The 2025 New York International Children's Film Festival showcases a strong emphasis on female protagonists, highlighting fierce young girls in various challenging narratives. This festival will run over three weekends in Manhattan, featuring 13 feature films and 79 short films, many of which are centered on girls and women's experiences. Alongside tales of boys, the festival prioritizes true-to-life stories that celebrate girl power. The programming director, Maria-Christina Villasenor, emphasized the uniqueness of storytelling, like that of Frida Kahlo told from her childhood perspective, and showcases an array of independent and international films that provide diverse perspectives for young audiences.
This year's festival, which begins a three-weekend run in Manhattan on Friday, includes 13 features and 79 short films, many of them proudly celebrating girls and women.
A lot of these stories of strong girls and women are true-to-life stories, Maria-Christina Villasenor, the festival's programming director, said in an interview.
Delivering unusual fare that young viewers might otherwise miss – short films, offbeat independent cinema, subtitled foreign movies – is a hallmark of the festival.
The choices exalt girl power more than any of the festival's selections in recent memory.
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