Celebrating its 10th year, the Boston International Kids Film Festival returns Nov. 18-20 at the Watertown Mosesian Center for the Arts for a celebration of films by, for, and about kids.
The festival weekend will feature roughly 80 films from 12 countries alongside youth-focused workshops and panel discussions. Filmmakers Collaborative, a nonprofit organization providing sponsorship, trainings, mentorship, and classes for young filmmakers, hosts the annual event.
The festival will present three main featured films along with feature-length documentaries, short films, and animated shorts created for viewers 10 and younger. Some films in the lineup were made by students from the after-school and summer filmmaking program “FC Academy,” also run by Filmmakers Collaborative.
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Two of the featured films screening this year have local ties. “Girl Talk,” directed by veteran filmmaker Lucia Small, screens on Nov. 18 and follows a Newton all-girls high school debate team vying for a national title. “Coppelia,” showing on Nov. 20, retells the story of the classic ballet about a doll brought to life and features local Boston Ballet dancer, author, and activist Michaela DePrince.
Additional festival programming will include acting and animation workshops for kids, panel discussions for professional filmmakers, hands-on-activities, and live performances. A kiosk run by the New York City-based organization Storybooth will invite kids to record themselves telling a short personal story for the chance to see that story animated and showcased on one of Storybooth’s streaming platforms.
On Nov. 19, the festival will host its annual award ceremony. Awards will be presented for best student narrative film, best student documentary, best international film, and more.
The Boston International Kids Film Festival, Nov. 18-20, Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown. bikff.org
Joy Ashford can be reached at joy.ashford@globe.com. Follow them on Twitter @joy_ashford.