The 38th edition of the Antwerp Youth Film Festival opens this Sunday at Kinepolis Antwerpen with the premiere of the Belgian animated film "Miss Moxy".
Directed by Vincent Bal and Wip Vernooij, "Miss Moxy" marks a new musical feline adventure, releasing 24 years after the classic film "Minoes".
The festival runs during the school holiday week, from 14 to 22 February, and will also tour Bruges, Ghent, Leuven, Kortrijk, Roeselare, and Hamme. It caters to children and young people aged 1.5 to 18 years and is represented by ambassadors Manu Van Acker and Nona ‘t Jolle.
Audiences can look forward to over 285 film screenings, 26 workshops, and 23 interactive game installations. Highlights include "De Mini’s", a sitcom teaching preschoolers about sustainability and teamwork, and the coming-of-age film "Koning van de zwervers" (King of the wanderers), starring Ward Kerremans, which tackles mental health taboos.
For the first time, visitors will be able to vote for the "Best Film" award alongside the Ketnet jury.
The festival attracted 30,000 attendees last year, a figure organisers hope to match this year. To achieve this, they will focus on workshops, intergenerational activities, and crafts that bring children and grandparents together.
Additionally, an inflatable cinema will travel from park to square across Antwerp, setting up in a new location each day to reach as many children as possible.
