Shorts Programme: Who I Am
Four teenagers from diverse backgrounds discuss their identity in this compelling collection of documentaries. Age recommendation 14+
Jamila [Ingeborg Jansen, the Netherlands, Dutch with English subtitles] Sixteen-year-old Jamila is a talented soccer player and a proud Muslim who candidly discusses the challenges she faces from her teammates about her religion and from her family for being a female athlete.
How Hormones Changed My Life [Wilma Ligthart, the Netherlands, Dutch and Hindi with English subtitles] Fourteen-year-old Tanvi has begun noticing boys, leading her to wonder if in keeping with her family's cultural tradition, her marriage will be arranged.
Porajmos [Erik Fusco, the Netherlands, Dutch with English subtitles] Sixteen-year-old Maria's ambivalence about her Roma heritage changes when a memorial trip to Auschwitz deepens her understanding and connection to her culture.
Danny's Parade [Anneke de Lind van Wijngaarden, the Netherlands, Dutch with English subtitles] Fourteen-year-old Danny decides to organize a float for gay and lesbian youth in Amsterdam's pride parade.
Shorts Programme: Pacific Islander Shorts
Engaging stories about Maori and Samoan children are presented in this accomplished quartet of short films from New Zealand. Age recommendation 10+
Run [Mark Albiston, English] An adolescent girl's younger brother helps her cope with bullies and a demanding father.
Hawaikii [Mike Jonathan, English] For a young Maori girl, starting school provokes fears about whether others will accept her and her culture.
Mokopuna [Ainsley Gardiner, English] Mary is part Maori and is curious yet ambivalent about her heritage.
The Trophy [Justine Simei Barton, English] An adolescent girl's dedication to a science project involving worms leads to tension in her traditional Samoan family.
Shorts Programme: Reel Rascals Shorts
This charming collection of films, with their variety of styles, is especially programmed for Sprockets' youngest audience members. Age recommendation 3+
Cello [Tatiana Kurnaeva, Russia, No Dialogue, Animation] In this exquisite animation that resembles watercolour paintings, an insect takes a child on a magical musical journey.
Spot and Splodge in Snowstorm [Lotta Geffenblad, Uzi Geffenblad, Sweden, Swedish with English subtitles, Animation] Best friends Spot and Splodge are excited to go outside and play in the snow, but a snowstorm threatens to spoil their fun.
RosaSommer [Lale Nalpantoglu, Germany, No Dialogue] While riding around Barcelona, a young girl notices something unusual: it seems everyone she passes breaks out into a little dance!
Ruby Who? [Hailey Bartholomew, Natala Stuetz, Australia, English] Ruby wants everything she sees, but learns that to really have fun she just needs to be herself.
Maggie and Mildred [Holly Klein, USA, English, Animation] Maggie and Mildred recount all the ways they have fun playing together in this unique animation made entirely with yarn.
Giraffes Can't Dance [Bryan Cox, Maggie McGuire, USA, English, Animation] All the other animals are certain that giraffes can't dance, until the night one giraffe proves them wrong in this charming story narrated by Billy Dee Williams.
Miriam`s Colors [Jelena Girlin, Mari-Liis Bassovskaja, Estonia, No Dialogue, Animation] Miriam, her brother and their pet chicken turn a black-and-white world into a colourful one.
MuMuHug - "MuMu's Pumpkin Mask" [Vick Wang, Taiwan, No Dialogue, Animation] Join the lovable MuMuHug on his island home as he transforms a strange mask into something fun.
MuMuHug - "Line Up, Please!" [Vance Yang, Taiwan, No Dialogue, Animation] Join the lovable MuMuHug on his island home as he teaches baby seals to properly line up.
Shorts Programme: Canadian Shorts
Celebrate homegrown talent with this diverse collection of shorts films, from animation to live-action and inspiring documentary. Age recommendation 7+
Jabbawaki [Sean B. Conly, English, Animation] Jabbawaki, a monster with a fondness for frightening humans, falls in love. To prove his adoration, he embarks on a trip far into the wild, discovering magical lands and meeting mythical creatures that teach him no journey is just a destination.
Paper Tulips [Tricia Lee, English] Ellie has a crush on Jack. When her secret is revealed and Jack plays a mean joke on her, Ellie struggles to overcome her humiliation, gaining maturity in the process.
Ugly Girl [Sarah Byrne, English] In this sensitively told story, a girl who is picked on for her appearance wishes she could be as attractive as her mother.
Ha'aki [Iriz Pääbo, No Dialogue, Animation] This unique animation offers a fresh and interesting perspective on Canada's favourite sport.
Adam Avenger [Chris Trebilcock, English] To cope with his parents' separation, ten-year-old Adam has immersed himself in his superhero alter ego: Adam Avenger. When his mother, whom he'd prefer to live with, tells Adam that his father can take better care of him, Adam sets out to prove her wrong, leading him to some unexpected realizations.
Hooked [Kristin Williams, No Dialogue, Animation] A salty and irascible old fisherman finds his horizons expanded when a friendly but persistent spider comes to call. This film also screens in the Future Frames programme.
Bilaal Rajan [Lalita Krishna, English] This is an inspiring documentary on twelve-year-old Bilaal Rajan, who has been raising funds to help children in need around the world since the age of five. A youth spokesperson for UNICEF, he encourages and motivates other youth to make a difference.
Shorts Programme: Loot Bag
Loot Bag presents a collection of outstanding animated films, offers thoughtful storytelling and plenty of laughs. Age recommendation 7+
The New Species [Evalds Lacis, Latvia, No Dialogue] An insect must engineer a daring escape for a fellow insect captured by a bug collector in this fun and expertly crafted stop-motion animation.
Carrot on the Beach [Pärtel Tall, Estonia, No Dialogue] A snowman trying to outsmart a rabbit attempting to steal his carrot nose finds out that the rabbit isn't the only creature after him.
The Bunjies [Ged Haney, Andreas Hykade, Germany, English] Meet the Bunjies – four school-age rabbits ready to prove they are the future of rock 'n' roll – after they've finished their homework, of course.
New Adventures with Jack and Pedro – a Papa Pedro Papa Jack [Anna Erlandsson, Staffan Erlandsson, Sweden, Swedish with English subtitles, Animation] Best friends Jack the snake and Pedro the tortoise adopt a lost baby bird, but the rambunctious nestling soon puts their parenting skills to the test.
Chepogi [Leon Estrin, Russia, Russian with English subtitles] This beautifully hand-drawn animation tells a story based on a Korean legend about a poor man whose life is transformed through an encounter with an unusual being.
Animacat [Claude Luyet, Switzerland, No Dialogue] A cat chases a mouse throughout a diverse series of segments, each animated by a different artist, offering a fascinating look at a variety of animation styles and techniques.
Zoologic [Nicole Mitchell, USA, No Dialogue] A finicky zookeeper is taught a lesson by an unconventional penguin.
The Coyote and the Tortoise [Len Simon, USA, English] In this clever and funny twist on the tale of the tortoise and the hare, a coyote is certain he can win a race through the desert when challenged by a tortoise.
The 7 Days of the Week [David Cowles, Sean McBride, USA, English] Sing along with They Might Be Giants as they celebrate not having to go to work and extol the joys of practising trumpet every day.
Shorts Programme: Future Frames 2009
Future Frames presents outstanding short films created at post-secondary film schools across Canada. Age recommendation 15+
Hooked [Kirstin Williams, Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, No Dialogue, Animation] A salty and irascible old fisherman finds his horizons expanded when a friendly but persistent spider comes to call. This film also screens in the Canadian Shorts programme.
Fresh Eggs [Vadim Bazhanov, Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, No Dialogue, Animation] A desperate duo running on empty along a blazing desert highway must stop to refuel … but can they keep their cool when the heat rises?
A Trick of the Wind [Jae Hyun Lee, Vancouver Film School, No Dialogue, Animation] A creative young man, tuned out to all but the object of his affection, finds his life blown comically off course by the winds of fate.
My Dad Ralph [Nicholas Wong, Ryerson University, English] For single parent Ralph, a failed artist employed as a house painter, Take Your Kids to Work Day means he can no longer keep his profession a secret from his son.
The Death of the Obsolete [Nick Genova, Ontario College of Art & Design, No Dialogue] Feeling the inevitable squeeze of time passing by, a lonely accordion, mired in an existential crisis, questions its role in a society that has labelled it passé.
Broken Tulips [Brandon Cronenberg, Ryerson University, English] In the imagined but hauntingly convincing near future, a young man finds that he is not alone in his intent to inextricably intertwine his fate with that of his celebrity obsession.
Nappy Heads [Sabrina Moella, University of Toronto, No Dialogue] Infectiously cheerful, this black-and-white documentary is a rhythmic and invigorating tribute to Afro hair.
C Block [Vladimir Kooperman, Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, No Dialogue, Animation] A courageous canine is desperately determined not to lose his beloved chew toy in heart-wrenchingly bleak and unforgiving nuclear future.
The Nature of Battle [Nat Dart, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, No Dialogue, Animation] Cargo planes with a deadly looking payload loom threateningly on the horizon of an already-devastated wasteland.
The
Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children offers children and youth the opportunity to learn about film and cultural perspectives from around the globe. Through the power of film, Sprockets is helping to transform the way children and youth see the world. The 12th annual Sprockets runs from
April 18 to 24, 2009, for ages three and up, and includes a week-long School Programme for students in grades 1 to 12. The School Programme is designed with curriculum links and support material for educators. For more information, visit the official Sprockets website at
sprockets.ca.
Sprockets is generously supported by