transformers in disguise!One of the more excellent things we’ve seen land in the Wellingtonista’s intray that allows harried parents to entertain their kids for FREE these holidays, is the Film Festival taking place down at the Film Archive. So if you’ve got a loved one at home looking after some housebound kiddy-winkles, give ’em a call and tell them to head along…

Classic Cartoons for Kids includes the world’s first Mickey Mouse cartoon Steamboat Willie (1928), Walt Disney classics To Itch His Own (1958) and Ferdinand the Bull (1938), plus a 1933 puppet animation by New Zealand’s own Len Lye. Also on the programme is Maurice Sendak’s classic childrens tale Where The Wild Things Are (1973). This programme is for children aged 5-12.

Animation Nation – New Zealand Animation 1936-2006 collects New Zealand animations from the past 70 years for an audience of kids aged 10-13+. The programme takes in classic stop-motion, claymation and 3D animation. One of the highlights of Animation Nation is Mr Stinky’s World of Trash (2006), a 3D film made by local animator Mike Heynes. Visitors to the screening will be given a special pair of glasses to enhance the effect of characters leaping out from the screen and moving in space! Also on the entirely New Zealand bill are two films by Len Lye including The Birth of the Robot (1936), and James Cunningham’s award winning digital animation Delf (1997). This programme is for children aged 10-13+.

Both programmes run for approximately 45 minutes are guaranteed to entertain kids and their parents. The Archive will selling it’s usual range of coffee, tea and refreshments to hungry Kids Film Festival goers.

Location: New Zealand Film Archive Mediatheatre
Time: 11am

  • Wednesday 4th July
    Classic Cartoons for Kids (Ages 5-12)
  • Monday 9th July
    Stop Motion, Claymation & 3D (Ages 10-13+)
  • Tuesday 10th July
    Classic Cartoons for Kids (Ages 5-12)
  • Wednesday 11th July
    Stop Motion, Claymation & 3D (Ages 10-13+)

[photo: frame enlargement from The Birth of the Robot (1936) by Len Lye. courtesy of the Len Lye Foundation Collection; New Zealand Film Archive / Nga Kaitiaki O Nga Taonga Whitiahua]