CINEPÄNZ- JUNGES FILMFESTIVAL KÖLN

In the organizer's words:

Children's & youth film festival

Once again this year, the Kulturbunker Köln-Mülheim invites you to the Cologne Children's Film Festival Cinepänz and this year will be showing a total of nine children's films from 5 to 15 years before the fall vacations fromOctober 7to 10, 2024.

Monday, 7.10.:

9 a.m. - The little spider Lilly Webster:

recommended from 5 years - Slovakia/Czech Republic 2022. director: Katarína Kerekesová, 66 min. FSK 0

In this imaginative mix of real and animated film, the little spider Lilly makes friends with a human girl. The Webster spider family lives a happy and secluded life in the machine room of an elevator. There they spin their webs and lie in wait to catch insects. Just what spiders do all day. They are not particularly interested in the big wide world. Their mother even warns them not to venture out into it, saying it is far too dangerous. But daughter Lilly doesn't want to let that stop her. She is eager to experience something, to go out and get to know the world. This can't happen fast enough for her, which always presents her parents with challenges. Especially when Lilly sets her mind on learning more about people ...More info & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/die-kleine-spinne-lilly-webster/

11 am - My totem animal and me:

Recommended from 9 years - Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany 2022, Director: Sander Burger, 97 minutes, FSK 6

The story of 11-year-old Ama, who is actually at home in Rotterdam, but in reality nowhere at all, is encouraging cinema in the best children's film tradition. TOTEM is a highly topical, touching cinema project on the subject of illegal immigration and tells the story of eleven-year-old Ama, who has lived in the Netherlands for as long as she can remember. She is a passionate swimmer and spends every free minute in the swimming pool with her best friend to train for the upcoming championships. Ama feels at home in Rotterdam, but since her Senegalese parents' asylum application was rejected, the family of four has been living illegally. When Ama's mother and little brother are arrested, Ama manages to hide. In search of her father, Ama wanders alone through Rotterdam - until she receives unexpected support from her personal "totem": In Senegal, every person is assigned an animal that gives them strength and courage. Ama's totem is an oversized porcupine that accompanies her every step of the way from now on. The movie lives from the oversized porcupine, which is not animated, but is used as a mechanical doll on the set and accompanies the girl. We find "You are not alone!" to be an encouraging message for such a topic, which is central for a young audience. Further information & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/mein-totemtier-und-ich/

2 pm - Winski and the invisibility powder:

Recommended from 8 years - Finland/Lithuania 2021, Director: Juha Wuolijoki, 85 min, FSK 6

A great fantasy thriller with fantastic special effects based on a Finnish book from the 1950s. The small town of Hömpstad is plagued by a series of burglaries and the police seem powerless to stop them. Then ten-year-old Winski meets an old pharmacist. He thinks the town needs a hero like Winski and gives him an invisibility powder. This magical substance not only makes people invisible, but also allows them to walk through thick walls. Winski is now supposed to go on a burglar hunt - but he is anything but a hero, is shy and is bullied. But when his mother's money is also stolen, Winski has to spring into action. Together with the pharmacist, he ghosts invisibly through the city at night, catching one crook after another. However, there is one more suspect: Winski's mother's new boyfriend. The pharmacist fears that Winski is being driven by jealousy rather than evidence. Will he jeopardize the secret operation? Further information & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/winski-und-das-unsichtbarkeitspulver/

Tuesday - 8.10.:

9am - Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo:

Recommended for ages 8 and up - Canada 2022, Director: Marya Zarif, 72 min, FSK 6

A fairytale-like animated film about a little girl and her family who have to flee their hometown of Aleppo to escape war. Aleppo is full of wonders and secrets! Six-year-old Dounia loves her life in the vibrant streets and alleyways of her hometown. But not everything is easy: her mother Leyla died at an early age. When one day her father is also taken away by soldiers, Dounia stays with her grandparents. But then war breaks out in Syria and life in Aleppo becomes too dangerous. Dounia has to flee - accompanied by her grandparents and a special magic power, she embarks on a dangerous journey. She wants to find a new home in another country and Dounia is certain that this new home is waiting for her somewhere. More info & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/dounia-und-die-prinzessin-von-aleppo/

11 am - Dancing Queen:

Recommended from 9 - Norway 2023, Director: Aurora Gossé, 92 minutes, FSK 6

This is the sensitive story of an adolescent who has to learn not to overestimate external appearances and to trust the true values in life. In order to attract the attention of a new classmate who is an accomplished break dancer, an awkward, somewhat chubby 12-year-old takes part in a dance competition, even though she has had little enthusiasm for sport so far. However, her plan offends her best friend, among others. The likeable youth film is set in the Norwegian province and focuses on a protagonist who is committed and persistent and discovers a general love of exercise through dancing. Although the film falls into many cliché traps, it has a touching main character who says goodbye to self-doubt and problematic body images and learns to be true to herself. With impressive hip-hop dancing and a rousing soundtrack, Dancing Queen gets everyone in the cinema moving! Audience Award Young Film Festival Cologne / Cinepänz 2023. Further information & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/dancing-queen/

2 pm - There's room in heaven for mice too:

recommended from 8 years - France, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia 2021, Director: Denisa Grimmová, Jan Bubenicek, 88 min., FSK 6

Two arch-enemies on earth - a little mouse and a fox - end up in heaven after a fatal accident, put aside their prejudices and become best friends. As they have to go on a lot of adventures in this paradise and meet strange characters, there is never a dull moment. This is the story of Dalli the mouse and Whitebelly the fox. Dalli is timid, but wants to be as brave as her father, who stood up to the terrible fox Mouse Eater and became the hero of the mouse people. So it's no wonder that a chase quickly begins between Dalli and Whitebelly - but it ends fatally for both of them. With their arrival in animal heaven, the film clarifies the question of whether there is life after death and what it might look like. The two arch-enemies finally meet again in paradise, but quickly put aside their mutual hatred and explore the colorful afterlife together. Further information & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/im-himmel-ist-auch-platz-fuer-maeuse/

Wednesday, 9.10.:

9am - The Odyssey:

recommended for ages 12 and up - France/Germany/Czech Republic 2021,Director: Florence Miailhe, 84 minutes, FSK 12

It's a new technique: Florence Miailhe painted the images for her film "The Odyssey" with oil paints on glass, recorded and animated them - the world's first feature-length film of this kind. And the technique suits the story well, or rather: the story emerges through the painted and moving images in a convincing way, full of expressiveness. Siblings Kyona and Adriel live in a small village surrounded by peaceful forests. But the idyll is deceptive: one night the village is attacked and the family is forced to flee from the escalating violence. When Kyona and Adriel are separated from their parents during a train stop, they are forced to continue their journey alone. Thus begins a heroic journey that takes Kyona and Adriel across a continent full of danger. The two make new friends, but war and their own history keep catching up with them. In their search for safety, they leave their childhood behind - and gradually grow up. Will they be able to see their family again and find a new home in a foreign country? In impressive pictures - hand-painted in oil on glass - THE ODYSSEE tells a touching story of two siblings in search of a new home. Inspired by her great-grandparents' escape from Odessa, artist Florence Miailhe has created a film that will fascinate young people and adults alike. Further information & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/die-odyssee/

11 a.m. - Glassboy:

Recommended from 8 years - Italy, Austria, Switzerland 2020, Director: Samuele Rossi, 90 mins,FSK 6

The adventure story about a boy suffering from haemophilia and his merry gang offers thoughtfulness as well as action and fun. When Pino is sad, he knows a trick to lighten his mood: Dancing rock 'n' roll, to really loud music, boisterous and oblivious. The eleven-year-old is often depressed, and for good reason. He is never allowed out of the house on his own, he sits alone in his big room for hours on end. He is not even allowed to run, even though he wears a crash helmet at home. The reason has nothing to do with what seems frighteningly topical in times of pandemic. Pino's quasi-quarantine is due to his hereditary haemophilia. If he falls and injures himself, his blood will not stop flowing due to a clotting disorder. So what is left for the boy from a wealthy family apart from daily private tuition from an education-minded professor and the loving care of his parents? Nothing but escaping into the comics he draws himself and looking through binoculars at a gang called "Snerds" rampaging through the streets on their bicycles. But then Mavi, the leader of the gang, discovers the secret observer. Without further ado, she climbs over the balcony into his room. From then on, nothing is as it was. Pino becomes a member of the gang, with all the risks and side effects. More info & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/glass-boy/

2 p.m. - Mini Zlatan and the dearest uncle in the world:

Recommended from 8 years - Sweden/Norway 2022, Director: Christian Lo, 74 minutes, FSK 0

With plenty of situation comedy, this turbulent film tells the story of a child who only gradually understands that she is not the center of the world and what friendship really means. Eight-year-old Ella is a big fan of footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Only one person comes close to her idol: her uncle Tommy. An eight-year-old girl prefers to hang out with her uncle, who shares her interest in monsters, rather than her peers. When he finds a new boyfriend and time with her niece is limited, she reacts first helplessly and then jealously. However, her attempts to scare off her new boyfriend do not lead to the hoped-for success. This light-footed, albeit rather conventionally staged comedy tells the story of the young main character's fears in a sensitive and charming way. Queer identities are also a natural part of the story in this children's film, even if stereotypes are not completely avoided. Further information & trailer at: https://www.cinepaenz.de/film-24/mini-zlatan-und-der-liebste-onkel-der-welt/

We are happy to accept registrations by email at info@kulturbunker-muelheim.deoderor by telephone on 0221 61 69 26.

Admission prices are 3.50 euros for children and 4 euros for adults. For groups of 10 children or more, the admission price is 3.00 euros per child.

If the screening times do not suit you, please talk to us and we can try to show a movie of your choice at other times of the day for groups of 20 children or more.