2020 San Diego International Kids Film Festival-Short Films

A RAINY DAY Korea | 23min Short | Drama Director: Sunwoo Bak     AMAZING KIDS – IN THEIR OWN WORDS United Kingdom | 6min Short | Drama Director: Alexander Amelines Children from different backgrounds share their unique experiences of the autistic spectrum in their own words.   AURORA United States | 6min Short | Drama Director: Jo Meuris Once upon a time, there was a little girl who fell in love with a beautiful horse named Aurora... Expressively animated in a naive drawing-style that evokes children’s drawings and the texture of storybook illustrations, Aurora is a bittersweet story about love, friendship, and growing up. .     BANANA GIRL United States | 7min Short | Drama Director: Shayna Connelly Seven-year-old Bananas Girl asserts her independence, perfects the art of the non-sequitur and navigates the boundaries between herself and her mom. The film exists in the intersection of home movies, performance art and documentary, incorporating a mother’s and daughter’s obsessions and their parallel views of what it means to be creative.   BLACK COFFEE & WHITE CHOCOLATE United States | 6min Short | Drama Director: Raphael Kolacz A blind kid having a dinner with his father. An otherwise uninteresting dinnertime conversation turns into a profound reflection on racism when the kids asks him why he can't taste colors.     BLOOD SISTERS United States | 12min Short | Drama Director: Joshua M. Thomas A couple rebuilds their family. Now, they’ve got to figure out how to keep them fed.   CLEMENTINE United States | 11min Short | Drama Director: Asali Echols She robbed a bank but stole their hearts.     CRAMMING United States | 15min Short | Drama Director: Dan Perlman Close friends Alex and Yan Bo, eighth graders, cram for a test in a prestigious prep school. Once they're accused of cheating off of one another, their friendship is threatened.   DAISY United States | 10min Short | Drama Director: Tom Weston George uses magic to help a young child named Daisy become the most popular girl in school.     DÍA DE LAS CARPAS United States | 15min Short | Drama Director: João Dall'Stella A little girl escapes deportation by becoming a mermaid. After an immigration raid in their apartment building, a group of boys help an undocumented girl get to the beach to reunite with her family, unaware that their new friend has a magical secret that will change their lives forever.   DOLIUM PÉPLUM France | 9min Short | Adventure Director:ThÉo Nodet The director grew up in a Wine Estate, in the South of France. His garden was hectares of vineyards and woods.With his playmates, they invented, as all children do, scenarios worthy of the greatest peplums.         DREAMSHEEP Colombia | 9min Short | Drama Director: Lulú Vieira Emma, a 6-year-old girl, gets up one morning and discovers that a sheep has escaped from her dreams and is jumping on her bed. Emma and the sheep become great friends and spend the days playing, while they ignore that everything around them has been changing since the day the sheep arrived. Emma will have to discover a way to find the planet where the sheep lives and the dreams are born, to try to get everything back to normal.     EMBARKO United States | 9min Short | Drama Director:  Kai Lee Hague When two delivery dogs on a job discover buried treasure in the mountains, their conflicting interests lead to dire consequences.   FANTASY A’HOY United States | 14min Short | Drama Director: Avery Christmas Royalty meets scurvy.     FRIENDS Russian Federation | 15min Short | Drama Director: Tatiana Ivashkina One day, on New Year's Eve, two friends - first-graders Natasha and Anya - get acquainted with Nura and (against Anin's will) take her into their company. From this moment on, lives of that three friends are inseparably linked. Together they grow up, revolt and cheat   GABRIELLE United States | 14min Short | Drama Director: Nicola Rose When 13-year-old Gabrielle signs up for ballet, she encounters bullying from her teacher — and true friendship where she least expects it. A story about overcoming bullying, body image, friendship and knowing your worth..     GAMEBOY United States | 8min Short | Drama Director: Stephen Burhoe Jason must talk his video game obsessed brother out of running away from home, by showing him the futility of his position.   GIVE IT BACK Israel | 15min Short | Drama Director: Ruchama Ehrenhalt Olivia is a 12-year-old immigrant from New York. She is trying to find her place in the new world she just landed in, Israeli society. Instantly she connects with Alem, an Ethiopian boy who sits next to her in class. It doesn't take long for her to realize that their friendship is social suicide. This is a story about alienation, friendship and home.     GRANDMA’S SECRET Germany | 15min Short | Drama Director: Lydia Bruna Lisa is at her grannys like she is every friday. But today everything is different - Granny is behaving weird and does the strangest things! Lisa hears her parents discussing what could be wrong with granny and as they mention an old people home, she starts really worrying.   GLITTER MODEL - SEASON 3 Brazil | 24min Short | Animation Director: Angelo Nunes Clara, the main character, is discovered by Jonathan, a Model Scout and the girl who was bullied at school with nicknames like “Tall Clumsy Giraffe”, will discover her potential and become a beautiful model, part of the biggest model agency in town: Glitter Model.         HELLO, AFRICA Turkey | 13min Short | Drama Director: Hasan Serin Esma and Serpil are two little girls who are at the age of eight-nine, living in a village of Bingöl, a province in Eastern Anatolia.Serpil likes to read books and Esma is very much keen on drawing pictures while listening to the stories in the books that Serpil reads to her. They buy the book of Jules Verne “Five Weeks with The Balloon      I WANNA BE AN EAGLE United States | 4min Short | Drama Director: Joe Petrucelli, Mark Simon:  Petronia, a young, musical, anthropomorphic sparrow in the big city, dreams and sings about being an eagle. From soaring over the majestic mountains to flying through the streets of New York, we fly with her and experience the freedom and fame of being an eagle until she wakes from her glorious dream..   IN THE FOREST, WE GREW United States | 6min Short | Drama Director: Vincy Guan, Sunnie Moon Two red pandas, Chi and Hyun, set off to build their dream house together in a bamboo forest, only to find their differences putting their relationship under strain. “In The Forest, We Grew” is a group project by Sunnie Moon and Vincy Guan.     IN THIS LAND WE’RE BRIEFLY GHOSTS Myanmar | 16min Short | Drama Director: Chen-Wen Lo Myanmar, 2013. Based on actual events, this human tragedy follows a 12-year-old child soldier, Su Su Myat, and her mute brother, Tin Min, who are imprisoned after deserting their first combat mission. Punished with no food or water, Su Su Myat is forced to choose between killing her seriously ill brother for her own survival, or risk dying with him.   JAADOO(THE MAGIC) India | 38min Short | Drama Director: Shoorveer Tyagi Tvisha and Bhakti study in a remote village school. Every day for some reason they end up being punished and are thrown out of their classrooms. While, Younger Tvisha is chirpy, brimming with energy; Bhakti is gloomy & shy. As they gradually discover friendship outside the classroom, somewhere inside the forest, Bhakti has a secret little place..     KAPAEMAHU United States | 9min Short | Animation Director: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson Kapaemahu reveals the healing power of four mysterious stones on Waikiki Beach – and the legendary transgender spirits within them. Long ago, four extraordinary individuals of dual male and female spirit brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii.   KIMONO United States | 9min Short | Drama Director: Alissa Goldberg Cousins Emma (Caucasian) and Maya (half Japanese half Caucasian) are best friends in their 3rd grade class, but tensions rise when they both want to wear the kimono in their school’s Around The World Fashion Show. Tired of being bullied, Maya unexpectedly claims the kimono for herself. To Emma, this is the greatest betrayal, and she reveals that she is jealous of the attention her cousin receives for being different.      LAPIS DE LUMINE United States | 8min Short | Animation Director: Kalee DeHamer A young herbalist sets out on her own to take up the family business with the help of a magical family heirloom. When the necklace is stolen, she gives chase, but what she finds at the end of her pursuit is not what she was expecting...is she prepared to handle it?   LEMONADE United States | 7min Short | Drama Director: Brannon Smithwick A young girl grows frustrated when her rural lemonade stands lacks customers, prompting her search for other adventures.     LOST ON BARDUINO United States | 14min Short | Drama Director:  Asali Echols They had to get lost in space...to find what really matters.   LUCKY United States | 7min Short | Drama Director: Alexis Wong When MingMing feels insecure about moving into a new neighborhood, she finds a friend in a huge but playful Chinese Lion.     LUZ France | 8min Short | Drama Director: John Banana Problems can cloud your vision, but the key to Cloudia's happiness may be right under her nose.   MIMI MEETS BOOKS Taiwan | 7min Short | Drama Director:  Yih-Fen Chou Warmly presents how Mimi meets and falls in love with books.     MISTER MONSTER China | 7min Short | Drama Director: Guo Site Mr. Monster lives a lonely life away from the town with his only friend, the Mysterious, who grew up with him happily and peacefully. Until one day the Mysterious causes some trouble and makes Mr. Monster embarrassed in front of everyone and trapped in horrible nightmare.   MONKEY & CAT United States | 14min Short | Drama Director: Artie Romero Everybody wants milk! In the first Monkey & Cat animated adventure, M&C discover that there are no bananas and there's no milk in the house. On their way to the grocery store they befriend Benny the boxer, who's a blind seeing eye dog, his master Lucas and then encounter a variety of pint-sized antagonists.     MY TAGALONG Canada | 7min Short | Drama Director: Jerry WANG Synopsis:  A story about two Gemini brothers' journey on the earth. The Older brother wants to enjoy the trip himself, but his younger brother always follows him and makes a lot of troubles.   NO KIDding: MY little World Taiwan | 13min Short | Documentary Director: Chiang Chih-Chen, Hsieh Chia-Ling Twelve-year-old Wu Yu-Yan suffers from achondroplasia and is only 101 cm in height. But this doesn’t discourage her. She has no time for self-pity and loves to dance and show her body with confidence . She wants to prove that she’s not different from anyone else other than her height, and to encourage other children with rare diseases to pursue their dreams.     OLIVE AND THE BLOOM United States |4 min Short | Animation Director: Meredith Kesh Olive, the youngest leaf in a community of plant women, struggles with blooming her very first flower. Anxious and unsure, she’ll have to gain some confidence in her abilities if she ever wants to bloom, especially as her overenthusiastic guardians attempt to help in their own… unique ways.    ON/OFF United States | 7min Short | Animation Director:  Nicolas P. Villarreal Endless distractions threaten to destroy creativity.     RED BALLOON Canada | 10min Short | Drama Director: Avi Federgrewn A devoted father overcome with despair over his young son’s illness learns that true freedom comes from love and letting go.   RETIREMENT United States | 16min Short | Drama Director: Joshua M. Thomas Synopsis:  What happened to Delilah McDonald?     SHE WHO WEARS THE RAIN Canada | 17min Short | Drama Director: Marianne Métivier After a difficult visit at her dying father, Agnes decides to escape to a pension in the forest. Immersed in a world that wavers between reality and dream, Agnes will have to confront her mourning.   SELF-RECOMMENDED China | 13min Short | Drama Director: Ke Ma The Qin army surrounded Zhao, and the Emperor Zhao went to Chu for help. A man named Mao Sui offered to go to Chu State with Emperor Zhao for help, and successfully persuaded the Chu Emperor to help Zhao defeat Qin.         SLOTTER ROOM United States | 11min Short | Drama Director: Yi Lu They thought it was abandoned. They were wrong.     STARRY SKY United States | 11min Short | Drama Director: Yi Lu An indigo child full of whimsy, trying to convey her uniqueness to her mother.   STRANGER DREAMS United States | 5min Short | Drama Director: Yu Wei Lin Everyone dreams. Among all the dreams, nightmares are the most uncomfortable ones. There are three nightmares in the story: The fear and darkness of a certain space; the fear of death in a touchable reality; the fear of invisible things that happen in life.      SUPERZERO United States | 6min Short | Drama Director: Joanthony Jimenez A washed-up actor meets his last and only fan, a naive boy named Charlie, who thinks he’s the actual superhero Captain Dynamic portrayed in the popular TV show. What lengths is he willing to go to keep his stardom?    TALIA United States | 10min Short | Drama Director: Cara Bamford Talia loves nature. Endlessly curious, she finds new ways to slip out of the house - pushing her boundaries to explore the world beyond her front garden. Caught out on her latest adventure; her father forbids her to leave the house without his permission. Lonely and bored, Talia soon discovers that the lady next door shares her curiosity for the wilderness through her beautiful garden.      THE DREAM FACTORY Canada | 20min Short | Drama Director: Michal Pinsky Ben is a technical illustrator who spends his days drawing nuts and bolts and his nights painting colors and dreams. His ambition to publish his comic book meets with frustration and failure until his little daughter, Maya, takes him on a magical journey to the sinister interiors of his own creation —the Dream Factory.    THE MCGUFFIN United States | 14min Short | Drama Director: Avery Christmas The world’s most powerful superheroes go in search for the ultimate prize.      THE MUSHROOM HUNTRESS United States | 11min Short | Drama Director: Jim Picariello After Leigh is cut off from her cold, wealthy mother, and witnesses the arrest of her loving-yet-scheming father, she attempts to support herself by capitalizing on her love of wild mushrooms. But while foraging along the forest floor she discovers a shocking family secret.   THE PEAK Japan | 6min Short | Drama Director: Mayumi Tachikawa In the middle of the night… Sarah wakes up as she wants to go to the bathroom.As she leaves her room, she finds herself alone in the dark hallway, and it is really creepy. Even the toys she left out look totally different from how they looked during the day. Sarah finally pulls herself together and starts to move forward, with her animal doll friend named Steven, who’s got a shiny nose to show her way, but – she trips!     THE SHALLOW END United States | 11min Short | Drama Director: Cynthia Silver A group of teenaged girls jockey for power in the savage summer society of a community swimming pool during the summer of 1984.   THE SPAGHETTI MONSTER United States | 13min Short | Drama Director:  Joshua M. Thomas Trespassing can be deadly.     THE SPEECH United States | 25min Short | Drama Director:  Haohao Yan May 2003, Beijing, China. Under the pressure of WHO, the Chinese government announced that the SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak is real. The city is closed. Most students have been sent home. During a lockdown inside a private boarding school, three eight-year-old girls have to find a way to make sense of the world.   THE TATTOOED TORAH United States | 22min Short | Drama Director: Marc Bennett Over the last three decades, the beloved children’s book by Marvell Ginsburg, "The Tattooed Torah," has been a powerful resource for Holocaust education for children all over the world.     THE TREFLIK FAMILY Poland | 9min Short | Drama Director: Marek Skrobecki In every episode, singing and dancing Trefliks take children on a new adventure into the world of imagination. This seemingly ordinary family live in a small house. One day a mysterious guest – Little Uncle – pays them a visit. He has magical powers and is invisible to adults. Since then, he accompanies children - 4-year old Treflik and 6-year old Treflinka in their daily activities.   THREE MOVES BY MENCIUS’ MOTHER China | 13min Short | Drama Director: Ke Ma In order to offer his children the best education environment, Mencius' mother took great pains to move between three places for twice. Later, Mencius succeeded in becoming a great scholar.         TIME OF DEATH United States | 2min Short | Animation Director:  Howard Kung A young boy makes a new friend in the last moments of his life.     WEDNESDAY Canada | 10min Short | Drama Director: Lisa Delhom, Jérémy Paquet Iris and Leo are waiting for their school bus, just like any other day. This morning, however, it does not arrive. Facing no rules but their own, the two eight-year-olds embark on an urban adventure, one they shall never forget, roaming the streets of Montreal.   WHERE IS MY TURTLE Korea | 16min Short | Drama Director: Kyung Jung Kim Lizzy, a little girl who wants to be the bravest girl in the world, decides to take the turtle trapped in the fishbowl to the sea.     ZARA AND THE OTHERS: MISS MISS Norway | 13min Short | Drama Director: Nils Johan Lund, Bjørn Sortland Zara has never heard of a "Miss-competition", she only knows the girls in class say it's a way to decide who the prettiest girl is. When Zara's wacky dad brings a bucket of fresh moose poop to the event, things take an unexpected turn   ZOMBIE PIZZA PARTY United States | 10min Short | Drama Director: Avery Christmas The only thing missing from this zombie apocalypse is pizza.