The Utah Film Center will screen 10 feature films from Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the United States for its ninth annual Tumbleweeds Festival — spread over two weekends instead of just one for the first time.
The March 6-8 and 13-15 festival at The City Library in Salt Lake City will also feature two shorts programs, six workshops and seven free activities.
“This year’s slate of films will take audiences on a thought-provoking, imaginative and empowering journey around the world,” said Patrick Hubley, executive director of Utah Film Center. “International films make up the majority of the program and we are thrilled to explore and discuss the universal themes alongside our young viewers.”
Individual tickets and ticket packages are available at utahfilmcenter.org or at the box office during the festival. A complete schedule is available at utahfilmcenter.org/tumbleweeds. The 2020 film lineup includes:
“The Club of Ugly Children” • Dutch film in which kids revolt against a new president who rounds up children who don’t meet his view of ideal citizens.
“The Elfkins — Baking a Difference” • German film about gnomes who come out of hiding after 200 years and breathe new life into a tumbledown pastry shop.
“H is For Happiness” • Australian film about a 12-year-old’s determination to bring her family back from the brink and spark happiness in their lives.
“I Used to Like the Sea” • Belgian film filled with stories of refugees who crossed the Mediterranean to arrive in Europe, told from the children’s perspectives.
“Louis and Luca: Mission to the Moon” • Norwegian film about a mission to the moon — with Louis the Magpie as the brave astronaut.
“Marona’s Fantastic Tale” • French film about an extraordinary Labrador retriever whose life leaves a mark on the humans she encounters.
“Rocca Changes the World” • German film about a girl who’s convinced that even a child has the power to change the world.
“Romy’s Salon” • Dutch/German film about a girl who discovers a totally different side to her grandmother.
The lineup also includes two programs featuring short films:
Amazing Animations • Animated films from around the world aimed at film lovers.
Spectacular Shorts • An eclectic collection of live-action and animated short films from around the world.
Several workshops will be offered for kids and teens ages 8-18. They include sessions about DIY augmented reality, sound effects, movie stunts, special effects makeup, claymation and music scoring.
A number of free activities will be featured at the Tumbleweeds Clubhouse in the City Library’s main lobby on Saturdays and Sundays during the festival. They include an augmented reality scavenger hunt; an interactive VR experience based on a plans for NASA mission to Mars; a photographer who’ll take your pictures (with costumes and props); a green screen; a storyboarding experience; and art projects.
In addition, several films from past festivals will screen for free. That lineup includes the 2019 Amazing Animations; “Supa Modo” (Kenya/Germany); “We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest (USA); “Anbessa” (Italy/Ethiopia/USA); “Binti” (Netherlands/Germany); and “12 Minutes Max,” a collection of locally produced short films.
