LoveLove Films are very pleased to reveal that Chin Up will be screened at the 2020 New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF).

Following a very successful festival run in 2019, our animated documentary Chin Up has been officially selected for the New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) 2020. The festival takes place at selected venues across New York City between February 21^st and March 15^th 2020.

The NYICFF was first established in 1997. Each year, the festival showcases the best new animation, live action, documentary, and experimental films from all around the world, welcoming over 25,000 young people, parents, and movie-lovers to explore the globe through film, all without having to leave New York City!

Since its inception, an impressive 38 NYICFF films have been recognised with Academy Award® and nominations, and in 2011, NYICFF became an Oscar®-qualifying event. Consequently, winners of the festival’s juried prizes are eligible for Academy consideration in the Best Live Action and Best Animated Short Film categories. The NYICFF Jury comprises filmmakers, actors, and academic and industry leaders who are committed to recognizing and supporting the best in innovative, diverse, and artistically excellent film for young audiences across the globe.

Commenting on Chin Up’s NYICFF Selection, producer Georgina Hurcombe said:

“We’re so thrilled that Chin Up has been selected for the New York International Children’s Film Festival. It’s such a fantastic, international event, and its commitment to screening innovative and diverse content makes the festival an excellent fit for Chin Up.”

New York International Children’s Film Festival

Chin Up was first conceived when the concept was pitched to people-powered content network MOFILM, as part of their ‘Many Voices’ global initiative project. Following the ‘Year of Women’ in 2018 – which saw female empowerment reach new heights – MOFILM asked filmmakers from around the world to respond to the question, “What does the year of women mean where you are?” The LoveLove Team’s response to this was Chin Up.

LoveLove Films won the pitch with Chin Up, and our very own animator JoAnne took on the role of director for the animation, which represented her own story about living with Treacher Collins Syndrome, a genetic condition characterised my physical deformity. JoAnne is now living her dream as an animator and a female creative, proud to demonstrate that her insecurities haven’t stopped her from reaching for the stars. The animation blends 2D mixed media animation and illustration in its scrapbook style vision to bring JoAnne’s story to life.

A still from “Chin Up”

Commenting on Chin Up, director JoAnne Salmon said:

“Chin Up is, at its essence, a story of hope and self-acceptance. My story. It’s about following your dreams and persevering in the face of adversity and embracing all the quirks that make you, you! I have learned that being different is not always about outside appearances, it can be on the inside too and everyone wants to feel accepted.”

 

If you’d like more information on the MOFILM – Many Voices competition, it can be found here: https://www.mofilm.com/many-voices-launches-today/

To find out more about JoAnne’s story and how Chin Up came together, follow this link: https://lovelovefilms.com/portfolio/chin-up-case-study-2/

To attend New York International Children’s Film Festival, or to find out more information, head over to their webpage: https://www.asff.co.uk