MICHEL Film Festival
by Becky Tan

The MICHEL Kinder and Jugend Filmfest ran parallel to the Filmfest Hamburg, September 30 – October 5. This special festival for children and young people celebrated its 20th anniversary. Abaton cinema was the festival center, hosting all the showings except one. For the opening film, LUCY IST JETZT GANGSTER, Abaton distributed free ice cream. There were 10 films from almost as many countries in German, French, Dutch, Croatian, etc. Films in foreign languages were spoken live in German by Marion Gretchen Schmitz and Saskia Brzyszcyk, who sat near the aisle with a microphone. There was a special selection of five short films grouped under the title Reihe für Minis, for youngsters four years and older. Young cinema experts introduced the films and conducted Q&A (question and answer) with the directors and actors, often in several languages. A group of 17 youngsters made their own short film, which was presented. The team, Michel Movie Kids, reported www.michelmoviekids.de. A jury of seven, between ages 12 and 16, selected the winner: GEHEIMNISVOLLEN SOMMER. The festival encourages new participation so that although some youngsters had former experience, many were new, including all the seven members of the jury. Everyone wore blue t-shirts with a festival logo and appeared in Abaton cinema and on the stage.

THREE REVIEWS:

MEINE CHAOSFEE UND ICH (MY FAIRY TROUBLEMAKER)
Caroline Origer, Luxemburg, Germany 2022

Twelve-year-old Maxie (Lisa-Marie Koroll) has moved to the city with her mother, Hanna. They live with Hanna’s friend Amir and his two sons Sami and Tarek, i.e., a patchwork family. It’s crowded in the city, but at least Maxie has her own bedroom. Violette (Jelia Haase) is a tooth fairy, 337 years old, living in her own fairy world. With the aid of a special button tied around her waist, she can enter the human world and bring presents to children and pick up their teeth which they had pulled and deposited under their pillows. Experienced fairies teach Violette her job, but somehow, she is never successful and her magic fails. Something always goes wrong, including the button on her waist; it fails, too, and she can no longer leave the human world. Violette and Maxie become friends and share their troubles. Maxie shows Violette the last green, wooded area in the city, where the trees will be cleared away so that a luxury hotel can be built. They must prevent this tragedy. Violette must find the window back into the fairy world.

In this animated film, Violette is small and chunky compared to the other fairies, which are constantly flying around. She would love to have a fart-pillow (Pupskissen) and she likes chocolate. Maxie is a sensible young girl and a good influence for Violette. The film is recommended for 6-12-year-olds. The story with its appreciation of environment, friendship, achieving goals, etc., appeals to older children. The actual animation is childish, especially when it involved the fairies, appealing to younger children.

KEIN KRACH UNTER MEINEM DACH (NO CHICANERY IN MY CABIN, PAS D’CHICANE DANS MA CABINE)
Sandrine Brodeut-Desrosiers, Canada 2022

Twelve-year-old Justine hangs out with her sixth-grade friends: Guillaume (Louka Belánger-Leos), Theo (Liam Patenaude), and Claudia (Charlie Fortier). She is considering participating in a talent contest. However, her main interest are her parents: they argue constantly, about nothing. Justine suggests a solution: divorce, which surprises the parents. If the parents take no initiative, then it’s up to Justine carry it out. She submits a divorce application at the official Court of Justice, but it is not accepted. No problem. Justine creates a Youth Court, which is a creative idea for the talent contest. Her friends help by being “on the jury.” And her parents actually show up for the case.

This fun movie revolves around a serious topic, to which many young people could relate. We learn that harmony in the family is important. Justine seriously attempts to solve the matter, but she is also jolly, constantly riding around with her friends on skateboards, eating bad - and then good – pizza. She also sees the “good” side of divorce. Guillaume has a different problem: his mother is deceased, and he must care for his father. This Canadian film is in French and stars five wonderful young actors who play their first, or first major, role in a film. The young people on stage in charge of introducing and discussing the film, leading questions from the audience in German and answers from the film makers in French, were excellently bilingual. They were students from Hamburg’s French school: the French Ecole Francaise de Hambourg, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

OINK (KNOR)
Mascha Hallerstad, Netherlands 2022

Oink is a small pig given to Babs (Hiba Ghafry) by her grandfather Tuitjes (Kees Prins), who has returned from the USA after a long absence. Perhaps a pig is not a traditional house pet, but nine-year-old Babs enjoys playing with Oink during school holidays. Her mother Margreet (Jelka von Houten) is skeptical; Oink regularly poops all over her garden. Also, why did her father chose this time to return after 25 years of leaving her alone? What is his relationship with Smak, the local butcher (Johnny Kraaljkamp)? Oink is quite happy, eating, sleeping, playing, and shitting. This doesn’t always concur with family regulations. Perhaps Oink needs some stricter upbringing. Baps signs him up for the puppy school, where he can learn to come, sit, wait, etc. Soon we learn that Grandfather Tuitjes has returned for the upcoming King Sausage Contest. Why not, since making sausages is his talent, but - wait - what source will provide the ingredients?

In the original Dutch version, Oink’s name is Knor. Shitting is a main topic with frequent poops and actual excretion in big piles. Babs busily takes care of Oink, but she also loves to skateboard around the village with her friend Tjin (Matsen Montsma). There is an Aunt Christine (Loes Luca) who has her opinions. My colleague, Amber, age 10, says, “Grandpa had so many secrets. He was bad.” Luckily, Babs and Tjin are able to reveal Grandpa’s secrets, including why he originally left the family. This is a wonderfully animated film for all ages, with lessons on protection of animals, vegetarianism, healthy nutrition, safeguarding your surroundings and more.