FeKKids (9+)

Curated for FeKK’s youngest audience, starting from 9 years onwards, the programme encapsulates both the beauty and pain of maturing. It shows that childhood isn’t all glitter and joy, yet what matters is what we learn from this lesson—how we make space for grief and shame while continuing to live and grow around it.

The programme starts with an almost satirical animation, Hello, Summer (2024), that reminds us of the importance of compromises, especially on family vacations. The film combines different animation techniques that add to its general chaos and fast-paced rhythm. The second film, Sheep (2024), takes us to Tehran in Iran, where we follow a young and determined protagonist ready to change a tradition that feels unnecessary. The film’s quirky yet dark style offers a soft answer to the brutality of old rituals and shows the anxiety of young people in a grown-up world that doesn’t seem to serve them. In the tender portrait, Summer of Dreams (2024), the author tells the story of body, resilience, and the bittersweet line between youth and illness, focusing on community and shared experience. We conclude the programme with the French animation Yuck! (2024). Yuck! is a love story that seamlessly makes space for emotional growth while testing the limits of youthful intimacy.

With no single unifying theme, the films in this programme share a dream of a different future—one where the power of an individual lies in connection with others. Whether facing illness, inherited traditions, or emotional challenges, each protagonist finds a unique way of dealing with reality. The programme Summer of Dreams empowers audiences of all ages, and most importantly, it trusts the audience’s ability to think, feel, and grow.

Jelena Radić