IT RETURNS! The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival Enters Its 12th Year.

I don’t care who you are. I don’t care what you do. You have to agree with me. The idea of a film festival that celebrates kids that make 90-second long adaptations of Newbery Award and Honor books? What’s not amazing about that?

Going into its 12th year, the film festival has survived a pandemic and more. But don’t take my word for it. To start us off today, behold the opening sequence to the latest chicanery coming out of M.C. and founder James Kennedy and his partner-in-crime Keir Graff:

Truth be told, I’ve a theory about the opening skits James creates each and every year for this show. If you were to look at them, one-by-one, for the past 12 years you’d realize that they faithfully track all the major issues that people have been discussing about children’s literature, year after year. Which means, they are truly a litmus test for our times.

But what IS this festival truly? I leave it to James himself to explain both it and this bit:

“The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which kid filmmakers create short movies that tell the stories of Newbery-winning books in about 90 seconds. It’s hosted by film festival founder James Kennedy (author of “The Order of Odd-Fish,” “Dare to Know,” and the upcoming “Bride of the Tornado”) and other children’s authors as co-hosts. We do our screenings at live events in libraries and theaters around the country, in cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston . . . and kicking off the 2023 season, in Ogden, Utah! This is the opening skit of the Ogden screening at the Treehouse Children’s Museum (done in the style of the “Marge vs. the Monorail” episode of “The Simpsons”). Thanks to Lynne Goodwin and the staff of the Treehouse for a smooth running show. Thanks also to my game co-host Keir Graff (author of “The Tiny Mansion” and much more) for his acting, singing, and generally excellent co-hostery. Check out the skit, it’s good! Of course, our biggest thanks of all to the fantastic young filmmakers who made movies for this year’s screening–and the parents, teachers, librarians, and mentors who helped them. To learn more about the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, including contest rules and details on how to participate next year, please visit our official website at www.90secondnewbery.com.”

They’re traveling the country, so if you’re able, check out the next stops on the tour:

The 12th Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

Saturday, March 11, 2023: The CHICAGO screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Keir Graff. At the Pritzker Auditorium at the Harold Washington Library Center (400 S. State St.) 2 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Saturday, March 25, 2023: The BOSTON screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Rebecca Mahoney. At the Rabb Auditorium in the Boston Public Library in Copley Square (700 Boylston Street). 3 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Saturday, April 15, 2023: The BROOKLYN, NY screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Chris Grabenstein with special guest Rita Williams-Garcia. At the Dweck Auditorium in the Brooklyn Public Library (10 Grand Army Plaza). 1 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Sunday, April 16, 2023: The TRENTON, NJ screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Chris Grabenstein. At the New Jersey State Museum Auditorium (205 West State Street, Trenton, NJ). 3 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Saturday, April 22, 2023: The SAN ANTONIO, TX screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Nikki Loftin. At the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Will Naylor Smith Riverwalk Plaza. 11 am. Get your FREE tickets here.

Filed under: Press Release Fun