An often repeated program at The Lake County Film Festival, Shorts With Kids are films with younger subjects in the film, they are not films specifically for kids. Similarly, the animated shorts program involves adult topics like a mastectomy. This program features short films that might not be appropriate for young children.
Saturday, May 31st
11:00am
Animated Short Films
Quem Salva
Narrative • Action • France • 2023 • 7 Minutes
Directors: Laure Devin, Maxime Bourstin, Nathan Medam, Charles Hechinger, Titouan Jaouen
Sidnei is a young recruit of the fire department that is fighting forest fires in the Amazon. During his first mission, he will be separated from the group and have to undertake a perilous mission, guided by his mentor, Joao. Sidnei will be confronted with a choice: follow the orders of the hierarchy or save a thousand-year-old tree at the risk of his life.
Autophagy
Narrative • Drama • UK • 2024 • 11 Minutes
Director: Edie Lawrence
Cast: Tom Gould, Sydney Crocker
A waterborne disease ravages a town, the affliction slowly morphing the townsfolk into octopi. With the societal hatred building towards those who are suffering, a couple has the limited choice: afford the medication to carry on living or drink the water and suffer being shunned.
Plunge
Narrative • Documentary • UK • 2024 • 8 Minutes
Director: Ellie Land
Katie Wotton takes an incredible journey to regain control of her life through reconnecting to nature and the sea.
Learning To Fly
Narrative • Adventure • USA • 2024 • 3 Minutes
Director: Sam Slowik
This stop-motion film features the adventure of Lego Man and his friend Rig as they set out to learn how to fly. Watch as Lego Man tries to fly and fails multiple times but, with the help and support of Rig, takes to the skies in no time.
Family Portrait Of The Black Earth
Narrative • Drama • Bulgaria • 2024 • 10 Minutes
Director: Ivan Popov-Zaeka
A loving husband’s quest to find a replacement breast for his cancer-stricken wife ends up in the botany books.
Bird Drone
Narrative • Romance • Australia • 2023 • 9 Minutes
Director: Radheya Jang Jegatheva
A heartfelt story of unrequited love explored through a lonely seagull struggling to accept that his newfound object of affection is a human-operated drone with a limited battery life.
Hang
Narrative • Music Video • USA • 2025 • 3 Minutes
Director: Sam Slowik
Lego Man and Rig work on building the spaceship of their dreams while rocking out to the amazing music of Bad Crime.
Shorts With Kids
Calico
Narrative • Drama • UK • 2024 • 15 Minutes
Director: Jake Mavity
Cast: Jamali Maddix, Malaysia Newland, Alec Nicholls, Jennifer Preston
Lorrie is miserable at school, bullied for her severe vitiligo. She steals the school’s talking goldfish, escapes from school, and briefly enjoys freedom. However, the pair run into danger, putting their new friendship under threat.
Ruby
Narrative • Comedy • USA • 2024 • 13 Minutes
Director: Jaclyn Bethany
Cast: Sarah Schuler, Fallon Goodson, Sky Hardison, Mary Steiffel
An unconventional friendship blossoms between a spirited Catholic schoolgirl and a quirky nun as they support each other through the challenges of life and sexuality. Together, they bring about change in a system that has been resistant.
