Return of the Children’s International Film Festival
The Children’s International Film Festival is set to make a highly anticipated return to Sydney and Melbourne from 6 June, offering a diverse lineup of 30 films tailored for young audiences. The festival will run across several weeks, showcasing a wide range of animated and live-action features from various regions including Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
One of the standout films at this year’s festival is Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, an Oscar-nominated adaptation of Amélie Nothomb’s autobiographic novel about growing up in Japan. This film recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and will be shown in English for the first time in Australia during the event.
In addition to this headlining feature, the festival will also include a special screening of the much-anticipated Toy Story 5 as part of a ‘Family Fun Day’ event, providing a delightful experience for families attending the festival.
Key Details About the 2026 Festival
The Children’s International Film Festival 2026 will take place between 6 June and 10 July in both Sydney and Melbourne. According to Thomas Caldwell, CHIFF Artist Director, “This is the only festival in Australia where the films are selected exclusively with children in mind.” He further added that these internationally acclaimed films have been showcased at some of the most prestigious overseas festivals dedicated to young audiences, aiming to inspire magic, adventure, and curiosity in the minds of young cinephiles.
The festival will be held at several venues, including Classic Cinemas Elsternwick, Lido Cinemas Hawthorn, and Cameo Cinemas Belgrave in Melbourne, as well as Ritz Cinemas Randwick in Sydney. Sessions will run throughout the festival period, providing multiple opportunities for families to attend.
Five Major Film Highlights
Here are five major film highlights from the Children’s International Film Festival:
The Last Whale Singer (dir. Reza Memari) – Vincent, a teenage humpback whale, is the orphaned son of the last Whale Singer, whose magical song once protected the oceans. Burdened by the loss of his parents, Vincent doubts his own abilities. When the monstrous Leviathan escapes from a melting iceberg, threatening all marine life with its poisonous ink, Vincent must find his own song to stop the threat.
Tales from the Magic Garden (dir. Patrik Pašš, Jean-Claude Rozec, David Súkup, Leon Vidmar) – Siblings Tom, Suzanne, and Derek spend the night at their grandparents’ house, but nothing is as usual. Grandpa does not seem himself, and Grandma, who used to tell the most incredible stories, is no longer with them. Following in Grandma’s footsteps, Suzanne takes up the task of filling her absence and begins to improvise stories of her own, filled with wonder and imagination.
Emma & Thomas (dir. Mia Fridthjof) – Emma’s world is turned upside down when her family moves into a new house and welcomes a new baby brother. Lost and lonely, Emma can’t imagine how her new house will ever feel like home, and doesn’t know how to find new friends. That all changes when she meets Thomas, the energetic boy who lives next door with his grandma. Bound by a shared eagerness to explore life, they become the best of friends.
Conni – Mystery of the Crane (dir. Dirk Hampel) – While her parents are away travelling, Conni has an exciting adventure of her own at home when she and her friends find an injured crane who urgently needs help. With the help of her cat Mau and Grandpa Willi – and despite their grumpy neighbour – Conni and her friends will do all they can to help the crane fly south in time to join the other migrating birds.
Into the Wonderwoods (dir. Vincent Paronnaud, Alexis Ducord) – Angelo is 10 years old and has a vibrant imagination where he pictures himself as a rough and fearless explorer. While on a road trip with his family to visit his sick granny, his parents are so distracted that they leave him behind at a rest stop. Little does Angelo know, he is about to enter a mysterious world inhabited by strange and wonderful creatures, as well as the robot minions of an insecure and malevolent being.
To view the full lineup, visit the event’s website. The Children’s International Film Festival takes place in Sydney and Melbourne between 6 June and 10 July. Discover more screen, games & arts news and reviews on ArtsHub. Sign up for our free ArtsHub newsletters.
