Film Selection 2023-2024

SEPTEMBER: Tout en haut du monde (Long Way North) by Rémi Chayé, 1h21, PG, France-Denmark
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of September 22-25, 2023**

Age 7 & up
Themes : adolescence, polar circle, russian history, perseverance, identity quest, voyage of initiation, expeditions, mourning
In French with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

Set in the late 19th century Saint Petersburg, Sacha, a young girl from the Russian aristocracy, dreams of the Great North and anguishes over the fate of her grandfather, Oloukine, a renowned scientist and Arctic explorer who has yet to return from his latest expedition to conquer the North Pole. Sacha has always been fascinated by the adventurous life of her grandfather and has the same calling as Oloukine to be an explorer. But Sacha’s parents, who already made arrangements for her marriage, strongly disapprove the idea to say the least. Defying her destiny, Sacha flees her home and launches an adventure-filled quest toward the Great North in search of Oloukine and his ship.

SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER: Bernie Krause, A Life with The Great Animal Orchestra by Vincent Tricon, 37 min., France
**Movie available to watch online: week of October 2-9, 2023**

Age 11 & up
Themes : animal, biodiversity, bioacoustics, biophony, spectrograms, climate change, environment, music, nature, soundscape
In English with French subtitles
Watch the trailer

For more than fifty years, American musician and “soundscape ecologist” Bernie Krause has traveled the world recording the sounds of animals, terrestrial and marine species, in their natural habitats. Bernie sends us an urgent message about the climate emergency and the fragility of the wild world. The film delves into the world of a passionate man who was the first to hear the song of the world, and who contends that if we want to preserve it, we must learn to listen. The film is presented on the occasion of the exhibition The Great Animal Orchestra at Exploratorium in San Francisco with the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain (Until October 15, 2023).

Presented in partnership with Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain. The filmmaker will participate in the interactive exchange on Flip.

OCTOBER: Petit Vampire (Little Vampire) by Joann Sfar, 1h22, France-Belgium
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of October 27-30, 2023**

Age 8 & up
Themes : Monsters, fantasy, Adventure, Accepting differences, Childhood, Graphic novel adaptation
In French with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

Little Vampire has been 10 years old for the last 300 years. Despite living in a haunted house with a merry group of monsters, he is bored to death. His dream? Going to school to meet other kids. Unfortunately, his parents won’t let him leave the mansion because they believe the outside world is way too dangerous! Accompanied by his trusted bulldog Phantomato, Little Vampire secretly sneaks out on a quest for new friends. He will soon meet a human boy, Michael, but their friendship will catch the attention of the terrifying Gibbus, an old enemy that has been chasing Little Vampire and his family for centuries.

NOVEMBER: Allons enfants (Rookies) by Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai, documentaire, 1h50, France
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of November 10-13, 2023**

Age 15 & up
Themes : Dance, Hip-Hop, Education, Learning, Class differences, Adolescence, High School, Perseverance
In French with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

In the heart of Paris, a high school is taking on a crazy challenge: to integrate students from working-class neighborhoods and break the spiral of academic failure through hip-hop dance. Allons enfants is the story of this unique experiment in France. 

DECEMBER: Nelly et Simon : Mission Yéti (The Yeti Adventures) by Nancy Florence Savard and Pierre Greco, 1h20, Canada
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of December 8-11, 2023**

Age 7 & up
Themes : Investigation, Adventure, Science, Animal protection, Perseverance, Nepal, Tibet, Tales
In French with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

Quebec, 1956. The destinies of Nelly Maloye, a novice private eye, and Simon Picard, a research scientist at the local university, unexpectedly meet. Bankrolled by an ambitious client, the impulsive and headstrong Maloye joins the methodical and pragmatic Picard in a dubious quest to prove the existence of the elusive Yeti. For guidance, Simon carries with him an explorer’s journal that supposedly contains the location of the mythical creature’s den. Along with Tensing, their young Sherpa guide, and Jasmin, a chatty myna bird, the brave-hearted heroes come face-to-face with countless dangers during their trek through the heart of the Himalayas.

Presented in partnership with le Ministère des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie du Québec and Québec Cinéma.

JANUARY: Ernest et Célestine en hiver (Ernest & Celestine, Winter Tales) by Julien Chheng and Jean-Christophe Roger, program of 4 animated short films, 45 min., France
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of January 19-22, 2024**

Age 4 & up
Themes : Friendship, winter, hibernation, artistic practices (painting, dance, music), tolerance, solidarity, book adaptation
In French with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

The delightful duo Ernest & Celestine, a grumpy bear and a feisty mouse, are back in four charming stories that capture snow’s magical appeal.
Ernest is a big bear from Charabia. He likes playing music and eating marmalade. He lives with Celestine, a little orphan mouse, and they share his house. Our two friends never get bored! When the first snowflakes start to fall they need to prepare for Ernest’s hibernation: first they must take care of Bibi, their wild goose, who will fly away before the big freeze, and they must prepare the cakes for the much anticipated ‘Mouse Ball’ that celebrates the first day of winter.  

The filmmakers will participate in the interactive exchange on Flip.

FEBRUARY: Wallay by Berni Goldblat, PG, 1h24, Burkina Faso-France
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of February 9-12, 2024**

Age 13 & up
Themes : Africa, Burkina Faso, initiation, traditions, customs, identity, traveling, coming of age
In French and Dioula with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

Thirteen-year-old Ady no longer listens to his father, who is raising Ady on his own in France. Running out of resources, Ady’s father decides to entrust Ady to his Uncle Amadou for the summer. Amadou and his family live on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, in Burkina Faso. Things are quite different there, however, as boys of Ady’s age are expected to already become men. Ady must learn these lessons as he comes to understand the world a little differently during this life-changing holiday. 

MARCH: Pil (Pil’s Adventures) by Julien Fournet, PG, 1h29, France
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of March 15-18, 2024**

Age 7 & up
Themes : Middle Ages, strong heroine, acceptance of difference, solidarity, adventure, magic
In French with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

Pil is a young orphan living in the medieval city of Misty Rock. One day, Tristain, the cruel regent curses Roland, heir of the thrones and changes him into a “chickat” (half chicken, half cat). To save Roland and the kingdom, Pil embarks in a quest for the antidote. Graubart, a clumsy guard with a
good heart, Chuckly, a young loony jester, and her three teamed weasels come along. From the Cursed Forest to the Were-unicorn’s lair, Pil and her unlikely companions will live the greatest adventure. And find the family they never had.

Presented in partnership with Occitanie Films. The filmmaker will participate in the interactive exchange on Flip.

APRIL: Thomas Pesquet, l’envoyé spatial by Jürgen Hansen and Pierre-Emmanuel Le Goff, documentary, 1h00, France
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of April 12-15, 2024**

Age 10 & up
Themes: Space, astronaut, international space station, scientific research, space exploration, astronomy
In French with English subtitles

His childhood dream became a reality in November 2016 when he embarked on a six-month mission to the International Space Station. Through a series of extraordinary encounters and throughout his mission, Thomas Pesquet invites us to share in his daily life, describes his scientific experiments, and conveys the intense emotions experienced during unique moments: the launch of the Soyuz spacecraft, the arrival at the station, the awe-inspiring view of Earth from the cupola, and the exhilarating experience of his first spacewalk.

Nicolas Maubert, Space Counselor to the French Embassy and French Space Agency (CNES) Representative in the US will participate in the interactive exchange on Flip.

MAY: Les Ritournelles de la Chouette (The Owl’s Jingles) by Anaïs Sorrentino, Frits Standaert, Jérémie Mazurek, Célia Tisserant and Célia Tocco, 49 min., Belgium-France
**Movie available to watch online: weekend of May 10-13, 2024**

Age 4 & up
Themes: Tales and songs, nursery rhymes, modesty and simplicity, wisdom, adventure, living together
In French with English subtitles
Watch the trailer

The Cinema Owl has brought together five of her favourite stories featuring a number of new characters: The little ant and all her friends, the prankster snail, the wise tortoise made of gold, the humble stonemason and Basil the naive young man. All of them teach us humility and modesty by showing that those who claim to be the strongest and cleverest do not always win. The Owl’s Jingles is an amusing series of simple lessons in how to live together harmoniously. These short films use the technique of repetition, like the refrains of our favourite nursery rhymes, to convey a clear message.

Presented in partnership with Wallonie-Bruxelles International aux Etats-Unis.