What upcoming films were you planning to take your children to? There are some real goodies coming up, such as
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2,
Turbo, and
Free Birds. But everyone is going to be seeing these. Why not treat the kids to something more exclusive, and give them a little culture at the same time?
Between the 16th - 24th November, the Barbican Centre is holding its annual
Framed Film Festival, which showcases the best international cinema for the next generation of film fans.
As well as a host of fabulous films from all over the world, children will be able to take part in special events and activities. How would they like to spend a day making their very own film? For £15 on the 16th November, they will get to make costumes, props, soundtracks, and act in front of the camera. Their film will then be screened later on in the year.
Alternatively they could drop into a free stop-animation workshop, take part in a
Hunger Games quiz, or learn about how sound effects are created. Those with their eyes set on the director's chair might want to attend
BAFTA: Breaking and Entering. Suitable for both under and over 18s, a group of industry panelists will be at hand to answer any questions about getting into the business.
Tickets for films start from £3 for children and £5 for adults. The first screening is
Hedgehogs and the City and Other Stories, which is a stop-motion animation about animals cleaning up the city for humans, who decide they want a pay cheque. It will include an introduction by AB Studios, who will explain the filmmaking process.
Fidgety Bram is a comedic take on a story parents are all too familiar with: a bright child who can't concentrate in class.
Custard Pie Centenary harks back to the days of black and white, with a slapstick comedy reminiscent of
Bugsy Malone.
Other films include
Aya of Yop City, which is based on a series of graphic novels,
AninA, a Spanish animation with English subtitles, and
Horizon Beautiful, which is about an Ethiopian street child who dreams of becoming a football player.