Schedule

Stand Up & Shout: Songs From a Philly High School

Students at Philadelphia’s Hill-Freedman World Academy work with local musicians to create an album of powerful, original songs that captures both the challenging times they are living in and the joy that music brings.

Breaking Plans

Emma, Sarah, and Amelia are best friends navigating their way through 5th-grade life together. The friendship is tested when Sarah seemingly abandons Emma, Amelia and their school project for reasons that shock Emma and Amelia.​

​The story explores the struggles of children who encounter family challenges, the avenues of support and the importance of genuine and strong friendships in our lives.

Matildas Monster

Matilda and her Mother move to a new town, but it is hard for Matilda to make new friends there. One Day she meets a big but lovely monster in the forest behind their new home. They become friends – but can the monster really help her, to find some new friends as well?

Spot the Potted Plant

When a young Latino boy receives a potted plant instead of a dog, he learns about responsibility and that friendship can come in unexpected forms. 

The Last Song

 Tragedy strikes when Josh’s father passes away suddenly, he goes numb, leaving Andy his best friend, perplexed. Despite Andy’s attempts to comfort him, Josh distances himself, grappling with newfound responsibilities. As their friendship hangs on the edge, unresolved tensions simmer beneath the surface. But in the quiet moments that follow, Josh’s facade begins to crack, revealing the emotions he’s kept hidden. With uncertainty looming, Josh and Andy navigate the uncharted territory of grief with their friendship bearing witness to the test of time. 

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

• When 6 year old Wilfrid finds out that his 96 year old best friend Nancy has lost her memory, he sets out to see if he can get it back.

Indivisible

An Iranian American teen struggles to host her newly immigrated cousin.

Jesus Thief

• A young boy at a strict Catholic school must reexamine his perceptions of right and wrong when he is blackmailed into stealing the Baby Jesus from the class nativity scene.

My Sunday Afternoon with Paula

My Sunday Afternoon with Paula is a heartfelt documentary that chronicles the journey of Paula Rogovin, a retired kindergarten teacher and lifelong environmental activist. The film delves into her inspiring journey to end the use of pesticides in New York City parks with an unexpected but powerful team. Paula’s unwavering passion and commitment to protecting the environment have made her a true climate hero, offering a glimpse into the extraordinary influence that one person can have when driven by zeal and compassion.

Operation: Stuplloyd

In her tented fortress, 12-year-old Jaz briefs her spy squad—Bahi (12) and Anja (11)—on a mission to thwart Stuplloyd, her “evil” stepfather. Their heist begins with stealing his glasses and coffee, but cracks in the team emerge as Bahi and Anja defect to Lloyd’s side. Alone, Jaz presses on, only to face a final showdown with Lloyd, where she questions whether he’s really the villain she imagined.

Sunflower Girl

• Rosie, a 13-year-old Chinese-American girl, embarks on a skateboarding escapade through the streets of New York with her crush and his best friend – at the cost of abandoning her little sister and never delivering a forgotten lunchbox.

Who Needs Teachers?

Isha Sahni, a spirited ten-year-old, grows weary of her teachers’ rules and control. Determined to rebel, she challenges them at every opportunity. But her plans take an unexpected turn when she meets her match in Mrs. Khanna, her new English teacher. Instead of scolding, Mrs. Khanna responds with playful wit, leaving Isha intrigued. As their clashes continue, Isha learns valuable lessons about respecting teachers and knowing they aren’t just authority figures but mentors who place our well-being before theirs.

Chessmate

An inexperienced teen finds himself in a prestigious chess tournament final, facing a worthy opponent.

Distansya: A Potter's Journey

Looking to reconnect with his Filipino heritage, bridging his biracial identity, Toby Clackson forged his own path, embarking on a journey of self discovery through ceramics. This is his story.

Héritage

• A teenager, disinterested in her Louisiana Creole heritage, finds herself having to entertain a visitor who only speaks what sounds like French. She’ll discover how magical it can be to connect with one’s heritage.

Kid Chrysalis: Butterfly Warrior

17-year-old Chris Caden has a big secret, and it’s not that their Dad, Andres Caden, is a superhero protecting their city from crime! Nope, it’s that Chris also has a superpower of their own: a supernatural ability to transform into a mythical butterfly heroine! But as an otherworldly danger draws near, Chris’ secret identity won’t be a secret for long, and their new superhero expression will soon become a family matter.

Wandering Minds & Lost Lessons

Every year in rural Indian communities, millions of underprivileged families are forced to migrate in search of better job opportunities and livelihoods. In this process, the education of children gets negatively impacted. In this film, alongside the help of many local stakeholder, Abeer Bhaskar explores this phenomenon, and documents proposed solutions coming from various perspectives to address this challenge.

Written in the Stars

 “Written in the Stars” tells the inspiring story of Seán, a  9-year-old neurodivergent boy who is determined to make it to center stage despite the challenges he faces. 

Away With the Circus

• An autistic teen realizes his dream of running away with the Circus after facing a life changing event.

Garden Gnome

After destroying his mother’s prized garden gnome, a little boy seeks help from the local botanist in hopes of fixing his mother’s broken gnome.

Gold Medal

• An aspirational yet unconfident pre-teen named Moti discovers a pure gold medal while collecting coins at the river bottom. What he believes will bring him prosperity instead leads him down a path of unexpected challenges.

Harvesting Community: City Green

• In the first installment of a film series exploring the intersection of sustainability and community, this documentary spotlights City Green’s mission in Clifton, New Jersey. Through captivating visuals and insightful interviews, the film showcases how City Green provides equal access to fresh ingredients and green spaces, engaging communities in sustainable agricultural practices. By highlighting the collaborative efforts of farmers, volunteers, and educators, the film illustrates the transformative impact of making agriculture accessible, fostering a healthier environment, and cultivating a new generation of eco-conscious citizens.

Stomp the Moon

 The shy little Hmong girl, Aya, under the constant guidance of the moon, continues to conquer difficulties and obstacles. In a bathhouse wash, she accomplishes a self-transformation on her path of growth.

Robin And The Hoods

Fired by her imagination, ROBIN is the bright-eyed leader of a group of kids, the Hoods, who love to play fantasy games on a patch of land they nickname The Kingdom. While their biggest concern is a rival gang looking to take over their domain, things get serious when plans emerge to develop the area that’s their playground into a new leisure facility for the town. Faced with the ruthless spokesperson CLIPBOARD, Robin and her friends must find a way to save their play area before it’s too late.

BRIDGE My Little Friends

‘I’ll take you to see Shiro. That’s a promise!” Jin, a cat, promised Mugi, who was saddened by the loss of his beloved dog Shiro. Jin, who loves Mugi, heard an
anecdote about the “Rainbow Bridge” from his owner, Kageyama, and decided to take Mugi to see Shiro at the foot of the rainbow! Will Jin be able to save Mugi from his
grief? Jin invites the pigeons and squirrels in the neighborhood to join him on his grand mission!

Bring Your Kit to Work Day

When a cat detective is at the scene of a murder, he must bring his young daughter with him for Bring Your Kit to Work Day. During the investigation, his daughter easily solves the mystery, but is now tasked with relaying her findings to her father, who mistakes her curiosity as playing with the evidence.

Drawing Land

• We join an artist as he draws a little character called a Splot. The Splot begins to talk back to the artist as he draws him. Soon we are on a journey through the sketchbook searching for the Splot’s special colour.  Along with way the Splot and the artist meet a little girl called Lucy who may just have an answer to their problem!

Shepherd Shippington and the Missing Mutts

Upon discovering the dogs of a seaside town mysteriously disappear, it is up to a group of children to rescue their beloved hounds.

Slap The Deck

In this classic style; cartoon a jealous sailor tries to get rid of the new prodigy who seems to get all the love, but his plans just seem to blow up in his face

Slumber Party

Sisters, Ruth and Vera, have very different plans for their nights. When Vera’s spa night follows the same steps as Ruth’s silly demon conjuring, the two must work together to defeat the monster.

Sprout

• Sprout is a light-hearted 3D animated short created for children. The story follows Sprout, a tiny robot, who quickly becomes overwhelmed by his list of garden tasks that he’s unable to complete. After chaos ensues, misfit animals turned friends offer support and Sprout learns that it’s ok to accept help from others. Together, Sprout and his new friends accomplish all of their garden tasks through teamwork.

The Ballad of Sheriff Kid McLain

• In the rugged town of Ferro Grande, nestled deep within the Wild West, a legend is born in the form of Sheriff Kid McLain. This family-friendly short film takes you on a thrilling journey to a time when courage and justice were the only currency that mattered.

The Queen's Flowers

A magical take on a true story, THE QUEENʻS FLOWERS is an animated short adventure for kids that follows Emma, a Native Hawaiian girl in 1915 Honolulu, as she makes a special gift for the last monarch of Hawai`i, Queen Lili`uokalani.

The Scramble

 A ninja chef journeys to find a rare dragon egg and cook the ultimate omelet. Along the way, she encounters a mysterious stranger who stands in the way of her culinary dream.

Two One Two

• Two One Two, by animation filmmaker Shira Avni, combines shimmering clay on glass animation with personal archives in this deeply intimate, experimental animated documentary love letter to motherhood, parenting on the spectrum, and two headed monsters everywhere.

Animation Made By the King School

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Boston, MA

Bakersfield

A hitchhiking Dracula and a gas station Sherlock join up with a Gypsy Shaman in a police car for the road trip of a lifetime. Ferried along the backroads and the WAY back roads by a wiseacre chauffeur, this group of young folks (who are definitely not in costume) will dance, watch movies, and ponder the meaning of fungus. If they ever get to Bakersfield, they might just find what they’re looking for. With special appearance by Bigfoot.

Dream Locations

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Boston, MA

Elemental Problem

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Lexington, MA

H

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Melrose, MA

Honey Bees

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Lynnfield, MA

Hot Diggity Dog

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Lynnfield, MA

Johnathan Unmaynarded

1. When a local filmmaker gets a mysterious scam call, he makes the decision to investigate. That choice leads him down a tangled web of countless lies, hapless victims, European royalty, and the twisted tale of one perplexing man.

Marked

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Lynnfield, MA

Mr. Meowski's Math Class

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Berwick, ME

Mute

A mysterious new student arrives at a typical elementary school and is unable to speak. Why? Because in this universe words spoken aloud can be very powerful. Watch as Mute and her new friends start an amazing adventure.

Old Ladies

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Melrose, MA

Peter Armstrong

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Melrose, MA

Revenge

Horror movie about the consequences of bullying. Incorporating real life fears and situations of bullying to teach kids the wrongness of bullying and how to apologize.

Starring: Ryder Jin, Jack Bould, Theo Burns, Ryan Hayden, Zach Jones, Jem Ossyra, Steven Patino, Pierce Quierry, Bowen Wilson, Henry Bould, Zaire Brown, Andrew Jacobs, Harry Trivelas, Adrian Morgan, Will Schlacks, Tyler Tuttle

Stampede of Pool Balls

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Lynnfield, MA

The Game

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Lowell, MA

The Life of a Meatball

Deep within the Tasmanian Jungles lie meatball factories. These factories produce meatballs, although something quite special can happen as shown in this captivating animated “documentary”.

The Magic Touch

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Berwick, ME

The Pool

FC Academy short film made during Summer 2024 in Lowell, MA

A Good Night Kiss

• As a teenage girl grows older, her relationship with her mother starts to change, becoming more strained. The short film is about how expressing love changes with age and time.

Appa Tales: Stories From My Grandfather

My grandfather recounts stories from his childhood when he was growing up during and after the Korean War.

Big Little Brother

Little Denis desperately wants to be part of his big brother Markus’ basketball team, but quickly realises that he has to find his own way in order to earn the respect of his family and his brother in the end.

Brushstrokes

• A whimsical tale about a young boy who is growing up in the most colorful of situations. As he joins his Father for the first time at work, they journey from a futuristic, steampunk city to a stark, colorless forest. Armed with a bucket brimming with glowing paint and a brush that holds the power to awaken the world’s colors, the boy faces a pivotal decision. Should he follow in his Father’s footsteps, or carve his path amidst the backdrop of contrasting opinions and longstanding traditions?

Half of a Fairy Tale

After losing her parents, 10-year-old Lin Qing’er was adopted by Mother Li and joined her foster home, a private orphanage. She longed to regain the feeling of home in the small family Mother Li had created. After a “no fight, no acquaintance” encounter, she befriended Xin Liang, who shared her sensitive nature. Mother Li spared no effort to provide a warm home for these seven children. However, as the children grew older, she gradually realized that, despite her reluctance, she couldn’t change the fact that she couldn’t give them a better life. With no other options and wanting to protect the children, Mother Li could only lie, claiming there was a “singing competition” for Lin Qing’er to rehearse and practice with the children. These children believed that winning the “singing competition” would reward them with the toys they desired. In reality, the singing program was designed for adopters to select the children on stage. As the children were growing up, the “singing competition” served as a symbol that marked the collapse of the orphanage and represented the end of the friendship between Lin Qing’er and Xin Liang.

Krampuss

On Christmas Eve, an Icelandic family comes face to face with the Yule Cat, a ravenous creature of folklore hungry for those who didn’t get clothes for Christmas.

Muted

• JESSICA is a Chinese-American high schooler studying for a chemistry test late at night. Faced with the immense pressure of perfection, she turns to pills to enhance her studying. Her actions threaten to jeopardize her relationships with her friends, while exploring her tumultuous relationship with her mother.

The Cherry Tree

Two kids, a boy and a girl, meet under a cherry tree by fate, and become inseparable. However, life forces them to part ways. Will fate, after many years, bring them together once again?

Based on a true story about sudden separation by emigration, long-distance romance, and the hope to be, one day, reunited with our beloved ones. “The Cherry Tree” explores the enduring power of fate, unspoken love, painful longings and the timeless beauty of cherished memories between two friends.

Waiting for Sea Serpents

Young cryptozoologist, Phineas Barnes [Braeden Wildermuth], has spent his entire young life searching for the mysterious sea monster he is convinced dwells beneath his town’s lake.