Melbourne International Film Festival 2012 Announces Next Gen Program

Kauwboy - Netherlands (81 mins, dir. Boudewijn Koole)

MIFF Next Gen LogoWith the Sydney Film Festival 2012 program announced this week, it means that the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) isn’t too far behind. As a sneak peek, MIFF has announced the titles on their Next Gen program.

The official site describes the program as “entertaining and challenging cinema aimed at a younger audience. Films screening during the week are programmed with teachers and students from upper primary to upper secondary year levels in mind. Films screened on the weekend are designed for families and community groups”.

A mix of animation, drama and documentary, the films on the Next Gen program are:

  • 11 Flowers – China/France (110 mins, dir. Wang Xiaoshui)
  • A Letter to Momo – Japan (120 mins, dir. Hiroyuki Okiura)
  • A Monster in Paris – France (87 mins, dir. Bibo Bergeron)
  • Bully – USA (99 mins, dir. Lee Hirsch)
  • First Position – USA (94 mins, dir. Bess Kargman)
  • Kauwboy – Netherlands (81 mins, dir. Boudewijn Koole)
  • Le Tableau – France (76 mins, dir. Jean-François Laguionie)
  • Only the Young + Inocente – USA (68 mins, dir. Elizabeth Mims and Jason Tippet / 40 mins, dir. Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine)
  • Paranorman – USA (TBA, dir. Chris Butler and Sam Fell)
  • The Mirror Never Lies – Indonesia (100 mins, dir. Kamila Andini)
  • Wild Bill – UK (98 mins, dir. Dexter Fletcher)
  • Wunderkinder – Germany (100 mins, dir. Marcus Rosenmüller)

So what about the rest of the program? The MIFF Opening Night film will be unveiled next week on May 15, with a First Glance of the program on 5 June. On 11 July members can start buying tickets from the full program, announced on 13 July.

For the record, and in the interest of intercity rivalry, 11 Flowers, Bully and First Position will also be playing at the Sydney Film Festival in June.

MIFF 2012 will run from 2 – 19 August 2012 across Melbourne. Dates and screening times can be found on the official site.