Kidding around

Festival International du film pour Enfants
de Montréal is a tribute to the wee ones

ANIMATED ANTICS: Mug Travel

by MATTHEW HAYS

When people say the words “children’s movie” to me, the titles that usually spring to mind are The Bad Seed, The Omen, The Exorcist, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? or Seed of Chucky. But the organizers of this year’s Festival International du film pour Enfants de Montréal (FIFEM) have kiddie audiences in mind, not just kiddie themes.

Most of the titles are in French or with French subtitles, but there are a few for anglo wee ones too. And here’s a film with chutzpah: organizers have programmed a queer entry, Ready? OK!, a San Diego-based feature about one boy’s determination to join his school’s all-girl cheer squad. The nuns tell our young hero that he will simply never be able to join the squad—it’s just not done, they argue. Josh retorts, “never is a strong word,” adding “I’m not trying to break the rules, I’m trying to change them.” As well as telling a sweet story of nonconformity, the film also shows us Josh’s mom’s dilemma: since her son loves dresses, dolls and cheerleading, she’s faced with her own issues around the possibility that her son may well be gay.

Out director James Vasquez based this endearing story on his own experiences from Grade 2, when he was barred from participating in his Catholic school’s prep rally. Ready? OK! had its premiere at the FilmOut San Diego Film Fest in April of last year, where it got rave reviews.

CHEERS AND QUEERS: Ready? OK!

FIFEM is also screening a new animated short, How People Got Fire, about one girl’s coming of age. It juxtaposes this tale with the story of how people learned to create fire. Directed and written by Marc D’Aigle and Daniel Janke, this NFB production combines the ancient traditions of aboriginal storytelling with cutting-edge animation technique. How People Got Fire will screen as an opener for Ready? OK!.

Arriving from South Korea is Mug Travel, director Aaron Lim’s strange and funny winter travelogue. When Bebe finds himself home alone during the Christmas holidays, an act of magic sends him sailing off to the North Pole—on a flying mug.

FIFEM will highlight two English-language films in French versions, and both are worthy of consideration. Son of Rambow (which graced the cover of the Mirror last year) is a British film about two boys who become friends and then decide to film their own version of Stallone’s First Blood. It’s a zany little feature that won the hearts and minds of children and adults alike. And Canada’s own Patricia Rozema (I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing, Mansfield Park) marks her debut in children’s filmmaking with last year’s Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl. Based on the wildly popular children’s book series, this film is based on a number of tales about a young lass who’s aspiring to be a reporter in ’30s Cincinnati. There’s a lot of heft behind this production, including Julia Roberts (who exec produces) and Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin (who plays the lead role). Rozema keeps the action moving along, keeps her kiddies appealing and doesn’t let anything get too cloying. A sweet and innocent enough distraction.

FIFEM SCREENS FEB. 28
–MARCH 8. INFO: FIFEM.COM