The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Celebrates its most successful year to date

Chicago – The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival concluded its most successful year in its 30-year history this week. Over 27,000 Chicago area kids, parents, and teachers attended screenings, lectures, and hands-on workshops during the 10-day festival for kids and families that ran from October 25 through November 3. Additional screenings for schools extend the Festival through November 27. The 2013 Festival featured 288 films from 43 countries screened in venues across the city, including Facets and the Music Box Theatre. A record number of school groups attended this year’s Festival on weekdays while attendance for weekend screenings grew 300% from previous years. “We are very gratified by the attendance numbers,” said Programming Director Ann Vikstrom. “It says a lot about the incredible talent of children’s filmmakers worldwide and the tremendous need children and families feel for meaningful entertainment.” On November 9, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Room on the Broom, one of those films showcased at this year’s festival made the Academy Award short list in the Best Animated Shorts category. “We’re very excited for director Max Lang,” said Vikstrom. Lang’s previous film, The Gruffalo was also featured at the Festival in 2010. “We had some truly remarkable films this year, and Room on the Broom was a big jury as well as audience favorite.” The award-winning films for the 30th annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival were announced on Sunday November 3rd at a ceremony held at Facets. This year’s awards include the Festival’s “Best of the Fest” award, prizes form the Children’s, Youth, and Adult Juries, The Liv Ullmann Peace Prize Award, The CICFF Best Film for Young Children, the Montgomery Award given to the Best Emerging Children’s Filmmaker and to the Best Child-Produced Film, and a new Programmer’s Choice Award. “The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival is committed to engaging young movie lovers in the discovery of new stories and cultures through film, and to transform the way they look at the both the world and at their own communities,” said Vikstrom. “The films and activities throughout the Festival, as well as our year round programs, encourage our young people’s creativity, expand their imaginations, and sharpen their media literacy skills, all while fostering their love of cinema. ” The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival is a program of Facets, a nonprofit organization, now in its39th year, which is dedicated to the exhibition, distribution and education foreign, independent, and classic cinema. The CICFF took place at venues across Chicago, including Facets (1517 W. Fullerton) and the Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport) from October 25 through November 3. For more information on the Festival or Facets Children’s Programs, visit facets.org/kids, email erich@facets.org, or call 773-281-9075 ext. 3056. The Chicago International Children’s Film Festival is made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Academy Foundation, Alphawood Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, Kirkland & Ellis Foundation, the Comer Foundation, and other private foundations and individuals.