The Utah Film Center has announced 11 feature films that will play at the eighth annual Tumbleweeds Festival — aimed at children and their families — March 1–3 at Library Square.
Individual tickets and ticket packages are available at utahfilmcenter.org.
“This year’s program is full of strong female leads, brave acts of kindness, live-action excitement and genre-defying stories from around the globe,” Utah Film Center programming director Patrick Hubley said in a statement.
“Opening night will be especially moving and impactful," he added, "as we welcome director Likarion Wainaina from Kenya to Salt Lake City to lead a discussion following his internationally acclaimed film ‘Supa Modo.’”
“Supa Moda” is a Kenyan/German film about “a witty 9-year-old, terminally ill girl” who returns to “her rural village to live out the rest of her short life." She dreams of “being a superhero” — a dream that “her rebellious teenage sister, Mwix, overprotective mother, Kathryn, and the entire village of Maweni think they can fulfill.”
(Foreign-language screenings at Tumbleweeds are presented with English subtitles, which will be read over listening devices for audience members who prefer an English dialogue track.)
The other films announced Thursday are:
“Alone in Space,” a sci-fi film; in Swedish (with English subtitles).
“Chuskit,” a drama about a paraplegic girl; in Ladakhi, a Tibetan/Indian language (with English subtitles).
“End of Dreams,” about a family and a horse; in Persian (with English subtitles).
“The Footballest,” about youth soccer players; in Spanish (with English subtitles).
“I Am William,” a drama about a boy trying to save his family; in Danish (with English subtitles).
“The Incredible Story of the Giant Pear,” a Danish animated film that will screen in English.
“Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver,” a German fantasy adventure film; in English.
“Liyana,” an animated/live-action documentary about children in the Kingdom of eSwatini (aka Swaziland), in English and siSwati.
“Super Miss,” about a teacher who is magically transformed into a superhero.
“21 Days Later,” a family drama; in Persian (with English subtitles).
In addition, on March 1, Tumbleweeds will offer free screenings of two films that were part of last year’s festival: “Into the Who Knows!,” about a 10-year-old boy who escapes from summer camp with his invisible friend, Felix the Fox; and “Louis & Luca: The Big Cheese Race,” an animated film about a competition between animals.
The Tumbleweeds Festival will also present programs of both live-action and animated short films; several workshops for kids aspiring to be filmmakers — storytelling, special effects, sound effects; and a free Tumbleweeds Clubhouse with more than 20 craft and technology activities.
Follow @ScottDPierce