text and reviews by Virginia Carolfi and Rael Montecucco
Concorto Kids, the festival dedicated to international short films for children, is back from 22nd to 24th August 2023 for three afternoons filled with workshop activities, film screenings, and snacks. After the unexpected great success of the first edition – which sold out – and the participation in 2022 of more than 150 people – including children, parents, teachers, and educators – at the cloister of Galleria d’Arte Moderna “Ricci Oddi”, this year’s event seeks to strengthen the previously linked bonds with the institutions of Piacenza and increase the offer for children and adults.
The theme of the 2023 edition is “museums and visual arts”, and it is organized into workshops and film screenings for both children and adults. Like last year, a portion of the selection is dedicated to the current theme, and in this case, we focused on those short films for children that explore museums and the various forms of visual art through different styles, techniques, and narratives.
Programme and tickets for Concorto Kids 2023 here.
Free event with mandatory reservation, fully accessible to deaf people.
Concorto Kids is curated by Enrica Carini, Virginia Carolfi, Rael Montecucco.
The selected shorts
curated by Rael Montecucco and Virginia Carolfi
Babovka by Katerina Karhánková, CZ, 2022
Clash by Fanny Jiang, FRA, 2018
Code Rose by Taye Cimon, Sandra Leydier, Pierre Coëz, Manuarii Morel, Julie Groux e Romain Seisson, FRA, 2022
Criss cross by Nina Rybárová e Tomáš Rybár, CZ/SK, 2023
Czapu Czipu by Tomasz Głodek and Bogna Sroka-Mucha, PL, 2014
Griffure by Julien Plau, FRA, 2021
Le temps d’un trait by Clément La Chimia, FRA, 2019
Luce and the rock by Britt Raes, BEL/NED/FRA, 2022
Muteum by Äggie Pak Yee Lee, CHN, 2017
Naeris di Piret Sigus by Silja Saarepuu, EST, 2022
None of That by Isabela Littger, Anna Paddock and Kriti Kaur, USA, 2015
Ouléou? by Alice Juan, FRA, 2022
Shackle by Ainslie Henderson, UK, 2022
Snail the Painter by Manuela Vladic-Maštruko, HR, 2018
Somni by Sonja Rohleder, GER, 2023
The artist and the kid by Sasank Dhulipudi, IND, 2017
Tiger the cat by Arnolds Burovs, LV, 1967
Varken by Jorn Leeuwerink, NED, 2022
Reviews by Rael Montecucco
Babovka: Mina is playing in the playground when a group of bullies approaches her on their bicycles and “kidnaps” her beloved stuffed toy. Will she manage to save her soft friend? A little adventure on the value of friendship.
Griffure: After a fight, two tiger cubs leave for a journey in the underground, which leads them to the discovery of a colorful yet strange world. They are going to face some dangerous situations, but they will manage to find their way home by sticking together and also thanks to the help of an odd friend.
Luce and the rock: Luce lives with her mom in a small village with few neat houses, where life flows at a specific pace and according to specific rules. When one day a large rock detaches from a mountain, falling right in the middle of the village, everyone’s life turns upside-down. Luce will become friends with the rock and will try to bring peace back into everyone’s life. This award-winning animation teaches us not to be afraid of what is different.
The Turnip: A turnip in a garden is the heart of the life of thousands of bugs and beasties living in the subsoil. Also, moles, worms, mice and caterpillars build their lives around a turnip’s roots. But when one day a farmer decides to harvest it and rip it out of the ground, these animals decide to join forces to save their turnip.
Shackle: Three hairy wood creatures compete for the ownership of pine cones, which are vital for their daytime and nighttime activities. Will they be able to strike a balance? This stop-motion animation with puppets has a dreamy and magical atmosphere, but with a hint of darkness.
Pig: Thanks to its nose, used as a power outlet, a large pig generates electricity for the whole town, where other animals live happily and ever more frantically. The pig’s resources, however, are not endless: the animals will have to rethink their life paces and needs, in order to find an alternative solution to this “electrical” pig. This odd adventure, filled with unexpected and hilarious moments, will make us reflect on our addiction to non-renewable energy resources.
Recensioni a cura di Virginia Carolfi
CLASH: come può un artista frustrato guarire dall’impasse? Forse proprio grazie a un’opera da lui creata.
CODE ROSE: cortometraggio antimilitarista senza retorica, che trasforma il fenicottero (oggi ormai simbolo di cocktail e piscine estive) in arma di pacificazione di massa.
CRISS CROSS: utilizzando la tecnica del ricamo in versione “animata”, il duo slovacco ci racconta una storia di amicizia vera e presunta, il tutto raccontato come se la tovaglia della nonna prendesse vita.
CZAPU CZIPU: Paolino e il suo Cappellino sono inseparabili, vivono mille avventure in un universo delizioso e bidimensionale, fatto di colori a cera e folate di vento dispettose.
LE TEMPS D’UN TRAIT: se la quotidianità a volte può essere difficile da sopportare, un artista può sempre rifugiarsi nella fantasia per trovare una via di fuga.
MUTUEM: una guida di museo molto sui generis accompagna una scolaresca in una visita guidata. L’improvvisa assenza dell’adulta scatena la fantasia dei discoli in gita.
NONE OF THAT: in perfetta coerenza con i recenti fatti che hanno visto un insegnante statunitense sospeso per aver mostrato il David di Michelangelo durante una lezione di storia dell’arte, questo corto esilarante ci mostra il lato B del fanatismo.
OULÉOU?: un trasloco, si sa, è traumatizzante per i grandi, figuriamoci per i piccoli. Un corto dolcissimo sull’importanza di lasciar andare il passato.
SNAIL THE PAINTER: lumachine con doti artistiche ci mostrano quanto i colori siano straordinari da soli e mischiati tra loro. Una gioia per gli occhi.
SOMNI: colori fluorescenti e sfondo nero per questo piccolo capolavoro di animazione. Seguiamo la scimmietta nei suoi sogni e nella giungla onirica e psichedelica.
THE ARTIST AND THE KID: un artista in cerca di ispirazione trova finalmente la sua strada tra le vie di un villaggio di montagna, tutto grazie a un misterioso bambino comparso dal nulla.
TIGER THE CAT: straordinario corto lettone del 1967 in cui un bimbo, vittima di un sortilegio e tramutato in un giocattolo, la scampa proprio grazie al suo astuto gatto.
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