CICFF37 will be presented virtually November 13-22, 2020. To browse the Virtual Festival Catalog and purchase tickets and passes click  here. 

Film provides a window into a parallel world where viewers can live vicariously through characters. Sometimes these stories are joyous or humorous, and at other times they teach difficult lessons. When the viewer exits this world of film and returns to their own, they carry knowledge and opinions. They can be enlightened, learn new perspectives, history and customs. 

This past year, millions were confined to their homes due to COVID-19. As borders shut down, wanderlust sat at an all-time high for many people. However, being quarantined does not have to hinder someone from experiencing the world. 

International film can bring the world to the viewer and provide a window to experience culture and creativity from every corner of the globe. This year, the official selection of FACETS 37th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF37) has 262 films from 52 countries, with 20 features and 242 short films. 

CICFF37 film programs allow families to engage with subjects ranging from international perspectives including climate change, LGBTQ+, isolation, tolerance, immigration and more. Virtually, through one’s computer and in the safety of our homes, we can travel the globe. 

Our Lady of the Nile, 2019 

Film isn’t just telling the main characters’ story. It also gives the viewer a sample of what is going through the filmmaker’s mind. It is their interpretation of their world, whether it is through animations, actors, or documentary. When watching a film, you sample the elements that influence that creator’s life. Our Lady of the Nile, directed by Atiq Rahami, presents a sample of Rwandan life to a young viewer from the United States via the relatable story of teenage girls living in dorms, preparing for graduation in 1973. Through this shared experience, they can study a deeper and more sensitive part of Rwanda’s history of the Hutus and Tutsi.  

Through relating to characters’ dreams and concerns, we also share their terror and the dire decisions they must make. Other films, such as Veins of the World, directed by Byambasuren Davaa, can educate viewers on the culture, traditions, community and environment of a nation. In this film, we experience nomadic Mongolia through the story of a nomadic herder’s son who dreams of being a singer.  

Valhalla, 2019 

Modern film can also give old fables a modern spin. Viewers are exposed to Nordic culture in the film Valhalla, when they embark on a journey with Viking children, Røskva and Tjalfe, as they attempt to save the world from the dreaded Fenrir Wolf and the Nordic gods’ sworn nemesis, the Jotnar.  

FACETS Chicago International Children’s’ Film Festival is one of only two Oscar qualifying children’s festivals in the world. Over the past 36 years, CICFF has brought people side by side into the dark warm labyrinths of Chicago theaters, such as the Music Box and Davis Theater, to introduce them to international creativity. In their global endeavor, children’s and adults’ opinions hold equal ground when judging the content that is consumed. At CICFF37, viewers will not be able to sample creative works from the comforting familiarity of the theater. Despite global setbacks, the festival endures, premiering virtually for the first time ever.  

Through the films displayed at CICFF37, filmmakers guide viewers through an interpretation of their world and experiences. Through observing characters, we learn to better understand one another. We can address the issues our societies grapple with. In Amani’s Veil, we can observe how a young foreigner adjusts to Brazilian culture, making friends and staying true to one’s own customs. This allows the viewers a chance to look at the topic of immigration from a new perspective. 

The Peppercorns and the Treasure of the Deep Sea, 2020 

In The Peppercorns and the Treasure of the Deep Sea, we join five teens traveling the Baltic Coast and Northern Ireland to rescue a missing oceanographer trying to rid the world of plastic waste. Other films such as Bertha and the Wolfram, can provide hope and motivation for those struggling with a disability. The story of a 13-year-old Belgian girl who, despite losing her vision, works with a renowned painter to create visual masterpieces, can provide inspiration for those all over. 

While it remains unsafe to physically travel the world in 2020, we must not forget that we live in a world among billions of people. Film can help us relate to those we cannot interact with in person at this time. It helps us see each other not just as representatives of the nation’s we reside in, but as people all making the best of their given circumstances. Despite limited exposure to others now, international film allows us to still continue to grow as humans and further understand one another. 

Explore these and even more of the best films for kids and teens from almost every corner of the world at FACETS 37th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival. 

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.