They will screen eighty films from twenty-seven different countries for ages 3-18. Screenings start daily at 9:45 in the morning and continue until the early afternoon. On the weekends screenings continue into the evening.
Tomorrow's opening screening is Severn, the Voice of our Children by Jean-Paul Jaud. This is followed by Big, Most Valuable Players, Future Frames, Louder Than a Bomb, Generation Gap, Circus Dreams and Soul Boy.
The festival runs daily until Sunday, April 17. All films play at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Reitman Square, 350 King Street West.
http://tiff.net/sprockets/
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List of films for the 2011 Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children and Youth
Adventures of Owen
David Cadiz
CanadaYoung Owen escapes a pestering sister, demanding mother, deadly games of gym class dodgeball and the pain of an unrequited crush by entering the fantastic animated world of Spaceman X, an intrepid galactic traveller whose adventu...
African Cats
Keith Scholey
USAAgainst the untamed backdrop of the African savanna, Disneynature brings us this heart-warming documentary which follows the adventures of two clans of lions and cheetahs.
Big
Maartje Bakers
The Netherlands“Eating is actually a drug,” reveals fifteen-year-old Frederieke in this eye-opening and heart-warming documentary about two teens forced to confront their weight issues.
Big Drive
Anita Lebeau
CanadaIn the back seat of the family car rolling across the wide-open prairies on long Sunday drive, three sisters’ daydreams come to life in this lively animated short.
Blue Elephant
Sung-chi Lo
TaiwanA little girl’s imagination brings her on stage to join her mother in the colourful pageantry of a traditional Chinese theatre performance.
Bon Voyage
Pablo Ochoa
FrancePaul et Charles, deux adolescents amis depuis longtemps, doivent se dire au revoir puisque Paul déménage à Montréal. Un secret ayant été en arrière plan depuis des années remonte enfin à la surface, ce qui pousse Paul et Charles ...
Born Sweet
Cynthia Wade
U.S.A./CambodiaFifteen-year-old Vinh lives in a small village in rural Cambodia, and wants to be a karaoke star. But Vinh is living with mercury poisoning, contracted from the well in his village, and even though that means he's often very ill ...
A Cat in Paris
Jean-Loup Felicioli
FranceDino the cat may not have nine lives, but he has at least two. During the day he lives with his young owner Zoé and her mother Jeanne, and at night, Dino joins up with Nico, a daring burglar with a surprisingly big heart.
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
Steve Nielson
CanadaReel Rascals is delighted to present everyone’s favourite hat-wearing cat, who sure knows a lot about this and that!
Chandani -The Daughter of the Elephant Whisperer
Arne Birkenstock
Germany/Sri LankaThe profession of mahout (elephant whisperer) in Sri Lanka has traditionally been an exclusively male one, so when young Chandani becomes determined to follow in her father’s footsteps and learn the secrets of the trade, she has ...
Chow Down
Matthias Daenschel
GermanyA silly, stop-motion celebration of culinary culture, bursting with flavour and musical energy.
Chubbie and Cheesy - A Very Special Umbrella
Frederico Pinto
BrazilThe casserole-loving puppy Chubbie and his friend Cheesy the cat embark on a magical umbrella ride to a farmhouse in the country, where rumour has it that dogs get casserole for dinner every day.
Circus Dreams
Signe Taylor
USAJoin the young performers of Circus Smirkus, a travelling circus group, as they perfect their talent while learning the ins-and-outs of circus life.
The Crocodiles Strike Back
Christian Ditter
GermanyIn this action-packed sequel to the Sprockets 2010 Audience Award winner The Crocodiles, our favourite gang of pint-sized detectives uncover a plot involving a local factory threatened with a mysterious closure.
A Cut Above
Alessandro Piedimonte
CanadaGentle barber Mario Grazia finds himself on a surprise trip down memory lane in this lovingly crafted tribute to life, love and loss.
Don't Go
Turgut Akacik
TurkeyA pouncing cat pursues its imaginary disco-dancing friend in this lively and original music video.
Drowning of a Legend
Mirek Hamet
CanadaDrowning of a Legend tells the charming yet haunting tale of Mathieu, an eccentric piano virtuoso who pays a memorable visit to a small farming community in the French Canadian Laurentians.
Eggcellent
Martin Sokol
CanadaOne hen’s hopes for a routine day get scrambled when the ever-increasing pressure to produce puts the squeeze on her and the other inhabitants of this dystopian egg farm.
The Fantastic 3
Esben Tønnesen
DenmarkNine-year-old Casper tells the story of his dad, who holds a monotonous office job by day but moonlights as the super hero Spejdermand, who, with his super friends Handymand and Scoremand, guards the citizens of Copenhagen agains...
Finding Kind
Lauren Parsekian
USALauren and Molly Stroud, both victims of bullying by their peers, undertake a trip across the US with their mothers, interviewing hundreds of females young and old who offer profound insights into how bullying can not only damage...
Fishing with Sam
Atle S. Blakseth
NorwayHow can Sam the polar bear catch enough fish when the pesky penguins keep scooping them up for themselves?
Flowerpots
Rafael Sommerhalder
UK/SwitzerlandA peculiar man gets a chance to move up in the world when a crack in the foundation leaves him uprooted.
Flying Anne
Catherine van Campen
The NetherlandsAnne is like any other eleven-year-old: she rides her bike, likes her trampoline, hangs out with her friends. But living with Tourette’s syndrome means she sometimes acts in ways that are difficult to control. Anne doesn’t want t...
Fuchsia, the Mini-Witch
Johan Nijenhuis
The NetherlandsFrom Disney Netherlands comes a diminutive young witch named Fuchsia, who is hatched from a tiny egg discovered by the wizard Quark. When the Witches’ Wood is threatened, Fuchsia and her fellow witches must stand side by side to ...
Future Frames
Canada
Let the country’s top student filmmakers inspire your class to pursue their artistic ambitions!
Future Games
Canada
Future Games presents a selection of the country’s most challenging and innovative video games made by post-secondary students.
Generation Gap
Canada
This eclectic programme of shorts showcase the works of emerging filmmakers from across the nation.
Green Crayons
Kazik Radwanski
CanadaDirector Kazik Radwanski narrows his lens on Xavier and Liam, two second-grade boys who are moulded by their actions and moralistic educators.
The Gruffalo
Jakob Schuh
UKBased on Julia Donaldson’s best-selling children’s book and featuring a star-studded cast including Rob Brydon, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, John Hurt and Tom Wilkinson, this Academy Award®-nominated animated short tell...
The Happets: In the Kingdom of the Sun
Alex Colls
SpainIn this feature-length 3-D film adapted from the joyful computer-animated television series, Moo Moo the cow meets a herd of performing sheep and decides to hit the road to the Kingdom of the Sun in hopes of becoming a star!
The Henhouse
Elena Pomares
UKSeeking shelter from the rain (and with an eye on a plate of delicious-looking muffins), a lonely fox ducks into a lively Parisian café, where he learns the ins-and-outs of the shop while trying to adapt to life in the big city.
Here Comes Lola
Franziska Buch
GermanyIn this sweet, award-winning feature, nine-year-old Lola seemingly has it all—in her dreams, at least. In her fantasy world, she leads a fabulous lifestyle as pop star Jacky Jones, who rides in stretch limos and plays concerts fo...
High School Programme
The High School Programme includes twelve feature films, three shorts programmes and one gaming programme for grades 9-12, touching on themes ranging from the delight of school musicals (Most Valuable Players), to obesity (Big) a...
Hululu Honglonglong Hualala
Ray Lei
ChinaIn a playfully abstract dream-within-a-dream world, an imaginative child rescues the people of his village from a giant flood.
I'm Never Afraid
Willem Baptist
The NetherlandsMack is an adventuresome eight-year-old with a need for speed: he won his first motorcross race at age three, and his room is now filled with trophies. But the obstacles he faces on the track are nothing compared to what he’s alr...
Jitters
Baldvin Z
IcelandA refreshingly realistic take on teenage life, Jitters follows Icelandic teenager Gabriel on a trip to England, where he has a life-changing encounter with the rebellious and freethinking Marcus.
Jump Cuts Young Filmmakers Showcase: Grades 10-12
Canada
Jump Cuts presents short films created for young people by young people. This exciting event gathers the best work by Ontario youth in grades 3 through 12, highlighting their creativity, originality and unique vision.
Jump Cuts Young Filmmakers Showcase: Grades 3-6
Canada
Jump Cuts presents short films created for young people by young people. This exciting event gathers the best work by Ontario youth in grades 3 through 12, highlighting their creativity, originality and unique vision.
Jungle Beat: "Because You're Gorgeous", "If at First You Don't Succeed", "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"
Brent Dawes
South AfricaHilarity ensues in the wilds of Africa, where treacherous terrain and clumsy antics make for epically comic thrills and spills.
Junko’s Shamisen
Sol Friedman
CanadaFusing Manga illustration, kabuki design and computer animation, this super-stylized samurai tale follows young Junko as she leaves her rural village in search of a better life. Accompanied by a mystical fox, she encounters an ev...
Karla and Jonas
Charlotte Sachs Bostrup
DenmarkThe third in a trilogy of films based on a book series by Renée Toft Simonsen, Karla and Jonas offers an original twist on the coming-of-age story.
Katie Loves the Kittens
John Himmelman
USAKatie the dog loves the newborn kittens so much that she can barely contain her happy howls of excitement.
Kerity, la maison des contes
Dominique Monféry
FranceDans l’ancienne maison Kérity se trouve une collection d’éditions originales contenant un merveilleux secret: à tombée de la nuit les personages de ces fameux contes sortent des livres. Natanaël, un petit garçon de sept ans pas e...
Let There Be Sound
Christian Lachenschmidt
GermanyPrepare to be grossed out by this cosmically comic story of a musical and gas-tastic space creature.
The Letters
Jung-Sun Song
CanadaWith graduation on the horizon, teenaged April reveals her dreams and uncertainties about life after high school in a letter to her childhood friend in South Korea. Based on personal experience, Jung-Sun Song’s dramatic short fil...
Life, Above All
Oliver Schmitz
South Africa/GermanyAfter the death of her newborn sister, 12 year-old Chanda learns of a rumour that spreads like wildfire through her small, dust-ridden village near Johannesburg. When it destroys her family and forces her mother to flee. Chandra ...
Light of the River
Tetsuo Hirakawa
JapanWhen their riverbank home is destroyed by a construction project, a family of rats is forced to flee to the city, where they must learn to navigate unfamiliar territory, make new friends and ward off dangers as they search for a ...
Living History
Isaac Cravit
CanadaFor teenaged Thomas, spending “quality time” with his dad has a very special meaning: dressing up in period costume to take part in the annual reenactment of the Upper Canada Rebellion.
Log Jam: "Moon", "Snake", "Beaver", "Flies", "Log", "Rain"
Alexei Alexeev
HungaryJoin us for a day in the life of three dedicated woodland musicians who always find time for band practice come rain or shine.
Loot Bag: On the Move!
Our first Loot Bag programme, intended for audiences seven to ten, takes you on an international adventure from the wilds of Africa in Jungle Beat to Chubbie and Cheesy’s trip into the Brazilian countryside to the magical woodlan...
Loot Bag: Strange Places, Funny Faces
In this collection of animated short films for audiences ages nine to twelve, you can join the groovy gang of Log Jam for a woodland band practice, rap along to food-themed rhymes in Chow Down, and lose yourself on a journey into...
Lost for Words
Sean Wainsteim
CanadaWild creatures and mysterious words greet a young boy who has found himself lost in a bizarre world.
Lost Places
Toni Zhang
CanadaTravelling alone by train to a strange and faraway town, a young girl struggles to negotiate the eerily unreal landscape that greets her.
The Lost Thing
Andrew Ruhemann
AustraliaIn this Academy Award®-winning animated short, a boy discovers a bizarre-looking creature on the beach.
Louder Than a Bomb
Greg Jacobs
USAThis affecting and energetic documentary follows five teams of teenaged students as they prepare for the annual slam poetry competition in Chicago.
M’Ouvrir
Albéric Aurtenèche
CanadaGabrielle a seize ans. Incomprise, elle camoufle ses émotions et cherche une échappatoire en se mutilant. C’est à l’hôpital qu’elle rencontre Étienne, un jeune homme ayant survécu un accident. Un film honnête, cru et solide dans ...
The Magicians
Joram Lürsen
The NetherlandsBen Stikker and his father share the same dream – to become great magicians like Hans Smid. But when Ben's friend and the group's assistant Sylvie disappears during a new trick, Ben realizes it's up to him to save Sylvie and his ...
Mary Poppins
Robert Stevenson
USAThis year’s Sprockets sees the launch of our new year-round weekend matinee series Family Classics at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Our debut programme features six favourites from the Disney vaults, beginning with the beloved musical fant...
Melvin
Magnus Holmgren
SwedenStubborn and cranky on his 150th birthday, Melvin the turtle gets a surprise life lesson from his unlikely friend Pucko the mayfly.
Modra
Ingrid Veninger
CanadaThis deeply affecting coming-of-age tale follows teenagers Lina and her travel companion Leco as they set out to visit Lina’s extended family in Slovakia.
Most Valuable Players
Matthew Kallis
USAThis inspiring and toe-taping documentary follows talented young theatre students as they prepare for the televised Freddy Awards, considered the Super Bowl of high school musical theatre.
Mumuhug - "Twinkling Tupows"
Vance Yang
TaiwanSweet and gentle, island-dwelling Mumuhug’s love of hugs earns him some twinkling new friends who arrive with the night tide.
My Cardboard Dad
Siri Rutlin
NorwaySeven-year-old Nils has a dad made out of cardboard—a life-size cut-out of Superman. When his mother introduces her new boyfriend Glenn to Nils, the struggle between his “super” dad and Glenn begins.
My Superhero
PV Lehtinen
FinlandWhen seven-year-old country boy Oskari travels to the city with his mother, he gets the chance to meet his favourite superhero -- however, this longed-for meeting is not quite as Oskari had imagined it, and he is soon faced with ...
My Superhero
Jim Hansen
NorwaySix-year-old Bent can’t wait for his father’s return from a business trip, but when his mother begins to act suspiciously he suspects that his father may not be returning home at all.
Nothing Can Stop Us (Shorts Programme)
This programme of short documentaries focuses on the daily struggles of children who brave physical and mental challenges and live their dreams against all odds.
O.
Jonny Østrem
CanadaIn an elegant blend of artistic vision and technical discipline, minimalist dreamscapes pulse hypnotically with crystalline precision in this experimental computer animation.
Out For The Long Run
Scott Bloom
USAThis timely documentary investigates the charged issue of homophobia in high school and college sports.
Pecker
Erik van Shaaik
The NetherlandsPeck peck peck! A wild ox learns that there’s a good reason behind the annoying habits of his winged companion.
Pierre and the Spinach Dragon
Helene Tragesser
GermanyDaring Pierre bravely battles his most dreaded dinner-time opponent: gross and slimy spinach!
Pigeon Pilfer
Michael Stevenson
USAIt’s a beautiful day on the boardwalk to enjoy eating a corndog, but just one may not be enough!
Pinball Number 12 Reanimated
Abbey Luck
USAAn energetic, stop-motion homage to Sesame Street’s timeless Pinball Number Count series, bursting with the disco-inspired vibrancy of everyone’s favourite song, Pinball Number 12.
The Plant
Jennifer Oxley
USAA bright young girl with a sunny disposition finds a creative solution for getting her kite down from a tree.
Play Ball
Jennifer Oxley
USAWhen her ball lands in the water, a girl and a friendly long-necked giraffe devise ways to extend their reach.
Private Eyes
Nicola Lemay
CanadaAdapted from the French children’s book Les yeux noirs by Gilles Tibo, this 3-D animated film follows a young blind boy as he eagerly uses his hands, feet, ears, nose and tongue to figure out what his parents got him for his birt...
Push Past: Rob Dyer's Skate Across Canada
Rob Coxford
CanadaAn uplifting documentary about Rob Dyer’s epic skateboarding voyage across Canada in an effort to raise awareness about cancer research through his movement Skate4Cancer.
Racing Dreams
Marshall Curry
USAA riveting documentary filled with high-speed drama from Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Marshall Curry, Racing Dreams follows three young drivers as they compete in the World Karting Association’s National Pavement Series.
Rafiki
Christian Lo
NorwayWhen young Naisha runs away from the refugee centre where she lives with her family, her best friends Julie and Mette determine to find a way to help her and her family stay in Norway—even if they have to go to parliament to do i...
Reel Rascals: Animal Animania!
Join the Cat In the Hat, MumuHug, the Sandpixies and a menagerie of other friendly creatures for a fun-filled hour of imagination, exploration and animal adventures.
Reel Rascals: Features
This charming programme of features and shorts have been carefully chosen for our youngest audience.
ReGeneration
Phillip Montgomery
USANarrated by Academy Award® nominee Ryan Gosling, ReGENERATION explores the cynicism of today’s youth culture, and how the inescapable pervasiveness of entertainment and information media help to perpetuate an apathetic approach t...
Rita and Whatsit: "Going to School"
Jun Takagi
JapanRita’s canine companion Whatsit doesn’t feel like napping the school-day away, which leads them both on some unexpected extracurricular activities.
The Sandpixies: "Hoppeldihopp"
Ralf Kukula
GermanyWhen the sun goes down over the beach, the magical Sandpixies come out to play, digging up mischief and having buckets of fun!
The Secret Letter
Simone van Dusseldorp
The NetherlandsWhen eleven-year-old Eva runs away from her quarrelling parents and hides out with her best friends Jackie and Thomas, she discovers a secret letter that reveals her neighbour to be the mastermind of a gang of crooks. Eva and her...
Sergeant Pepper
Sandra Nettelbeck
GermanyAfter being left a large inheritance from his late master, Sergeant Pepper is one posh pooch. However, his master’s nasty, estranged children are willing to do anything it takes to get their hands on their father’s fortune. When ...
Severn, the Voice of our Children
Jean-Paul Jaud
FranceAt only twelve years old, Severn Suzuki was already speaking out about taking action against environmental change. Now, nearly twenty years later, Suzuki reflects on the state of the environment and the kind of planet her child w...
Sisters
Stephane Kaas
The NetherlandsThe special bond between sisters is beautifully captured in this short documentary about Debbie and her little sister Tamara, who is diagnosed with ADHD and ODD. Through Debbie’s eyes, we see the lovable little girl beneath Tamar...
Six Dollar Fifty Man
Mark Albiston
New ZealandAndy is a gutsy eight-year-old boy who lives in an imaginary superhero world where he can perform extraordinary physical feats to deal with playground bullies. But when Andy gets in trouble with the headmaster, he realizes he mus...
Snowflakes And Carrots
Samantha Leriche-Gionet
CanadaA seemingly sweet young girl reveals her true colours when she embarks on a neighbourhood-wide, carrot-stealing crime spree.
Snowmen
Robert Kirbyson
USATen-year old Billy Kirkfield, determined to leave his mark on the world, teams up with his friends to set a world record.
Sonar
Renaud Hallée
CanadaA brilliant blend of sound and vision from Canadian filmmaker Renaud Hallée.
Soul Boy
Hawa Essuman
Kenya/GermanyWhen his father is cursed with delirium after gambling his soul away, fourteen-year-old Abila and his friend Shiku set out to find the witch who holds his father’s fate in her hands.
The Sound of Mumbai: A Musical
Sarah McCarthy
United Kingdom/IndiaFor one emotional night, a group of children living in a slum in Mumbai, India, get a chance to experience a different world as they perform The Sound of Music with a classical orchestra, fostering hopes that it could change thei...
The Strongest Man in Holland
Mark de Cloe
The NetherlandsRaised by his mother, Luuk has grown up hearing stories about the father he has never met, reputed to be “the strongest man in the world.” At his new school, Luuk fears being teased for being smaller than his classmates but finds...
Sunshine Kathy - "The Princess"
Tom Petter Hansen
NorwayKathy teaches us an important lesson in sharing by making sacrifices for her friends during the princess costume competition.
A Thousand Times Stronger
Peter Schildt
SwedenBoys have always dominated Signe’s school and Signe has come to accept that this is just the way it is; that is until new girl Saga arrives all this begins to change...
Tiger
Janis Cimermanis
LatviaWhen a circus tiger and her cub make an unexpected stop in a small village, thecompassionate, animal-loving locals craft a cunning plan to help them escape to a better life.
Tiger-Team
Peter Gersina
GermanyIn this smart action-adventure film, young Viennese detectives Bigi, Luk and Patrick discover a mysterious key, one of three that will open the doors of the Moonlight Palace in the Mountain of 1,000 Dragons.
Two Princesses
Maria Stepanova
Russian FederationTwo courageous and resourceful sisters work to outwit a wicked witch in this fairy-tale adventure.
Vivid Imaginations
Brimming with imagination and mystery, the shorts in this programme takes us high in the sky and down into the depths of a wooded wonderland.
Wapawekka
Danis Goulet
CanadaAs Josh and his father bid farewell to their family cabin nestled among sacred sites in Northern Saskatchewan, he discovers a connection between himself and his ancestors and decides how he will leave his own mark on history.
We Can Be Heroes (Shorts Programme)
This collection of super-shorts proves that heroes don't always wear capes.
The Yellow Balloon
Ben Thompson
USAThis uplifting short about a girl, her balloon and a ride on the subway cleverly illustrates how anything can happen in a New York minute.
Have heard really good things about Snowmen, can't wait to take the kids!
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