Saved events

Fashion in Film Festival: Shorts - Nature's Resources (U*)

Family Film Club

Animated drawing of a person wearing a yellow top and purple trousers floating underwater holding a shell

Family Film Club is delighted to welcome the Fashion in Film Festival for their first ever family screening at the Barbican! 

With both archive short films and contemporary animation, this exciting programme will showcase the harmonious collaboration between humans, non-humans and the natural world, and the power of cinema to bring the impossible to life.  

 Beforehand, Fashion in Film curator Marketa Uhlirova and Barbican Film Curator Susie Evans will help guide young audiences through the films. 

Afterwards, we’ll be hosting a kids’ clothes swap in the foyer. Bring along an item or two that you’d like to give a new home to and help yourself to something from the table too. Please bring along baby/children’s clothes (ages 0-10) that are clean and in wearable condition (1 to 3 items max per person please).  

Total film programme running-time: approx.48 mins 

This film has been rated a U – but assessing suitability of any film is the responsibility of parent/guardian. Please see www.bbfc.co.uk for more information on film ratings and content. 

Please note: This screening is for families to attend as a group. Adults (over 18s) can only enter auditorium if they are bringing a child. Children (under 18s) can only attend if accompanied by an adult. Babes in arms of 18months and under can be brought in on adults’ laps, but children over 18months need a seat purchased for them. 

This screening will allow movement/noise from young film fans, but please be mindful of other audience’s experience (and please switch off phones!) If your little one needs a break from the screening, please note we do have a selection of books, games and toys in the cinema foyer for you to use.

The Family Film Club programme aims to screen films from a range of countries, styles and times, introducing a young audience to historical/archive content as well as the latest new releases. 

Presented with support from Dana and Michal Malý, the Czech Centre London and FPA Classics.  

Adults £5

Under 18's £2.50 

(No group discounts or difference between adults/children)

No membership required.

NO UNACCOMPANIED ADULTS OR CHILDREN

*Excludes £1.50 booking fee

Programme

A is for Ant (UK 2024 Dir Jack Davison in collaboration with Shona Heath 10 min) 

Combining sculptural costumes with live-action performances, cameos by animals, and experimental film effects, photographer Jack Davison and costume and set designer Shona Heath reimagine letters as representations of animals and insects. Can you tell who is who?

Felix the Cat: Comicalamities (US 1928 Dirs Otto Messmer and Pat Sullivan 8 min)

In this silent cartoon, Felix endeavours to transform a ‘homely dame’ into a glamorous Hollywood starlet, using nature’s treasures. As an underwater appointment with the Mother of Pearl and a subsequent hunt for a fur coat both turn hazardous, Felix is forced to rely on the animator’s hand to get him out of trouble.

How the Mole Got His Trousers (Czechia 1957 Dir Zdeněk Miler 12 min) 

The much-beloved character Krteček was conceived as the protagonist in this first-ever episode, which illustrates the making of trousers – a child-friendly, step-by-step guide to linen textile production. Completed in 1957, the film received critical acclaim, winning two Golden Lions at the Venice Film Festival. Since then, the resourceful Little Mole has become an iconic character worldwide, promoting friendship and cooperation between species.  

Idodo (US/Papua New Guinea/Switzerland 2021 Dir Ursula Ulmi 10 min) 

How did reef fish acquire their beautiful colours? Based on an ancestral legend by a local clan of Papua New Guinea and created in collaboration with local Papuan filmmakers, artists, performers, and musicians, Ursula Ulmi’s animation presents an unexpected reversal of the usual narrative in which humans borrow their garb from nature.

The Butterfly (Russia 1972 Dir Andrey Khrzhanovsky 10 min) 

A city boy becomes entranced by a butterfly and the beguiling creature leads him away from his technological world into the mesmerising and untamed realm of nature. Evoking the butterfly as a timeless symbol of metamorphosis, this intricately crafted animation brings a touch of mysticism to depicting the boy’s physical and spiritual transformation.

Thumbelina (UK 1955 Dir Lotte Reiniger 10 min) 

This enchanting silhouette animation brings Hans Christian Andersen’s tale to life with exquisite detail. Nature plays a pivotal role in Thumbelina’s adventures, while her delicate dress and adornments reflect her fragility and connection to the natural world.

Members see more for less

Free entry to all exhibitions, discounts, no booking fees, Priority Booking, Members' events, our Members' Lounge and more (T&Cs apply)

Barbican Cinemas