, I was dreaming of the settled life my classmates had,” says director Miryam Bouchard. Circuses and clowns are often loud and rowdy, but Bouchard took a different approach. She honours the old circus traditions, which revolved around poetry, music, and magic.

School screenings

Our nature 9→14y

Onze Natuur

Pim Niesten, Dick Harrewijn, Maria Lise Van Lente, Serge Leurs, Belgium, Dutch spoken without subtitles, 90’, 2022 contact → KFD

EARCATCH

Our Nature, The Film is an ambitious nature documentary about nature in our backyard. Wonderful stories about known and unknown animals and plants that arouse amazement and increase love and respect for our nature, told by Matteo Simoni and with the music of Dirk Brossé.

When Hitler stole pink rabbit

Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl

Caroline Link, Germany, Chech Republic, German spoken with Dutch subtitles, 119’, 2022 contact → JEF

10→13y

The touching life story of author Judith Kerr, depicted by Oscarwinning director Caroline Link. Winner of the award for Best Feature Film (professional jury) at JEF festival 2021.

Anna is too busy doing her schoolwork and playing with friends to realise that the world is on the edge of something big. Everywhere in Berlin, posters pop up with the image of Hitler, and the air fills with agitation. When her father, a Jewish journalist, disappears and her family has to flee Germany, Anna realises that life will never be the same again. She has become a refugee who has to learn new languages and make new friends.

Close

Close

12→16y

Lukas Dhont, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Dutch and French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 105’, 2022 contact → Lumière

EARCATCH

Lukas Dhont’s sophomore feature (after Girl ) is a sensitive and empathic look at a friendship between two thirteen-year-old boys. Fragile, deeply moving Belgian cinema that was awarded the Grand Prix in Cannes.

School screenings

During what seems like an eternal summer, two thirteen-year-old boys enjoy their free time and each other. They go to war against imaginary enemies, they run through the idyllic and colourful flower fields nearby, they sleep together; sometimes their bodies entangle. Leo and Remi have been inseparable since forever. Their friendship is joyful, tactile, innocent and above all unbreakable. Is it more than friendship?

Playground 12→16y Un monde

Laura Wandel, Belgium, French spoken with Dutch subtitles, 72’, 2021 contact → Lumière

A tender and heartbreaking movie experience with exceptionally raw acting performances. In 2022, this Belgian entry for the Oscars was rightly included in the shortlist of 15 films and won the Ensor for Best Francophone Belgian Film at the Ostend Film Festival.

Nora starts first grade only to discover on the playground that her big brother Abel is being bullied. Her father wants her to speak up, but her brother wants her to keep quiet. And all while Nora is hoping to make new friends herself, which puts her before a devastating choice. Screenwriter and director Laura Wandel worked for seven years on her vulnerable debut film about big and small school dramas.

JEF in the Hospital

JEF wants to give all kids the opportunity to experience the JEF festival. That’s why we stream short and feature films selected from different countries, so kids with limited mobility can enjoy them from the comforts of their bed. Accompanying every film you can watch short intros and a variety of extras. Every short film in the competition can win an award on this platform.

www.JEFinhetziekenhuis.be

JEF in cooperation with the Croatian Kids meet Art, the Swedish BUFF International Children and Young People's Festival, the Italian Il Nuovo Fantarca, the Spanish Packmagic, the Slovenian Kinodvor, Bednet, AZ Vesalius, AZ Delta, ZNA Paola ziekenhuis, AZ Groeninge, SintAndriesziekenhuis, AZ Voorkempen, AZ Sint-Lucas Brugge, Sint-Trudo ziekenhuis, OLVZ Aalst, revalidatiecentrum Pulderbos, AZ Sint-Maria Halle, UZ Antwerpen, UZ Leuven, UZ Gent and the support of the European Commission.

JEF in the Hospital

The online platform consists of a curated selection of over 60 films. The 10 films below are in competition for the JEF in the Hospital award.

Mom is always right 6→8y

Máma má vždycky pravdu see P035

Fur 7→10y

Vacht see P039

Witchfairy 7-10y

Heksenfee see P037

Planet Robin 8→11y

Robin og planeten see P040

The blanket 8→11y

Lakana see P041

Birth of the Oases 9→11y

Naissance des Oasis see P043

Astra 9→12y

Astra see P053

Finn’s heel 9→13y

Finns hiel see P054

Ice merchants 10→13y

Ice merchants see P055

Louis I., king of the sheep 10→13y

Louis I., king of the sheep see P055

Industry program

You can find everything you need to know about participating in the professional events at professionals.jeugdfilm.be/jef-festival.

Industry program

Dig it Up 2023

14/02/2023

Dig It Up is a collaboration between Mediawijs, JEF, De Ambrassade, publiq, VVBAD and FARO.

What do you think of when you think of cultural education? Perhaps a museum visit with your class, taking in a dance performance or attending a musical?

But have you thought about forms of digital cultural education? Because this too is taking on an increasingly important role! During Dig It Up, on Tuesday February 14, you will discover all about digital culture education aimed at pre-schoolers, children and young people during numerous inspiration sessions and workshops.

Exhibitor’s day

16/02/2023

The theme, programme and registration link for the Exhibitor's Day at JEF Festival 2023 will follow later. The day will consist of sessions, panel discussions, roundtables and a film screening.

With your registration for the Exhibitor's Day at the JEF festival, you will also immediately have access to the online screening days. During those two days, a screening room will give you unlimited access to JEF's new titles, in addition to films from JEF's new programme in the classroom.

GameStorm II | Screen entertainment for future generations

16/02/2023

GameStorm is a collaboration between Poppins & Wayne, VAF/Gamefonds, ANTWERP. POWERED BY CREATIVES & JEF

What does the young screen generation expect from us as creators? The generation that hardly distinguishes between an active or passive screen experience, between watching and playing? Who juggles several screens at once and no longer thinks in labels such as (non-)gamer or film fan? They ask, we deliver: a thoughtful and open-minded questioning of children and young people - JEF's audience - will be the guiding principle of a short, powerful brainstorming session among the storytellers present on 16 February. In mixed teams, we will consider the wishes and needs of Gen Alpha and pitch our insights to each other. Food for thought and conversation guaranteed. And yes, we also provide that real food.

Industry program

Children’s pitches

Children's pitches is a collaboration between Macky & JEF

23/02/2023

The children’s pitches during the JEF festival are a unique way for creators of children’s and youth content to test their projects with their target audience.

JEF offers anyone working on a project for a young audience (film, short film, series, web series…) the ultimate tool: the chance to present their ideas to a panel of children of the right age. Based on the gathered feedback, creators can further refine or adjust their idea. Afterwards, all participating projects receive a ‘kids proof’ certificate.

“The children’s pitches allowed me to unravel what children thought of the character’s design, and what they already understood about the story based on the storyboard.” — Ex-participant Britt Raes.

→ With the children’s pitches, JEF offers a service to

→ filmmakers, working on a high-quality young audience project

→ producers, gaining a better understanding of their product

→ children, having a say in the content created for them

→ written in Dutch

WANDA talk

WANDA talk is a collaboration between WANDA, deAuteurs and JEF.

23/02/2023

JEF invites industry professionals to discuss how films and media can provide a correct and honest representation of our society today. In a moderated discussion on Thursday 23 February we apply the expertise of the partner organisations to the field of JEF: young audience content. How can young people recognise themselves in our diversified world and feel respected by the audiovisual stories told today on the cinema screens, on television, through online channels and… at the JEF festival?

The panel consists of these great speakers: Nadège Bibo-Tansia, Hinda Bluekens, Kato De Boeck, Inès Eshun and Nadia Kara.

Practical information

Accessibility

We strive to make the festival as accessible as possible.

You can find detailed information regarding the accessibility on our website under ‘info’. If you have any questions, either call us or the festival location.

Most of the festival locations are accessible for wheelchair users. For the films Totem and Knor, the Subcatch app (for deaf or hard of hearing people) and the Earcatch app (for blind and visually impaired people) will be available.

Practical information Locations

Antwerp

Zuiderpershuis

Waalsekaai 14, 2000 Antwerp

hetpaleis Theaterplein, 2000 Antwerp

Lumière Antwerpen

Lakenstraat 14, 2000 Antwerp

Cinema Cartoon’s Kaasstraat 4, 2000 Antwerp

Kinepolis

De Cinema

Groenendaallaan 394, 2030 Antwerp

Maarschalk Gerardstraat 4, 2000 Antwerp

Cinema Rix De Gryspeerstraat 86, 2100 Antwerp

Schouwburg De Kern Kern 18, 2610 Wilrijk

Opera Antwerpen

MAS / Museum aan de Stroom

Ertbornstraat 2, 2000 Antwerp

Hanzestedenplaats 1, 2000 Antwerp

Antwerp libraries Couwelaar, Elschot, De Poort, Park and Permeke

check antwerpen.bibliotheek.be for adresses

Bruges

Cinema Lumière Brugge / De Republiek Sint Jakobsstraat 36b, 8000 Bruges

Ghent

Sphinx cinema

Studio Skoop

KOPERGIETERY Rabot

Ciné Rio / De koer

Festival Digital CAMPO nieuwpoort

Sint-Michielshelling 3, 9000 Ghent

Sint-Annaplein 63, 9000 Ghent

Vlotstraat 22, 9000 Ghent

Meibloemstraat 86, 9000 Gent

NTGent Minnemeers & Nerdlab

Practical information

Kortrijk

kunstencentrum BUDA Kapucijnenstraat 10, 8500 Kortrijk

Leuven

Cinema ZED Andreas Vesaliusstraat 9c, 3000 Leuven

Roeselare

Cultuurcentrum De Spil Hippoliet Spilleboutdreef 1, 8800 Roeselare

Hamme

Cultureel Centrum Jan Tervaert Kaaiplein 34, 9220 Hamme

Online

medialab.jeugdfilm.be

short films online → see P064

Practical information

JEFfestival.be

festival@jeugdfilm.be

+ 32 (0)3 303 43 13

@jeugdflm.be

#JEFfestival2023

Visit our website for more information about festival films, trailers, reports, news, videos, pictures, or last-minute guests!

About JEF

JEF's mission

A diverse range of youth films broadens the perspective of children and young people. This offers them opportunities to better determine the world they want to live in. JEF makes youth film available to exhibitors, visible and accessible to a wide and diverse audience as well as during school and leisure time.

Through its active role in network organizations, JEF is the youth film contact for policy makers and the (inter)national film industry. At JEF, children and young people find a place to create, experience, and critically review film together. For and by youngsters is one of the central mottos throughout the JEF organisation.

About JEF

What is a JEF film?

JEF is the guide for high-quality children's films. JEF's interpretation of the word “high-quality” includes the following:

We provide films for all ages: from toddlers to teenagers and young adults. This does not mean that our films are only interesting for children. It is important to JEF that everyone can enjoy our films, both young and old.

We do not want to patronise children. They can also handle topics that the mainstream culture and media barely deal with. To us, children's films are not only films that are initially meant for young people, but in particular films that will be interesting for a young audience without age limit.

We are constantly looking for a great diversity in genres, formats, themes and styles that will surprise and challenge this wide-ranging target audience. Despite the fact that the variety of our films depends highly on international production, we are still striving for a balance between animation and live action, fiction and documentary, drama and comedy, short film and feature film…

In addition, it is important to us that not only our films are varied, but that they also appeal to a diverse audience.

We look for films with relevant and current topics that are in line with the daily experience of a diverse audience, topics that broaden their world view and give the audience the opportunity to decide what world they want to live in. Films that deal with original topics are refreshing to us. We select films that preferably avoid stereotypes and that aim for sufficient gender diversity, both for the characters and for the creators.

The selection of our films always complements or reinforces the market: we bring films to an audience with the goals to broaden the existing supply on the market. We also support films from other distributors that fit into our vision, by bringing them to a broader audience through a deepening film experience.

About JEF

What is a JEF film?

We strongly focus on offering and programming European films. However, we also like to keep up with the productions of other continents. By means of our international network and thorough market prospection we stay on top of things.

We are looking for films with a trademark from the author: to us, the desire to make the film, the authenticity and the craftsmanship of the film maker outweigh the commercial potential or the size of the production. For these reasons, we closely follow the path of some filmmakers that we want to keep connecting to our organisation. Especially Flemish film makers who engage in making films for a young target audience. In this way we lay the foundations for a tradition that we can keep building on.

About JEF

JEF's film literacy: the model FILMLITERACY

JEF has developed a model for film literacy, in which three strategic objectives and associated competencies are formulated, stimulated through the medium of film. This model provides you with tools to stimulate film literacy among children and young people – as a teacher, a parent or a youth worker. The model also gives you an insight into the working methods of JEF.

Film is an art form and a medium to creatively shape ideas. Film offers a mirror through which we look at ourselves and the world. Since film combines various forms of expression (language, image, sound), it is a powerful medium that can direct and widen our perspective, challenging us to adopt a critical and resilient attitude. Film is an art form, but is also used in entertainment, journalism and personal communication. Film literacy focuses on film in all its forms including: documentary, live action, animated film, virtual reality film, cinematic games.

In our model for film literacy, JEF focuses on four film components:

1. The story

What is this film about? What is the documentary maker's perspective on the subject? In which socio-cultural, historical or political context is the story situated? Who is the film for? Do you think the film has a specific audience in mind?

2. The cinematographic language

How to interpret this scene? What impact does the editing have on the viewer? Which special meaning is given to the use of colours in this film? Does the coherence of cinematic choices result in a certain vision?

3. The film process

Who does what on the set? Which tasks are being undertaken? What happens after the shooting? What steps should we take to develop a cinematic game?

About JEF

JEF's film literacy: the model

4. Audiovisual techniques

How do you handle a camera? How are visual effects created? How does stop-motion animation technology work?

Film literacy objectives

By summing up these different aspects, JEF uses three strategic objectives, that can be seen as a set of skills, attitudes and knowledge that children and young people develop.

1. The development of critical skills, attitudes and knowledge.

You can value film as an art form and communicative medium. You can recognize the specific cultural context and/ or vision reflected in a film.

You are capable to compare them with your own reference framework. You realize that certain film-technical choices can influence a viewer's perception. You can critically comment on a film and you are open to the opinion of others.

2. The development of creative skills, attitudes and knowledge.

3. The development of cultural skills, attitudes and knowledge.

You reflect on your own learning process. You can work together and share your knowledge about film (making) with others. You look at various film creations with an open mind. You can develop more social awareness by being open to the specific cultural context of a film.

In this model these objectives are not strictly defined; they can blur into another and reinforce each other. In the context of a film literacy activity, the focus can be on one objective, but you will find that you will always be including at least one extra objective.

For example: When creating your own school video, you will be mainly stimulating creative skills, and in addition your students will be learning to work together as a team. While make a video, students will be consciously evaluating their own creation and reflecting on the learning process: all crucial for a project's success. Thus both cultural and critical skills are stimulated.

About JEF

JEF's film literacy: the model

Film literacy competences

JEF achieves these objectives by focusing on different competencies of children and young people. These competencies can be combined endlessly.

E You can try out something new with an open mind

E You can actively watch and observe.

E You can personally reflect upon and test your own reference framework.

E You can analyze and explore meanings.

E You can think creatively, experiment and get involved in a creative process.

E By working with audiovisual media, you can create a product in which your ideas are creatively expressed.

E You can share your experiences, product and opinion with others.

A film literacy activity is always a combination of various competencies following one after another as a consecutive entity. Their order isn’t fixed. The intensity and importance given to every single competence depends upon the ability of the group and the objective you want to achieve.

About JEF

JEF's film literacy: the model

A film literacy mix

Components, objectives and competencies can be mutually combined. Through every cinematic component, a creative, cultural or critical objective can be achieved by focusing on various competencies. Thus in every activity you can create your own film literacy mix, based on the current and desired competencies of your group.

For example: You want to stimulate your participants’ critical look at propaganda. Therefore you can introduce them to a specific visual language: the film-technical aspects (for example: editing, sound) that would convince an audience about a product. This can be done by asking them to look, reflect and analyze, but you can also ask them to record a convincing message themselves. Which techniques should they use to convince an audience? To what extent does this correspond with common advertising messages?

For example: You want participants to develop cultural skills and empathize with the world of transgender people. First you can ask them to reflect on the theme of identity. Then ask them to watch the movie Just Charlie. Let them watch three fragments illustrating Charlie's process of coming out. Ask participants to describe what's happening in those scenes, what the characters experience and what meaning they give to it. The participants will become familiar with the psychological background of the main character and link it with their own world. Pupils discover that the process in the film is universal, because every teenager one way or another wrestles with his or her own identity.

With this model JEF wants to inspire you, by offering tools to implement film literacy in your own (classroom) practice. We invite you to, together with us, work with children and young people's creative and assertive attitude in a mediatised and image-oriented society.

contact: JEF more than film

Calendars Antwerp

Kinepolis Antwerp Titina 6→9y  P  N ?

De Cinema Talia's journey 16+  P  ?

Zuiderpershuis Piro Piro, your very first film concert 2→4y ? Piro Piro, your very first film concert 2→4y ?

Zuiderpershuis Piro Piro, your very first film concert 2→4y ?

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Lumière Antwerp Oink 5→9y  P  ?

Lumière Antwerp Growing pains 9→11y Ket & Doc 2023 9→11y  P  N ?

Cinema Cartoon's Goodbye, Don Glees! 12+  P  e Kinepolis Antwerp Bim 4→8y ?

Zuiderpershuis n StoryScope 4→6y n StoryScope 4→6y

Zuiderpershuis Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4yj Colourful animal mess 2→4y

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Lumière Antwerp Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y  P

Lumière Antwerp Dounia & the princess of Aleppo 9→11y  P  JEF makers selection 6→14y N

Cinema Cartoon's Girl picture 14+  P  e

Kinepolis Antwerp Bim 4→8y ? MAS Mister paper 2→5y + expo: Anybody home?

Zuiderpershuis n Become your own animation figure 9→12y

Zuiderpershuis n Become your own animation figure 6→9y

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Zuiderpershuis Colourful animal mess 2→4y Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4y

Lumière Antwerp Huggleboo 3→5y

Lumière Antwerp Journey to Yourland 7→10y  P  N ? Comedy queen 10→13y  P  N

Cinema Cartoon's Alma viva 12+  P  e

De Cinema Oink 5→9y  P  Wolf 8→13y  P  ?

hetpaleis 5-day n Theatre film week 7→9y

Geluidshuis n Create a movie for your ears in Het Geluidshuis 9→12y

Zuiderpershuis 2-day n Game jam 9→12y

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Zuiderpershuis Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4y

Colourful animal mess 2→4y

N competition e selection young programmers e medialab n workshop P premiere ? guests

Calendars Antwerp

Lumière Antwerp How I learned to fly 9→12y  P  N

Lumière Antwerp No-No goes to space 3→5y Far away and yet so close 9→11y ?

Cinema Cartoon's Dalva 12+  P  e

De Cinema Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y  P

De Cinema Surprising perspectives 9→11y  P

5-day n Theatre film week 7→9y

Zuiderpershuis 2-day n Game jam 9→12y

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Zuiderpershuis Interstellar Ella 4→7y ? Interstellar Ella 4→7y ?

Zuiderpershuis Interstellar Ella 4→7y ?

Lumière Antwerp Super Furball saves the future! 6→8y  P  N ?

Lumière Antwerp My robot brother 8→11y  P  N Erik Stoneheart 9→11y  P  N

Cinema Cartoon's Baghdad Messi 12+  P  e ?

De Cinema Jumanji 10→14y How I learned to fly 9→12y  P  N Heartbeast 16+  P

Opera Antwerp Muurman Continuous show with a slot every 30 min., 7→99y  P

Cinema Rix Exceptional challenges 6→8y

Cinema Rix Huggleboo 3→5y

Schouwburg De Kern e Play Stop Motion 2→99y

Schouwburg De Kern In the clouds 3→5y Dounia & the princess of Aleppo 9→11y  P

hetpaleis 5-day n Theatre film week 7→9y

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Zuiderpershuis Colourful animal mess 2→4y

Lumière Antwerp Dojo 9→13y  P  N ?

Lumière Antwerp In the clouds 3→5y Totem 8→11y  P  N ?

De Cinema Dounia & the princess of Aleppo 9→11y  P

De Cinema

Exceptional challenges 6→8y

De Cinema Beautiful beings 16+  P  e

Opera Antwerp Muurman Continuous show with a slot every 30 min., 7→99y  P

Cinema Rix n Become your own animation figure 6→9y No-No goes to space 3→5y

Cinema Rix Nelly Rapp: monster agent 8→11y

Schouwburg De Kern e Play Stop Motion 2→99y

Schouwburg De Kern Yuku and the Himalayan flower 5→8y Journey to Yourland 7→10y  P  N

hetpaleis 5-day n Theatre film week 7→9y

Calendars Antwerp

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Zuiderpershuis n 3D Mask makers 6→9y n 3D Mask makers 6→9y

Zuiderpershuis Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4y Colourful animal mess 2→4y

Lumière Antwerp No-No goes to space 3→5y

Lumière Antwerp My robot brother 8→11y  P  N No dogs or Italians allowed 10→13y  P  N

De Cinema Wolf 8→13y  P  Journey to Yourland 7→10y  P  N You are not my mother 16+  P  e Opera Antwerp Muurman Continuous show with a slot every 30 min., 7→99y  P

Kinepolis Antwerp Bim 4→8y ?

Schouwburg De Kern e Play Stop Motion 2→99y

Schouwburg De Kern Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y  P

Schouwburg De Kern Totem 8→11y  P  N

Schouwburg De Kern n Become your own animation figure 6→9y hetpaleis 5-day n Theatre film week 7→9y

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Zuiderpershuis Colourful animal mess 2→4y Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4y

Zuiderpershuis n Become your own animation figure 9→12y

Lumière Antwerp Wolf 8→13y  P

Lumière Antwerp Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y  P  Super Furball saves the future! 6→8y  P  N ?

De Cinema Huggleboo 3→5y Dojo 9→13y  P  N Sick of myself 16+  P  e

De Cinema Totem 8→11y  P  N

Opera Antwerp Muurman Continuous show with a slot every 30 min., 7→99y  P

Kinepolis Antwerp Bim 4→8j ?

Zuiderpershuis e XL medialab & mini-medialab 2→99y

Zuiderpershuis Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4y

Lumière Antwerp Exceptional challenges 6→8y

Colourful animal mess 2→4y

Lumière Antwerp Jumanji 10→14y Awards ceremony + winning short films 9→11y ?

De Cinema No-No goes to space 3→5y

Opera Antwerp Muurman Continuous show with a slot every 30 min., 7→99y  P

Kinepolis Antwerp Bim 4→8y ?

Cinema Rix Yuku and the Himalayan flower 5→8y breakfastt, film & open workshop

Cinema Rix Mini-Zlatan and uncle Darling 6→9y

MAS My life in Versailles 6→9y + expo: Anybody home?

selection young programmers

medialab

workshop

Calendars Bruges

Calendars Ghent

Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y

KOPERGIETERY Rabot n Become your own animation figure 9→12y

goes to space 3→5y ?

& the princess of Aleppo 9→11y  P

KOPERGIETERY Rabot n Become your own animation figure 6→9y

Rabot

Dojo 9→13y  P  N

and uncle Darling 6→9y

Cinema Totem 8→11y  P  N ? Girl picture 14+  P  e

Skoop Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y  P

6→9y  P  N

8→11y

10→14y

Studio Skoop Journey to Yourland 7→10y  P  N Ciné Rio Yuku and the Himalayan flower 5→8y

N competition e selection young programmers e medialab n workshop P premiere ? guests

Calendars Courtrai

e

4→99y

Allan: the human antenna 6→9y

e CinéMammoth 4→99y

Budascoop

Calendars Courtrai

Calendars Leuven

Vesalius No-No goes to space 3→5y

Zed Vesalius Dojo 9→13y  P  N Yuku and the Himalayan flower 5→8y

Zed Vesalius Totem 8→11y  P  N

Cinema Zed Vesalius Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y  P

Cinema Zed Vesalius Dounia & the princess of Aleppo 9→11y  P  Cinema Zed Vesalius Dojo 9→13y  P  N

Cinema Zed Vesalius Kiwi & Strit 3 2→4y Totem 8→11y  P  N

Cinema Zed Vesalius Little Allan: the human antenna 6→9y  P

Cinema Zed Vesalius Yuku and the Himalayan flower 5→8y Journey to Yourland 7→10y  P  N

Cinema Zed Vesalius No-No goes to space 3→5y

N competition e selection young programmers e medialab n workshop P premiere ? guests

Film index

Film index

Louis I., king of the sheep

finds her way home

being followed by a Mariachi band

week to go until I see my mom again

Contact index

Agência emanuel@curtas.pt

Alexander Goessaert alexander.goesaert@student.hogent.be

Amanita Design lukas@amanita-design.net

ART BASICS for CHILDREN mail@abc-web.be

Arti Film hans@artifilm.nl

Assemble Entertainment m.zubova@assembleteam.com

Atom Art anda@atomart.lv

Autour de minuit marine@autourdeminuit.com

Bantam Films wiepko@bantamfilm.nl

Bevrijdingsfilms rloens@bevrijdingsfilms.be

Bonobostudio vanja@bonobostudio.hr

Brain Bugs lennert@brainbugs.be

Buda Kunstencentrum lieve.vankeirsbulck@budakortrijk.be

Bulletproof Cupid katleen@bulletproofcupid.be

Captain Boomer Collective bartvanpeel@gmail.com

Casus Ludi pierre@casusludi.com

Cato Kusters catokusters@hotmail.com

Cherry Pickers katrien@paradiso.be

Christophe Rolin chris.rolin85@gmail.com

Cinéma Public Films melody.remay@cinemapublicfilms.fr

Cinemien ian@cinemien.nl

Cineventure cedric.igodt@telenet.be

Circus Atos michal@circusatos.com

Copenhagen Bombay alexandra.cruz@copenhagenbombay.com

Dalton an@daltondistribution.be

De Coproducent pieter@decoproducent.nl

De Mensen marielle.dazler@demensen.be

Devine - JEF's space station gertjan@creartor.be

Devine - Yee-Haw lukasdenorme@gmail.com

Ennesimo Film Festival lara@ennesimofilmfestival.com

Faber Courtial ms@faber-courtial.de

Fabrique Fantastique tim.verschure@fabriquefantastique.be

FAMU alexandra.hroncova@famu.cz

Färgfilm kontakt@fargfilm.se

Folimage j.mourlam@folimage.fr

FTF festivals@mail.vsmu.sk

Gargantua Film Distribution administration@gargantuafilm.it

Het Geluidshuis laura@geluidshuis.be

Gusto katrien@gusto-ent.com

hetpaleis brechtje.vanbel@hetpaleis.be

Hübner/Wallenfels levin@hwav.de

Interactive Culture mira@interactive-culture.nl

JEF liza@jeugdfilm.be

JEF industry gert@jeugdfilm.be

JEF medialab laura@jeugdfilm.be

JEF more than film meerdanfilm@jeugdfilm.be

JEF XR loes@jeugdfilm.be

Jonathan Griffith Productions jon@alpineexposures.com

Kaboom Animation Festival ursula@kaboomfestival.nl

Kadokawa chiyako-s@partner.kadokawa.jp

Kapitein Kort info@kapiteinmedia.nl

Karo Creutzburg karo.creutzburg@student.howest.be

Kinepolis Film Distribution pdevreese@kinepolis.com

Kinology festivals@kinology.eu

Kopergietery ilja@kopergietery.be

Leon Denise contact@shaderland.com

Lights On lightson@lightsonfilm.org

Lumière pieter@lumiere.be

Lumière alexander@lumiere.be

Luna Strmotić luna.strmotic@gmail.com

Mer Film gary@merfilm.no

Midralgar distribution@midralgar.fr MIKETEEVEE ellen@miketeevee.com

Miyu laure.goasguen@miyu.fr

Moondocs ilse@moondocs.nl

MOOOV benny.haesebrouck@mooov.be

Morethan queralt@morethan-films.com

Newfangled Games hi@newfangled.games

Nou&Herkauw info@nouenherkauw.nl

O'brother thomas@obrother.be

O'brother vivien@obrother.be

Paradiso katrien@paradiso.be

Patenteux lp@patenteux.com

Pauline Morel paumorel@outlook.com

Contact index

Phanta Basta! mijke@phantavision.com

Pink Parrot Media begona@pinkparrotmedia.ca

Pluto Film daniel@plutofilm.de

Pol De Plecker pdeplecker@gmail.com

Première TV erik@premieretv.nl

Radiator IP Sales ben@radiatorsales.eu

Raina Films andy@rainafilms.com

Ram Ram Games & Business Goose info@30birdsgame.com

Random Bazar hello@random-bazar.fr

Rudel Film maximilian@rudelfilm.de

Sanae Khamlichi sanaekhamlichii@hotmail.com

Sander Vanhove hey@sandervanhove.com

Sandy Claes sandy.claes@gmail.com

Selected Films info@selectedfilms.com

Sergej Kreso sergej.kreso@gmail.com

Silke Janssens silke.janssens@student.howest.be

Sleepings Panda Games wakeup@sleepingpanda.games

Sola Media GmbH leonie@sola-media.com

Square Eyes info@squareeyesfilm.com

Stacka katrien.carton@thepack.studio

Stichting Interactive Culture mira@interactive-culture.nl

Storyhouse maarten@storyhousefilm.com

Studio Film Bilder studio@filmbilder.de

Studio Marpi hello@marpi.studio

Studio Wasia mikhal.bak@gmail.com

Tack Films john.lundsten@tackfilms.fi

The searchers edisson@thesearchers.be

Varicoloured info@varicoloured.eu

Vedette katrien@paradiso.be

Very Cavaliere Productions julie@verycavaliere.com

Visualantics Productions stephen@visualantics.net

Yellow Film & TV marko.talli@yellowfilm.fi

Colophon

JEF team

Iris Verhoeven, Bregt Van Wijnendaele, Karo Guetens, Laura De Bruyn, Florette Hoogstad, Lukas De Block, Daphné De Weirt, Loes Welkenhuysen, Liza Brandt, Kevin De Ridder, Ivan Van Asch, Gert Hermans, Alice Goezu, Marjolein Fransen, Elfi De Vos, Tine Robberecht, Alexis Guiette, Fien Meynendonckx, Janne Termonia

Interns

Jef De Bock, Jade Van der Moeren, Jente De Bruyne, Laura Van Baelen, Camille Vermeiren, Lise Lamot, Eline Bauters, Maren Vangampelaere, Jef Hervens, Rani De Vadder, Eline Baée, Tatyana Volcerick, Glenn Van Haeken, Lore Zanardi, Gemma Louise Allen, Jennifer Coveliers, Noémi Van Hoyweghen, Ruben Bartholomeeusen, Simone Otter, Mirte Staes, Amani Lefever, Maaike D’Aes, Lauren Peeters

Members of the board of directors

and general meeting

Tom Van de Velde, Katelijne Morreel, Andy Demeulenaere, Mieke Vanderhaeghen, Monique Ruinen, Tine Van Kerkhoven, Les Van Stappen, Laetitia Nsiona, Lieve Vankeirsbulck, Steven Duyver, Wouter Vandersteene, Christine Vanleeuw

Volunteers

Charlotte Klewais, Lotte De Broyer, Fleur Eyckmans, Sam Heirbaut, Kyria Van Gasse, Zelimhan Barhamatov, Louise Marlein, Amber Claes, Nina Wens, Otte Frateur, Leon De Coninck, Clodine Moons, Loys Truyens, Dante Busch, Jan Weyts, Marie Van Dijck, Anna Vandenbussche, Lisa Verberdt, Luka Boone, Tijn Morlion, Jana Slaet, Yenthe Geudens, Annelies Bodiang, Sam Verellen, Inna Cordy, Fleur Debusschere, Eline De Cock, Mateo De state, Lynn Elshof, Viktor Stuyck, Riense Marckx, Dmitri Dijkstra, Elife Duman, Jasper Loos, Victor Van Moer, Karlijn Harsevoort, Joran Verbist, Sebastiaan Van Der Veken, Lucas Stoefs, Jade Arrindell, Maxime Schelfhout, Sam Heirbaut, Fleur Eyckmans, Lotte De Broyer, Aagje Vanhoof, Esther Poels, Arune Moeskops, Gloria Piedfort, Josephine Burssens

Job students

Dagmar Bringmans, Dries Boudewijns, Estera Ensenat Pajor, Ella De Mesmaeker, Fatima Sylla, Isa Sedrez Araujo, Jasper Loos, Jochem Crab, Lina El Moussati, Zoë Coppens, Maura De Troyer, Mohamed Jan Jalloh, Noor Welkenhuysen, Sean Hellemans, Tristan Navarro Verhoeven, Tuur Kerckhof, Vida Appiah, Ravinder Naipal, Alessia Vilardi, Leyla el Boukili, Sinan Ijjyah, Hanne Van der Zijp

Subsidiaries

VAF (Flemish Audiovisual Fund), City of Antwerp, Creative Europe MEDIA, Flemish Government, City of Bruges, Ghent culture and City of Ghent

Sponsors

Tentoo, Creative Europe MEDIA desk, Norwegian embassy, Canadian embassy, Macverhuur, Outpost Gamecenters, Filmtechniek, Option Media, Hotel O, De bloemerie, moonpop

Media partners

De Standaard, Knack Focus

Partners & logistical support

Zuiderpershuis, Schouwburg De Kern, Cinema

Rix/De Klap, Lumière Antwerpen, Cinema

Cartoon’s, De Cinema, Kinepolis Antwerpen, hetpaleis, Opera Antwerpen, MAS Museum aan de stroom, De Republiek, Lumière Brugge, Stedelijk Conservatorium Brugge, Sphinx cinema, Studio Skoop, Cine Rio/De Koer, KOPERGIETERY Rabot, Kunstencentrum BUDA, Cultuurcentrum De Spil, Cinema ZED, Cultureel Centrum Jan Tervaert, WAJOW/Point of U, ECFA, Devine, Bednet, Mediawijs, Publiq, De Ambrassade, VVBAD, FARO, Poppins & Wayne, Ennesimo Film Festival, UiTPAS Gent, Macky, Wanda, deAuteurs, Musica, Academie Woord & Muziek Mol, Bibliotheek De Poort, Bibliotheek Couwelaar; Bibliotheek Elsschot, Bibliotheek Park, Kubus Jongerenbib Permeke , ANTWERP. POWERED BY CREATIVES, Ennesimo Film Festival

Projectionist

Mirjam Bromundt

Scenography

Reinout Hiel & Noémi Van Hoyweghen

Translations and subtitling

Niki Proost, Rani De Vadder, Eline Baée, Simone Otter, Gemma Louise Allen

Catalogue editors

Fien Meynendonckx, Gert Hermans, Laura De Bruyn

Website Bits of Love

Graphic design

Lieven Haneca

v.u. Iris Verhoeven, Timmerwerfstraat 40, 2000 Antwerpen