Summertime in Dublin can mean carrying an umbrella while eating ice cream, with seasons changing several times in one day. However, no matter the weather outside, there is inevitably a lull in cinema-going. Our IFI schools programme finishes in June, so summer gives us a chance to focus our attention on the family audience outside of school, in particular our annual family festival.
IFI Family Festival is the one time of the year when family film programming has a significant presence in the IFI schedule, outside of our monthly film slot. Concentrated over one weekend, we programme for children aged 4-12, aiming to offer a range of films that will appeal, as well as broaden their film horizons. We want to bring young audiences in contact with some of the best children’s films from around the world, and make our venue welcoming to families from across the city.
So many films made for children and young people each year, never see the screen of mainstream cinemas. The easy availability of huge back catalogues on DISNEY+ and other streamers, as well as cost of living, means it is harder to convince parents and guardians of the merit of paying for cinema, or to take a chance on an obscure title in another language. Here in Ireland, dubbing is not usual, but subtitles can be a deterrent, even with a subtitles reader. Nevertheless, we try each year to create a rich and varied programme, with some films that are very accessible, and at least one or two that push the boundaries of what kids would usually see.
Unsurprisingly, shorts programmes really work for us. There is such a huge amount of quality international shorts each year that just making the selection can be arduous. Yet it is always worth it. We find that parents will take a chance with the shorts, knowing that even if their kids don’t follow everything, the variety will keep their attention. We try to mix live action with different styles of animation, and reflect diversity and alternative topics – a tall order in a short programme, admittedly! Add-on activities and resources make a big difference too: families can feel they are getting value from their trip into the city, from the simplest colouring sheets, to animation workshops, to getting behind the scenes of the cinema.
The weekend is short, but across three days, and year on year, we often see the same people returning, so we must be doing something right! Sometimes, though, it is hard to accept when our film choices don’t get an audience. Marketing and comms can only do so much, if the sun is shining, or there are bigger, bolder events on elsewhere, we cannot compete. Nevertheless, at the end of each festival, we fold away our bunting and review our successes and failures. Come next summer, we will embark on it all again, ever hopeful that somewhere in our young audience, there will be a few kids captivated by the whole new world opening out on screen before them, igniting the spark for a lifetime of cinema.