2013 Tumbleweeds Film Festival

Directed by: Bibo Bergeron
Recommended Ages: 6 and up
Language: Presented in English
Play Date: Friday, March 15 at 7:00pm, Jeanne Wagner

Paris, 1910. Emile, a shy movie projectionist, and Raoul, a colorful inventor, find themselves embarked on the hunt for a monster terrorizing citizens. They join forces with Lucille, the big-hearted star of the Rare Bird cabaret, an eccentric scientist and his irascible monkey to save the monster, who turns out to be an oversized but harmless flea, from the city’s ruthlessly ambitious police chief.

Directed by: Various
Recommended Ages: 10 and up
Language: TBA
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 5:00pm, Jeanne Wagner

This short film program is a collection of short films featuring films from various Adobe Youth Voices programs from around the world. The program will also include the films produced in the Adobe Youth Voices Film Camp.

PROUD TO BE A WOMAN
Boys and Girls Club of East Palo Alto///USA
A inspirational music video that instills pride in women and is a reminder of numerous female role models.

HOODFORTS
Mile End Community Project – London///United Kingdom
The project aims to dispel the common myths of “hoodie” culture and create a meaningful dialogue between all members of the community

THOUGHTS IN A HIJAB
Reel Girls – Seattle///USA
The story of a young woman who moves to the US from Iran, and her decision to continue wearing the hijab although no longer forced to do so.

ENVIRONMENT: SUMMIT 2011
Adobe Youth Voices International Summit – San Jose///USA
Using stop motion animation, youth artists show us the wonder and joy of the potential for a greener world.

DEAF NOT DUMB
Offscreen – London///United Kingdom
A sensitive and thought-provoking statement film that campaigns for greater access for members of the deaf community.

HANDS OF LOVE
Listen Up! – Nairobi///Kenya
For a group of young friends, their work to provide security, latrines and clean up projects in Nairobi, Kenya is more than a struggle for a healthier environment.

WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO
Boys and Girls Club of East Palo Alto – Palo Alto///USA
A creative mixed media film that explains how we should all be paying attention to what’s happening around us.

2020 VISION
Adobe Youth Voices Peapod Academy – Redwood City///USA
2020 Vision was created to support President Obama’s initiative of increasing high school and college graduation rates.[/EXPAND]

Directed by: Joram Lürsen
Recommended Ages: 6 and up
Language: Presented in Dutch with English subtitles
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 2:30pm, Black Box

When seven-year old Alfie sprouts sharp claws and white fussy hair on the night of the full moon, he realizes that he’s experiencing something a bit different than growing pains.

When the full moon rises on the night of his seventh birthday, strange things begin to happen to shy little Alfie: he suddenly grows sharp claws and white fuzzy hair, and begins to howl at the moon. Alfie soon realizes he is no longer a regular kid — he has turned into a werewolf! Only his brother Timmie knows, but with Alfie attacking his neighbour’s chickens and biting a bully in the leg, it won’t be long until his secret is revealed. Alfie just wants to be an ordinary boy again, but with the help of his loving family and a mysterious, hairy stranger, he may learn that what makes each person different is also what makes them special.

Directed by: Katie Dellamaggiore
Recommended Ages: 11 and up
Language: Presented in English
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 7:00pm, Jeanne Wagner

Join the students of Brooklyn’s IS 318 as they work to win another national chess championship and show that playing chess is about more than winning or losing – it’s what helps them overcome the challenges in their lives. 

At Intermediate School 318 in Brooklyn, New York, the team students want to belong to is the chess team. IS 318 has won a record 26 national chess championships, a remarkable achievement for any school, let alone one where the majority of the students are living near the poverty line. But when budget cuts threaten programs including chess, will the school be able to continue its winning ways? Follow the students of the IS 318 chess club as they try to earn another national title. Along the way they show us that success comes from dedication, hard work and supporting each other and that playing chess is about much more than winning or losing – it is what helps them overcome the challenges in their lives.

Directed by: Arne Birkenstock
Recommended Ages: 8 and up
Language: Presented in Sinhalese with English subtitle
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 11:30am, Black Box

From the producers of Turtle: The Incredible Journey comes a stunning true-life story set in the magnificent Sri Lankan tropics. Chandani dreams of following in the footsteps of her father and becoming the first female mahout—a guardian of wild elephants. When Chandani is given a baby elephant, she works with him every day, memorizing the guiding techniques and mixing the herbal remedies that have been passed down from generation to generation, inscribed by her great-great grandfather in a book of dried palm leaves. But despite her obvious skill, she is chastised for performing a job considered suited only for men. Chandani is a moving story of ambition, strained traditions and familial bonds—with astounding footage of Sri Lankan wildlife and close-ups of elephants being trained and cared for (including an adorable sequence of an elephant playing soccer). When she is given permission to participate in the Perahera—a ceremonial procession of fire-dancers, acrobats, and elaborately costumed elephants—Chandani will get the chance to prove whether a girl can, indeed, learn the artistry and patience of a great mahout.

*Just added!!!

Tickets available at the ArtTix box office at the Rose Wagner.

Directed by: Fintan Connolly
Recommended Ages: 8 and up
Language: Presented in English
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 12:30pm, Black Box

Dublin. The present. Ten-year old Lucy struggles to come to terms with her parents’ separation. She rescues a dog, Eliot, from the local dog shelter. It is love at first sight and her life starts to get better. But tragedy strikes when Eliot goes missing and Lucy must undertake a dangerous journey to find him.

Preceded by the short film:
THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE
Directed by Kealan O’Rourke
8 min. | 2011 | Ireland

10-year-old Rupert false hopelessly in love for the first time, but it goes terribly wrong. He turns to a book of magic and soon learns you should be careful of what you wish for.

Directed by: Mike Mazurk
Recommended Ages: 8 and up
Language: Presented in German with English subtitles
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 4:30pm, Black Box

Three siblings, their cousin and a canine companion become summertime sleuths in this adaptation of the famed Enid Blyton novels.

Siblings Julian, Dick and Anne aren’t looking forward to spending all summer in a tiny village with their relatives. The feeling is mutual; tomboy cousin George doesn’t even want their company. But things take an exciting turn when they meet Timmy – George’s secret canine friend – and stumble upon a mystery connected to the remote Kirrin Island, which just happens to belong to George’s family. As the intrepid sleuths seek clues, they cross paths with various strange characters – each with secrets to hide. Based on the beloved characters from Enid Blyton’s classic series of books, The Famous Five find adventure at every turn, showing that friendship, cooperation and good old-fashioned teamwork can make even the most seemingly mundane task a rip-roaring escapade.

Directed by: Rajan Khosa
Recommended Ages: 7 and up
Language: Presented in Hindi with English subtitles
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 1:00pm, Jeanne Wagner

A young Indian orphan determines to defeat the mysterious black kite which dominates the sky above his kite-obsessed community.

Gattu is an orphan who works at his guardian’s scrap yard in a small Indian town. Though he’s small in stature, Gattu has big ambitions – namely, defeating the mysterious black kite Kali, which dominates the sky above his kite-obsessed community. Needing to reach higher ground so that his kite can go head-to-head with Kali, Gattu impersonates a student at the local school so that he can gain access to its rooftop. Yet Gattu’s determination to take down Kali will lead him to make other discoveries, to find new friends, and realize that what happens in the classroom can be just as wondrous as anything happening in the skies.

Directed by: Various
Recommended Ages: 12 and up
Language: English + Spanish (w/ subtitles) + Hausa (w/ subtitles)
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 3:00pm, Jeanne Wagner

A collection of short film that focus on stories told from a girl’s perspective. The program will feature films directed by Spy Hop students including films created as part of KUED’s “Women Redefined” program.

This recent Academy Award-winner for Best Documentary Short Subject is an intensely personal and vibrant coming of age documentary about a young artist’s fierce determination to never surrender to the bleakness of her surrounding.

FOUR WOMEN, ONE REVOLUTION
Directed by Micha Garen
9 min | 2011 | USA

FOUR WOMEN, ONE REVOLUTION is a portrait of four young, Egyptian women who took part in the Egyptian revolution.

AISHA’S SONG
Directed by Orlando von Einsiedel
10 min | | 2011 | Nigeria/United Kingdom

Partially blinded by an unknown illness at age 4 and sent out to work on the tough streets of Kano in Nigeria at age 9, Aisha Sani Abdullahi’s chances in life were not great. However, a chance meeting with a woman sent Aisha’s life in a completely different direction.

REALM OF POSSIBILITY
Directed by Adriana Martinez & Laela Omar
5 min | 2013 | USA

A young college student explores the value of education for her, and why so many young women aren’t completing their degrees.

THE “F” WORD
Directed by AJ Martine & Mallory McDaniel
5 min  | 2013 | USA

This short documentary follows a 15­-year ­old boy’s journey to discover the meaning of feminism through interviews with activists in the Salt Lake community. [/EXPAND]

Directed by: Janno Põldma and Heiki Ernits
Recommended Ages: 4 and up
Language: Presented in English
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 11:00am, Jeanne Wagner
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 3:30pm, Black Box

In their last adventure, Klaus and his friends Fred and Ville took three stones from a secret temple. What they didn’t know is that the stones are the only way for the Moon Rabbits to get back home. While two of them, Tik and Rhiv, search for Klaus and the stones, Lotte and her uncle want to unlock the stones’ secrets. They have many adventures on their way to find Fred and Ville, during which they are followed by the two Moon Rabbits and Paul, the cat, who is also very interested in the mysterious stones.

Directed by: Eric Zala, Chris Strompolos, and Jayson Lamb
Recommended Ages: 10 and up
Language: Presented in English
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 7:00pm, Jeanne Wagner
Park City: Saturday, March 16 at 3:00pm, Park City Library (details)

As big of an impression as the old serials had left on young Spielberg and Lucas, Indiana Jones left an even bigger one on three Mississippi 12-year-olds. In 1982, childhood friends Eric Zala, Chris Strompolos, and Jayson Lamb began filming a shot-for-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark. They filmed during school vacations, used the back yard for locations, and fashioned props (like that well-known giant boulder) in the family garage. Six years later, after the lead actor shot up six inches and his voice dropped to a baritone, the film was in the can.

Hailed as "one of the most elaborate amateur films ever made", Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation can’t be found on YouTube…you must come to a theatre for this experience like none other you have ever seen (except, of course, Raiders of the Lost Ark).

SHAKESPEARE HIGH

Directed by: Alex Rotaru
Recommended Ages: 13 and up
Language: Presented in English
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 3:00pm, Jeanne Wagner

**Language advisory, contains strong or potentially offensive language

At home many of them face poverty, gangs, drugs, and a lack of role models. But in their high school drama programs, a diverse group of SoCal teens finds a chance to create a better life. Following several students as they prepare for and compete in the 90th Drama Teachers Association of Southern California Shakespeare Festival, this uplifting documentary voices the dramatic personal stories of a cross-section of youth from the Los Angeles area who find redemption, camaraderie, and a creative outlet on the stage and in the classroom.

Director Alex Rotaru’s portrait of promising and dedicated students and their teachers features interviews with DTASC alumni including Richard Dreyfuss, Val Kilmer, Mare Winningham, and executive producer Kevin Spacey. A galvanizing film that reminds us of the positive impact of performance education on impressionable youth, Shakespeare High offers a powerful message in support of the arts at a time when budget cuts facing many schools put the future of these curricula in peril.

Preceded by the short film:
PAPER PIANO
Directed by Marianela Maldonado
7 min. | 2011 | USA

This film tells the real story of a Venezuelan youth orchestra, where kids learn to play music by beginning on paper instruments they construct themselves.

Directed by: Various
Recommended Ages: 4 and up
Language: All films in English or without dialogue
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 9:00am, Jeanne Wagner
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 1:30pm, Black Box
Park City: Saturday, March 16 at 1:00pm, Park City Library (details)

Lions, mice, Gruffalos, and more! This collection of charming and fun-filled animated short films will engage and delight young viewers and grown-ups alike.

[EXPAND ] CUCKOO FOR TWO
Directed by Angie Hauch + Angela Tidball
5 min | 2011 | USA

A lonely cuckoo bird in a clock on the wall sees a bird in a paperweight on the desk and falls in love. Can the cuckoo overcome his fear of heights in time to bring them together?

A FRIEND LIKE ME
Directed by Maggie Rogers
3 min | 2011 | UK

It’s the first day of school, and Lestor the Lion is hoping to make friends, but a big lion can’t become friends with a tiny little mouse, or can he?

THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD
Directed by Uwe Heidschötter + Johannes Weiland
27 min | 2011 | UK|Germany

She’s been warned by her father to stay of out the woods or she might encounter the big bad mouse! This captivating and enchanting film is based on the best-selling book by author Julia Donalson and illustrator Axel Scheffler.

HOW THE SHAMMIES GUESSED
Directed by Edmunds Jansons
2 min | 2010 | Latvia

The shammies are curious creatures. When they find a round red object, they try to guess what it is. Can you help them figure it out?

MIRA’S NIGHT
Directed by Elyse Kelly
4 min. | 2012 | USA

In this magical film, Mira chases the spirits of the night to capture them in jars and learns that they need to be free to shine.

PIERRE AND THE SPINACH DRAGON
Directed by Helene Tragesser
4 min. | 2010 | Germany

What’s that on Pierre’s plate? Is it spinach or a fierce green dragon that he must battle?

THE SQUEAKIEST ROAR
Directed by Maggie Rogers
4 min. | 2011 | UK

Bapoto, the youngest in his lion family, is ashamed of his squeaky roar. But when he is invited to join the choir of animals, Bapoto realizes that a squeaky roar isn’t so bad after all.

SOMWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Directed by Brent Dawes
5 min. | 2011 | South Africa

A chameleon wants to keep its white body clean and pristine until it learns the joys of being colorful.[/EXPAND]

Directed by: Various
Recommended Ages: 7 and up
Language: All films in English or without dialogue
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 11:00am, Jeanne Wagner

You’ll travel to outer space and back again in this spectacular collection of inventive short films that are filled with humor, imagination, and outstanding creativity.

When a bullfighter is chased up a tree by an angry bull, he only has one option: phone the Rescue Team. They’ll find a creative way to solve the problem in this entertaining claymation film.

EYES ON THE STARS
Directed by Mike Rauch + Tim Rauch
4 min. | 2012 | USA

In the era of segregation, an African-American boy fascinated by the stars pursues his dreams of going into space. This film offers a touching look at the childhood of astronaut Ronald E. McNair as narrated by his brother.

HOW TO MAKE A SPY HOP CAKE
Directed by June Lee + Gillian Mozdy
3 min. | 2012 | USA

This clever stop-motion animated film illustrates that you have to use some unlikely ingredients to create a delicious Spy Hop cake.

LEXDYSIA
Directed by Marc Reisbig
3 min. | 2010 | Norway, Poland

In this mix of live action and animation, a boy with dyslexia is struggling to read when the words jump out of the page and dance around the room. Will he learn how to tame them?

PAPA’S BOY
Directed by Leevi Lemmetty
3min. | 2010 | UK,Poland, Finland

A young mouse wants to be a ballet dancer. His ex-boxer father doesn’t understand the power of his son’s dream until he sees his brave son use his dancing talent to save the day.

PASTEURIZED
Directed by Nicolás P. Villarreal
8 min. | 2012 | Argentina

Get ready for an imaginative and unforgettable ride when a quiet scientist becomes entangled with a space cat that is chasing a ball of yarn.

RISING HOPE
Directed by Milen Vitanov
10 min. | 2012 | Germany

Rising Hope is a champion racehorse whose career ends when he becomes spooked. Perhaps this loss might allow Rising Hope to finally pursue his true passion.

THE SECRET OF TREES
Directed by Albert Maysels
4 min. | 2012 | USA

Inspired by studying how trees collected sunlight in crowded forests, 13-year-old Aiden invents are more efficient way for us to collect solar energy.  Directed by master documentarian Albert Maysels.

SNAP
Directed by Thomas G. Murphy
7 min. | 2012 | Belgium

An unlikely friendship with a frog helps a young fish use his tongue to outsmart the bullies in this humorous award-winning film.

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
Directed by Brent Dawes
5 min. | 2011 | South Africa

Poor little firefly can’t get to sleep – its light won’t turn off. Try as it might the light stays on. Will the firefly learn to accept its illumination?

TUURNGAIT
Directed by Paul-Emile Boucher, Rémy Dupont, Benjamin Flouw, Mickaël Riciotti, + Alexandre Toufaili
6 min. | 2011 | France

In this enchanting and exhilarating animation, an Inuit boy follows a bird into a mysterious and fascinating ice forest, where he becomes lost. Will he able to find his way out?

WEPO
Directed by Jackie Marion
4 min. | 2012 | USA

Wepo the alien is taking a drive through outer space when his spaceship runs out of fuel. Can Wepo find a way to get his ship moving again?.[/EXPAND]

Directed by: Ellen Perry
Recommended Ages: 9 and up
Language: Presented in English
Play Date: Saturday, March 16 at 1:00pm, Jeanne Wagner
Park City: Sunday, March 17 at 3:00pm, Park City Library (details)

Eleven-year-old Will Brennan is Liverpool FC’s biggest fan. At his boys’ school in England, Will’s love and knowledge of The Beautiful Game even outshines his football-obsessed mates. But life is turned upside down when his long-absent father, Gareth, reappears with tickets to the 2005 Champions League Final in Istanbul.

But before the two can start anew, Gareth dies suddenly, impossibly — this time leaving Will forever. Searching for a sliver of meaning in a world that seems to have abandoned him, Will runs away to Turkey to honour his father’s memory and to be with his beloved Liverpool F.C.

En route, and needing help, Will befriends Alek, a former Bosnian football star who abandoned the game after a tragic event during his country’s civil war. Despite his initial reluctance, Alek finds himself inspired by Will’s heroic journey and agrees to take him to Istanbul. And thus this unlikely pair of underdogs takes to the road, battling fate and fortune in a desperate bid to prove to themselves that it’s never too late to dream.

Directed by: Rémi Bezançon, Jean-Christophe Lie
Recommended Ages: 9 and up
Language: Presented in French with English subtitles
Play Date: Sunday, March 17 at 5:00pm, Jeanne Wagner

10-year-old Maki and a young giraffe set off on a thrilling journey from Africa all the way to Paris in this colourful animation inspired by a true story.

While on the run from an evil slave trader, spirited 10-year-old Maki meets a young giraffe he names Zarafa. Together the pair set off incredible journey from Africa all the way to Paris, showing courage in the face of the dangers they encounter along the way. Throughout it all, Maki has one wish: to keep a promise and help Zarafa to return one day to her native land. Inspired by a true story, this colourfully animated film takes you on a thrilling adventure from the deserts sands to the snowy mountains to tell the uplifting tale of an everlasting friendship.

Recommended Ages: 10-12
Cost: $32.50
Play Date: Saturday, March 16, 10:00am – noon
Play Date: Spy Hop Productions, 511 West 200 South

Do you lose yourself in your imagination? Make your own virtual world complete with buildings, trees, streets and mountains in a 3D video game. You’ll leave with a game you can share online and with your friends.

Recommended Ages: 7-9
Cost: $32.50
Play Date: Saturday, March 16, 10:00am – noon
Play Date: Spy Hop Productions, 511 West 200 South

Start with a clip of a classic cartoon and record your own sound effects to make your own hilarious short film.

Best Picture

Best Directors

Best Performance in a Supporting Role

Best Cinematography

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