The New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) screens exceptional Oscar-qualifying children’s films for a variety of ages.
These films are entertaining, but there is more going on at the NYICFF. Growing up seems harder today than it used to be, because children are exposed to so much, so fast now, especially in New York City. Our culture makes unhealthy choices seem exciting, so it can be difficult for young people to make good choices.
Seeing that others have the same challenges and are overcoming them, provides a good foundation for healthy age-appropriate conversations between parent and child. We can’t make our children’s decisions, but we can talk to them about life before they have to deal with it. The New York International Children’s Film Festival is a great platform for this.
New York International Children’s Film Festival 2026 Films
The New York International Children’s Film Festival 2026 is weekends from February 28 – March 15, 2026. From $17. 🪶 🇧🇷 🇫🇷 🇯🇵 🇿🇦 🇺🇸
This edition screens films from Brazil, France, Indigenous, Japan, South Africa, and the United States; including Black, Indigenous, and Latin shorts.
“Bird Boy” (2025), by Joel Soisson, is a South African film about a boy who finds an ostrich egg that grows into something more than an ostrich screens at IFC Center in Manhattan’s West Village, on March 7, 2026 at 11am; and at SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan, on March 15, at 11am. In English, for ages 6+. 🇿🇦
“My Grandfather is a Nihonjin,” by Celia Catunda, is a Brazilian animation about a boy who learns he has an uncle he never met, and vows to reunite his family. In English for ages 8+. It screens at DCTV in Manhattan Chinatown on March 1 at 1:15pm; and at SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan, on March 14 at 3:15pm. 🇧🇷
This raises interesting questions about national identity which has become a hot topic lately. Working with Latin communities in New York and their home countries, has led me to the conclusion that where you live, says more about who you are, than anything else. It’s the old expression “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” in real life.
Brazil has the largest population of Japanese heritage outside of Japan. They first came in 1908 to work on the coffee plantations, and eventually revolutionized Brazilian agriculture with new crops.
Japanese Brazilians have contributed to Brazilian culture including: sushi Brazilian style (Sushi Samba is a global chain that started in NYC); pastel (gyoza pan-fried dumplings) are probably the most popular Brazilian street snack, and even the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial art. That probably flows really well with capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art. Japanese migrants have made important contributions to other Latin American countries as well.
The Centerpiece Film is “Remaining Native” (2025), by Paige Bethmann, a documentary about 17-year-old runner Ku Stevens, a Native American Yerington Paiute who navigates his budding athletic career while holding on to his family roots. In English for ages 10+. It screens at Scandinavia House in Murray Hill, Manhattan, on March 7, 2026 at 1:30pm; and at DCTV in Manhattan Chinatown, on March 15 at 11:30am. 🪶 🇺🇸
His great-grandfather escaped one of those abusive historic Indian boarding schools by running 50 miles across the desert. That’s two marathons, which in the desert will end you. In the film, Ku organizes a 50-mile “Remembrance Run” retracing his ancestor’s escape route.
The film premiered at SXSW in 2025 where it won the Audience Award and Documentary Feature Special Jury Award.
Check the full lineup at the Festival website.