Vilma, the festival's mascot
Now in its 28.th year, it has changed its name – from the original Oulu Children’s Film Festival – to highlight the movies on offer aimed at teenagers.
Fifteen movies aimed at kids from ages three up to thirteen are competing for a number of prizes. Voted for by international professional movie experts, the CIFEJ prize is awarded for overall best movie. The jury includes British director Harvey Cokeliss who has made award-winning films for the BBC.
Sponsored by Kaleva, a 3000 euro prize is decided on by a jury of children themselves and awarded to the director of their ‘best movie’ choice. The ‘Little Bear’ prize is given to the best Finnish film and, finally, the Evangelical Lutheran Church also funds an award of 1500 euros for the movie which best promotes ‘social responsibility.’
For the first time in its history, the festival is scheduled to include a 3D movie. ‘Call of the Wild – 3D’ is an adaptation of the famous Jack London novella about a wild dog. It takes place in Montana in the adaptation.
There are also many movies on offer not competing for the prizes. To highlight its appeal to teenagers, the festival also includes a special ‘Growing Pains’ section where a number of movies look at the problems associated with coming of age. The films, ‘discuss rough, sensitive, and even things considered taboo to teenagers and adults,’ claim the festival organisers. ‘The films tell us about youth, its joys and its sorrows; sometimes even in a shocking way. Nobody is left untouched by them.’
The so-called ‘Kaleidoscope’ section is a showcase for movies from around the world and includes the Japanese film ‘In the Attic – Who has a birthday today’. ‘In the attic there exists a world of old toys, a home for a cat and other stuff. The fight between good and evil begins when the real little girl who lives in the house moves the old doll Buttercup. In the toy world everything goes upside down when Buttercup gets lost and is kidnapped to the land of evil.’
Also on show is the British film ‘An Angel for May.’ Directed by festival judge Cokelis, the 2002 film revolves around ‘Tom’ who is unhappy with school, his parents' divorce and his mum's new boyfriend. One day, at the ruins of a farmhouse on the nearby moors, Tom comes across a sheepdog called Tess who takes him magically to World War II era. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Melvin Burgess, who is famous for his gritty portrayals of young life.
Screenings of movies are specially arranged in the mornings for school-children and in the afternoon and evening for everybody else. Movies are shown at the weekend throughout the day.
Details of all of the screenings can be found here: http://www.oulunelokuvakeskus.fi/lef/media/esipuhe
