The 40th annual Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), which runs from May 15 to June 8, is the largest film festival in the United States showing over 250 features and 150 short films from over 70 countries. With so much to choose from and such a broad variety of films there is always something good to discover. SIFF provides a program of films specifically for families and younger moviegoers but don’t stop there. If you dig deeper into the festival calendar you will find excellent movies that will appeal to kids from six to sixteen. I have compiled a list of movies I think are appropriate for families and highlighted my Top Ten picks arranged by age recommendation youngest to oldest.
Ages 5 and up
This is a collection of animated, live action, and documentary short films that is appropriate for even the youngest moviegoers. But don’t think it’s just for kids, these films are a delight for any age. With run times that average between three and ten minutes it’s a roller coaster ride through a variety of subjects. I’m particularly curious to see The Numberlys.
Ages 6 and up
A French animated adventure (in English) about a stray cat who befriends an old magician and helps him to save his house. It may not be as technically sophisticated as How to Train Your Dragon but it has charm and heart and kids will love the animals, automatons, and gadgets that play supporting roles.
Ages 6 and up (includes scenes of animals hunting and killing prey)
This documentary focuses on a family of brown bears (including some ridiculously cute cubs) on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The filmmakers have gone to great lengths to get beautiful and interesting shots of the bears as they travel around the Russian countryside looking for food, playing, and illustrating the details of bear society. Bears are cool, and this movie makes them look fun and fascinating.
Beyond Beauty: Taiwan From Above
Ages 6 and up
When I first came across this documentary I wasn’t sure how you could tell a story with 90 minutes of nothing but aerial photography but this movie is a mind-blowing spectacle that has to be seen on the big screen. The spectacular shots of natural beauty are balanced by the devastating realities of environmental damage caused by human development. It’s a powerful story told effectively with images that are hard to argue with.
Ages 8 and up
Hip-hop and breakdancing emerged from the Bronx to become a worldwide phenomenon and this inspirational documentary examines how the music and dance can act as a force for social change in the poorest urban neighborhoods of Colombia, Yemen, Uganda, and Cambodia. Whether or not you like hip-hop you should make an effort to see this film for the compelling mix of cultures and the spectacular athleticism of the dance.
Ages 8 and up
This adaptation of the popular Spanish comic ZIPI Y ZAPE is an amusing adventure mystery full of puzzles, pranks, and pirate treasure. If you’ve been in Harry Potter withdrawal, or your VHS copy of the Goonies is wearing thin, Zip & Zap will fill your craving for mischief, adventure and spectacular fun.
Ages 10 and up
Our kids love the cooking competition show Chopped. This combined South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore production (in English and Mandarin) has all the fun and drama of a cooking reality show competition mixed with the story of a young man struggling to keep his family together. As an added bonus, we get mouth-watering shots of absolutely beautiful food. Plan to go out to a nice dinner after you see this one.
Ages 10 and up
The concept of this fantastic anime seems simple on the surface, a boy and a girl who each have the opposite gravitational pull meet and have an adventure as they struggle to learn the truth about their world. Ok, maybe it’s not that simple, but the beauty of this science fiction romance is in the incredible detail and mind-bending visuals of this imaginative and intelligent film. If your kids love anime you should definitely see Patema Inverted on the big screen.
Ages 12 and up (UK says 15, there is under age drinking and smoking)
It’s tempting to look at this coming of age punk rock comedy set in 1982 as a story of girls discovering their power through rock music. And while that is certainly a part of this film it may be more appropriate to look to Marlon Brando’s answer to the question ‘what are you rebelling against’ in The Wild One. “Whadda you got?” The charming girls at the center of this film don’t have anything Earth-shattering to overcome but it’s certainly fun to watch them take on the world.
Ages 13 and up
This film is a fascinating and playful experiment in social media as narrative. The filmmakers used 410 tweets from a real Thai teenager to tell the story of Mary and her final year of high school, including all of her ups and downs, her relationship with her best friend, and her romantic troubles. If you have a teenager who is glued to Twitter you will want to check this out.
There are many more films at the festival you may want to check out that are appropriate for younger audiences here is a handy list of more that I would recommend.
Ages 6 and up according to international ratings
A young boy and a dog help Jewish refugees cross the Alps in WWII.
Ages 6 and up
Brazilian hand-drawn animated feature about a young boy journeying to find his father.
Rated PG
Sequel to the popular movie.
Ages 8 and up
Music, dance, and romance from Taiwan.
FutureWave Shorts Best of NFFTY
Highlights from Seattle’s own under 18 film festival.
Ages 13 and up
Scottish musical romance based on the music of Belle and Sebastian.
Ages 13 and up
Funny and biting racial satire set at college.
Ages 8 and up
Classic silent comedy from the master.
Ages 9 and up
Frank Capra’s classic screwball comedy.