Northampton’s Academy of Music will host KidsBestFest.
Republican file photo
NORTHAMPTON — KidsBestFest, a week-long celebration of cinema for kids and their caretakers, will return this February break at the Academy of Music for five days of “heartwarming stories, wild adventures and stunning animation.”
The series of movies for children and families will run Feb. 16-20, with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. and showtimes at 11 a.m. each day. Admission is free, but donations are accepted at the door to help keep the tradition running.
Co-producing the event with the Academy is the Northampton Arts Council. Director of the Arts Council Brian Foote told Reminder Publishing that KidsBestFest annually highlights the city’s youth by transforming the Academy into a vibrant, high-energy space for families during winter break.
“KidsBestFest has its roots in our long-standing ‘Four Sundays’ series, which the Northampton Arts Council has produced for decades to brighten up the winter months. The idea was simple: winter break can be a long week for parents and kids, and we wanted to provide a high-quality, accessible and completely free cultural resource,” said Foote. “We’ve been co-producing this with the Academy of Music for years now, and it has evolved into a beloved tradition where the community can gather in a world-class historic theater without the barrier of ticket prices.”
Foote said this year’s lineup is a mix of classic tales, international gems and “stunning” restorations of older films. He shared that the movie selection process aims for a balance of pure entertainment and films that push the boundaries of visual storytelling.
Here is this year’s lineup of movies:
- Monday, Feb. 16; “Lilo & Stitch (2025),” the brand-new live-action reimaging of the Disney classic.
- Tuesday, Feb. 17; “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,” a poetic, animated tale set in post-war Japan about curiosity and connection.
- Wednesday, Feb. 18; “Flow,” described as a thrilling, wordless animated spectacle that’s a feast for the senses.
- Thursday, Feb. 19; “Grow,” a quirky story about family and perseverance set in the “Pumpkin Capital of the World.”
- Friday, Feb. 20; KidsBestFest closes out the week of cinema with The “Time Masters (Les Maîtres du Temps),” a 4K restoration of the 1982 French sci-fi film by Mœbius.
“We look for films that aren’t necessarily what kids are seeing every day on streaming services,” Foote said. “We want to expose them to different animation styles and international perspectives — like the wordless storytelling in ‘Flow,’ or the surreal artistry of The ‘Time Masters,’ Film is a uniquely engaging art form because it combines visual art, music, and narrative in a way that is immediately accessible regardless of age or reading level. For children, seeing these stories on the ‘big screen’ at the Academy … adds a sense of magic and scale that you just don’t get at home. It turns ‘watching a movie’ into a communal event where they can react, laugh and experience the story alongside hundreds of other kids.”
Foote added he hopes to see another great turnout for the week of film at the Academy, and reiterated the event is free for those who are interested in attending.
“We are proud to keep this event free for everyone. While we do accept donations at the door to help keep the tradition running, the goal is to ensure that every family in the valley has a warm, welcoming place to go during the February break,” said Foote.
