News-o-matic KIDS FIRST! Film Festival

ANIMALS - REAL AND ANIMATED

Expired January 18, 2022 4:45 AM
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14 films in package
GREAT WHITE SHARKS
Lakan Duskin is 10 years old. This Lego stop-motion video was his 4th grade final project.
HOPPER'S DAY
A cricket wants to achieve the dream in an abandoned quarry.
DEEP FEARS
A sea otter who is afraid of the ocean is challenged to face his fears when he loses his precious pink shell necklace at sea.
FLIT
The student produced short film, Flit has a relationship with flies and humans never seen before. When the fly befriends the human a new hope emerges for the world.
PEACH!
A young monkey looks forward to eating a giant peach, but a panda makes it a challenging task.
THE DOG WHO BROUGHT HOME THE SUN
In the dead of winter with no food and resources, a dog seeks to catch the sun.
REGINALD THE FLYING LLAMA
A llama named Reginald has dreams that are sky high, because all he wants is to be able to fly.
LONELY WOODS
A short animated film about a dog living an abandoned town. One day when he is resting, the dog encounters a mysterious glowing orb that leads him on a journey into his past.
BAD BUGS
10 year old Bryn made a claymation movie about the importance of using "natural solutions for your bug problems" - something she's passionate about.
BIRDTOPIA
Four common city birds set out to save their homes from urban expansion. An Animated Storytelling project.
JINGLE THE DOG - A CHRISTMAS STORY
A heartwarming tale about a happy and clueless family pet in a wild Christmas adventure as Jingle the Dog is thrust into the real world.
LILLY GOES TO THE DOGS
Lilly, a 10-foot tall orange monster, visits a the Victoria Dog Show, but her friend Fluffle gets sequestered in the mutt pen! Will Lilly take Best in Show?
ZAMZOOM'S ANIMAL ADVENTURES
Join Zamzoom, an enthusiastic space animal and his partner, Orbie, on an uproarious intergalactic expedition to Earth.
LUCKY
This short animated film is great for kids with its classic, easy to understand story about friendship. Kids will love the funny humor and creative magic that’s part of it.
This virtual screening is eligible for audience awards! Unlock it to cast your vote.

This collection of films comes from indie and student filmmakers worldwide. Each one talks about animals in some way or other.

A sea otter who is afraid of the ocean is challenged to face his fears when he loses his precious pink shell necklace at sea.


Juror comments: This is exactly the type of film that KIDS FIRST! loves! It is truly a delight. The student produced, animated film Deep Fears is wonderfully produced and shows a story of growth and personal change. Without using any words, the film is able to show the struggle of the sea otter that is afraid of the water and what he does to overcome it. It's easy to understand and fun to watch.


The story follows a sea otter that is afraid of water and is attacked by a crab and loses his necklace in the water. After he almost drowns getting it, he is rescued by a seal that helps get him accustomed to the water.


I like how this story is told without using any words, and I like how the sea otter overcomes his fear. The animation is quite lovely and portrays the sea otter quite well, especially its exaggerated expressions. My favorite camera shot is when the sea otter is about to drown and is saved by the seal. The entire film takes place on the seashore and in the sea. The background music is exquisite and really enhances the action. For example, in the beginning, it is sad music, which accompanies us seeing the sea otter being afraid of water. Later, at the end, there is happy music when he overcomes his fears.


The main two characters are the sea otter and the seal, both of which are animated. Ryan Chu directs and Joseph Bucsit creates the music. The crew on this film are all students and their work excels in every way. My favorite part of the film is seeing the sea otter poking and prodding at the water, as it really gives a sense of frustration and of fear.


The film's message is about overcoming one's fear, and how a friend in need is a friend indeed. The beautiful ending showing the two friends together, the otter and the seal, watching the sun set and their images in the sand says it all.


I give Deep Fears 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12. Reviewed by Raj S., KIDS FIRST! Juror

  • Year
    2020
  • Runtime
    3:23
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    United States
  • Director
    Ryan Chu
  • Screenwriter
    Ryan Chu
  • Editor
    Reese Hanchadrick, Kyle Russell
  • Animator
    Izzat Marchi, Jonathan Thomas Yip, Kelly Juarez , Georgina Fang , Kenneth Cheung , Amro Emghaoech, Kristen Tan
  • Sound Design
    Harvey Carrasco
  • Music
    Joseph Bucsit
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