CICFF37 will be presented virtually November 13-22, 2020. To save 10% on your festival tickets and passes,  pre-order  them within our Early Bird discount window, ending October 30. 

Do your earliest memories include watching classic children’s films with your parents and siblings? Perhaps it was going out to the movies as a family, or huddling around the TV in your living room that first led you to your love of film. For many of us, cinema has been a social tool throughout our lives.  

Film reinforces social bonds and affirms mutual interests. Whether it’s a film’s genre, awards buzz, or star-studded cast that starts the conversation, the love of cinema shared between new friends continues on over years and even decades. However, when COVID-19 reached pandemic status in early 2020, soon followed by social distancing guidelines, these communal bonding moments seemed like relics from another time. During a pandemic, it is challenging to find ways to enjoy the company of peers and loved ones while preserving safety when consuming the films we love. 

Viewing a film can be a valuable bonding moment for families, and provides conversation starters and lessons. What kids watch and how they are taking it in matters. Visual media has proven to be beneficial in passing down ethics and morals in the modern era. Films allow children and teens to reflect on society, adversity, and the overall balance of right versus wrong. As many grow up, they will carry the lessons they learned through film with them. 

Credit: Photo by Everett Collection / Rex Features ( 620889c ) Mary Poppins, Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews – 1964 

Friends, family and community have always been vital for people making their way through the most difficult of circumstances. During WWII people turned to cinema to lift spirits. Films such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat and Frank Capra’s Why We Fight provided clarity to civilian populations. When the war came to a close, the Cold War followed and a new genre of film interpreting the paranoia of the time arose. With the fears of nuclear Armageddon and new divides in society setting in, comedies and musicals like Mary Poppins provided some ease into common life. Action classics, such as the James Bond series or endless John Wayne westerns provided either a light spin off of current events or offered people an escape alongside their fellow viewers. Television entering the home brought families together through Gunsmoke and Bananza. Scattered in between news of Vietnam and the space race, shows like The Twilight Zone gave families a dark, dystopian interpretation of events happening at home and abroad. Meanwhile, both alternative and mainstream films such as Easy Rider and Taxi Driver provided social realism, grappling with issues across the nation.  

Today we see film actively exploring new ways to approach many of the concerns of modern times. This year at FACETS   37th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF), accessible virtual screenings help teach youth about international topics and how to work together towards solutions. Films such as 2040, directed by Damon Gamau, and The Peppercorns and the Treasure of the Deep Sea, directed by Christian Theede, find new creative ways to engage youth in conversation about climate change. Other films at the festival, like the short film program Postcards to Myself, may help younger viewers reflect on how to address mental health and self-care in a time where isolation is inescapable.  

Overcoming obstacles through peers and community is a theme emphasized in many shorts at this year’s festival. It can be easy for one to feel like they are struggling through current situations alone. Identification Station, a collection of short films which focus on managing one’s circumstances, shows young viewers how to address self-isolation, anxiety, daily stress, and identity. These films depict many concerns of young people today in their subject matter. One film addresses coming of age while living in a converted hotel for refugees during ceaseless uncertainty. Another story follows a boy who is chased by shadows when he finds solace in his classmates facing the same stress. Both are relatable in a time when quarantine and uncertainty hang over daily life for youth. 

The Butterfly Affect (2019) 

During these challenging times, when so much is uncertain, film has adapted to allow people to escape or process the circumstances unfolding around them. Along with FACETS own Lincoln Yard’s Drive-In, many film institutions from coast to coast have revived drive-in cinema. This has allowed people to escape the solitude of their homes and give artists the chance to still present their creative endeavors. Additionally, the 37th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF) will be completely virtual, allowing kids and teens to still explore the creativity from around the world in the safety of their homes along with loved ones and family.  

As 2020 draws to a close, an epidemic of partisanship and now an actual pandemic, have left people divided. International film is more important than ever to remind us that no matter our views, we are all living on this planet together. During trying times, film festivals can be a way to remind adults of what truly matters—friends and family—while setting an example for the children coming of age now that they will carry on through the rest of their lives.  

FACETS CICFF37  will be presented fully online from November 13-22, 2020. To pre-order your tickets and passes, browse the Virtual Film Festival Catalog and learn more click here. 

For help with the booking process or any questions, contact our customer service team via email help@facets.org or by phone 773-281-9075. 

Max Harris-D’Amato is the Editorial Assistant Intern at FACETS. He received a B.A. in multimedia journalism from Columbia College Chicago. In addition to both short and long form writing, he has also directed a documentary, Surfing the Rust Belt, which he personally pitched, shot video, edited and conducted the interviews for. In addition to his work with FACETS, he currently works for United Way supporting immigrants settling into school throughout the North Shore of the Boston Area.