Thousands of girls and boys aged between 6 and 11 years will flock to the Velodrome for the screening of a film combining cinema and science in an activity co-organised by the San Sebastian Festival, the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) and the Filmoteca Vasca. This year, the Ikastetxeak Belodromoan screenings will enable viewers to travel to prehistoric times and to learn more about volcanoes, aiming to convey a positive image of science to schoolchildren from the province, as well as to highlight the city’s strong links with scientific research.
The Velodrome’s giant screen will show Boonie Bears: Blast Into the Past (Boonie Bears: Abentura Historiaurrean in Basque), an animated film directed by Leon Ding about a group of animals stuck in the past. Screening of the film, dubbed into Basque, will come with an original and entertaining explanation of volcanoes.
The vulcanologist from Granada University, Janire Prudencio, will be the guest scientist at this latest edition of Ikastetxeak Belodromoan. Prudencio has worked on more than 20 active volcanoes, from Japan to Antarctica, as well as on the latest eruptions in Iceland and the island of La Palma, giving her extensive knowledge of the volcanic phenomenon. Her work focuses on studying the internal structure of volcanoes and on applying AI techniques to identify the precursors of volcanic eruptions. Janire will share her experience among volcanoes with the young audience in the Velodrome.
Since 2019, the screenings for schools programmed at the San Sebastian Festival enjoy the collaboration of the DIPC and the Filmoteca Vasca. More than 13,000 students from some 80 schools will attend six morning showings at the Velodrome on Friday 22, and from Monday 25 to Friday 29 inclusive.
With the slogan City of Cinema, City of Science, this collaboration develops in a context combining educational experience with entertainment for an audience who, for example, had great fun with Pepper the robot last year at the sessions on robotics.
On the other hand, the San Sebastian Festival will show a selection of six titles for family audiences at its 71st edition. During the first weekend and second Saturday of the event, the Príncipe cinemas will host screenings in the Movies for Kids section, including five animated movies and one with real images. All can be seen dubbed into Basque thanks to the collaboration of Zineuskadi as part of the Zinema Euskaraz (Films in Basque) programme.
Ainbo: la guerrera del Amazonas (Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon / Ainbo: Amazoniako gerraria) is a Peruvian film co-directed by Jose Zelada and Richard Claus, bringing the tale of a young archer who sets out on a journey to save her people from the white man’s destructive power.
A little snail who longs to see the world and hitches a lift on a whale’s tail stars in the British production The Snail and the Whale (Barraskiloa eta balea eta itsasoko beste ipuin batzuk) directed by Max Lang.
Brought to us by the Japanese director Kazuaki Imai, Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's New Dinosaur (Doraemon Movie: Nobitaren Dinosaurio Berria) is the Spanish premiere of the new film adventure featuring one of the most popular characters with children’s audiences down through the years.
The Swedish filmmaker Engeli Broberg puts her name to Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13 (Gabi, 8 urtetik 13 urtera), a non-fiction with real images documenting the childhood and everyday life of a person who struggles to define their gender identity.
Moonbound (Ilargirantz) is a German-Austrian production which, directed by Ali Samadi Ahadi, narrates the voyage undertaken by little Peter with Mr Zoomzeman the beetle and Sandman to rescue his young sister from the clutches of the evil Moon Man.
Completing the Movies for Kids section is Just Super (Superheroien familia), in which the Norwegian director Rasmus A. Sivertsen narrates the adventures of Hedvig, a girl who has to convince those around her that she too can be a superheroine like her father.
Ikastetxeak Belodromoan
Vick and the bears find themselves stuck in the ancient past surrounded by gigantic animals who all seem to have one thing in mind: lunch! When our heroes get separated, Briar meets up with a young wolf named Feifei, who is intent on becoming a brave warrior.
Movies for kids
In the spirit of Moana and Frozen, Ainbo - Spirit of the Amazon is the epic journey of a young hero set in the heart of the Indian peoples, with an effective ecologist message for those dedicated to exploiting nature. Young Ainbo lives in the deepest Amazon jungle. After losing her mother and fighting with the adults of her little village, the bow-toting youngster sets out on a journey to save her people from the destructive power of the white man. Ainbo follows the adventures of the young hero and her spirit guides: Dillo, a cute and humorous armadillo, and Vaca, a goofy oversized tapir, who embark on a quest to save their home in the spectacular Amazon Rainforest. Film not recommended for children under the age of 7.
Ambitious and eager to see the world, a little snail climbs onto the tail of a humpback whale to travel the seas. But one day the whale loses his way and ends up beached in a secluded bay. Will the little snail know how to save him? A delightful story of unlikely friendship taking us to the most surprising and magical places of the underwater world. Film suitable for all audiences.
Nobita finds a stone that looks like a dinosaur egg fossil while visiting a dinosaur exhibition with his school. Using the Doraemon time cloth, he returns the fossil to its original state and twin dinosaurs emerge from the egg. Film suitable for all audiences.
Gabi just wants to be Gabi. But it's is not as easy as it sounds. For five years we follow Gabi and her struggle to find herself in a society governed by gender classifications. Film not recommended for children under the age of 7.
Eleven-year-old Hedvig has shrunk daddy's superhero-costume so now he can no longer be the Super Lion. Her life turns around when she has the chance to take on the role of superheroine in place of her father. Film suitable for all audiences.
Peter sets out on a journey to a magical and mysterious territory to rescue his little sister Anne. He has to travel to the Moon no less! Anne was kidnapped while trying to help her beetle friend, Mr Zoomzeman, to find his wife. Film suitable for all audiences.