|
 Carol Gold wanted to give children a chance Click here to see things that aren't on television or at the movie theater - independant films geared toward them.
The Saugatuck residents decided to start the Saugatuck Children's Film Festival, which kicks off Thursday and through November 23. The film festival is being held at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts.
Having spent the past six months going between Chicago and New York, Gold narrowed a list of around 70 movies to 20 to be shown at the festival.
"I am really interested in where children get their messages from," Gold said.
"This is a chance for us to provide them with something they otherwise wouldn't have a chance to Click here to see," Gold said. "These are good films and they have good messages."
Many of the films are based on popular children's books, including "Leo the Late Bloomer," by Robert Kraus, and "Where the Wild Things Are," by Maurice Sendak.
 "Daughter
from Danag," and award winning film at the Sundance Film
Festival, will be shown for teens and adults, Gold said.
The film schedule is divided by age groups. For children 4 to 8 years old, films will be shown from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Films for ages 9 - 14 will be shown from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
"Daughter from Danang" will be shown from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Gold, chairwoman of the festival, said she is hoping for between 600 and 1,000 children at the festival.
"It would be nice to have at least on full house, and that would be around 800. But, I guess we'll just have to find out," Gold said.
 While makers of the films being shown won't be present, Gold said there will be seminars with the film makers.
David Baker of Kalamazoo, who has worked in animation for several years, will speak at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Deborah Osment of Paw Paw, a film maker for 25 years, will speak from 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturday.
"We've got some great presenters and they are from right here in our backyard, which is great," Gold said.
All films will be shown at the center, 400 Culver St.
A ticket for one show is $5 or $10 for the entire event. Tickets are available at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, (269) 857-2399. |
