Press Release Fun: Come To The Weird And Wild 90-Second Newbery Film Festival – Now In Its 14th Year!

And now… a word from James Kennedy:

Hold on to your hats, it’s time for the FOURTEENTH ANNUAL 90-Second Newbery Film Festival!

What’s that? Why, only a yearly video contest we started right on this very blog in which young filmmakers (18 and under) worldwide create short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in just a few minutes! (And adult help is okay.)

Weird and creative twists are encouraged! Check out the above movie of Bridge to Terabithia, which tells the story not from the point of view of Jess and Leslie, but rather the odd monsters who inhabit the imaginary land of Terabithia. And those monsters have a problem: apparently Leslie isn’t the only kid who has met a grisly end in their domain. What happens when the Terabithians can’t keep their fantasy realm safe, and they come under investigation by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services? It’s the dark side of the story Katherine Paterson didn’t want to see!

Every year, we screen inventive Newbery-inspired movies like the one above at packed screenings in cities all over the country—this year, in New York City, Chicago, Boston, San Antonio, Minneapolis, Rochester NY, Ogden UT, and Tacoma WA. These raucous events are hosted by me, James Kennedy (founder of the 90-Second Newbery and author of the YA fantasy The Order of Odd-Fish and other books) along with other bestselling and award-winning authors.

Best of all, the shows are FREE! So come, you’ll have a great time—and maybe you’ll get inspired to make your own movie for next year. Here’s this year’s schedule, check if we’re coming to your town:

Saturday, February 22, 2025
The BROOKLYN, NY screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Newbery Honor winner Rita Williams-Garcia (One Crazy Summer and more). At the Brooklyn Public Library Central Library (10 Grand Army Plaza) in the Dweck Auditorium. 1 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Saturday, March 1, 2025
The OGDEN, UTAH screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Keir Graff (author of The Tiny Mansion, Minerva Keen’s Detective Club, and more). At the Treehouse Children’s Museum (347 22nd Street). 6 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Sunday, March 9, 2025
The CHICAGO screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Keir Graff (author of The Tiny Mansion, Minerva Keen’s Detective Club, and more). At the Harold Washington Library Center (400 S State St.) in the Pritzker Auditorium. 2 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Monday, March 24, 2025
Special extended deadline for entries for the Rochester (4/5), Boston (4/12), Minneapolis (4/26), San Antonio (5/3), and Tacoma (5/30) screenings.

Saturday, April 5, 2025
The ROCHESTER, NY screening, hosted by James Kennedy and the legendary Bruce Coville (author of My Teacher is an Alien and more). At the George Eastman Museum (900 East Ave) in the Dryden Theater. 2 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Saturday, April 12, 2025
The BOSTON screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Rebecca Kim Wells (author of Briar Girls, Shatter the Sky, and Storm the Earth). At the Boston Public Library, in Rabb Hall at the Central Library in Copley Square (700 Boylston Street). 3 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Saturday, April 26, 2025
The MINNEAPOLIS screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Jacqueline West (author of Long Lost, The Books of Elsewhere, The Collectors, and more). At the Minneapolis Central Library (300 Nicollet Mall) in Pohlad Hall. Get your FREE tickets here.

Saturday, May 3, 2025
The SAN ANTONIO screening, hosted by James Kennedy and an author TBA. In the H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts (100 Auditorium Circle). 11 am. Get your FREE tickets here.

Friday, May 30, 2025
The TACOMA, WA screening, hosted by James Kennedy and Tacoma’s own Doug Mackey. At Grant Center for the Expressive Arts (2510 N 11th St.). 5 pm. Get your FREE tickets here.

Budding filmmakers! Notice that there’s an extended deadline of March 24 for entries for the screenings in Rochester, Boston, Minneapolis, San Antonio, and Tacoma. That means it’s not too late to make a movie . . . so get cracking!

My co-host and I always kick off the show with a goofy skit. For instance, at last year’s show at the Brooklyn Public Library, Newbery Honor winner Rita Williams-Garcia and I were confronted with the “redesigned” Newbery Medal—the anthropomorphic “Lil’ Newby,” who seemed to delight in spreading bizarre misinformation about Newbery winning authors like E.B. White, Beverly Cleary, Arnold Lobel, and Kate DiCamillo. It all culminated in Rita and me singing and dancing to a rewritten version of Aladdin’s “Friend Like Me.” Check it out:

As you can see, we have a great time at the 90-Second Newbery screenings, and so does the audience! You should come!

Okay, one last movie before I go. This one was made by the ingenious kids at the Treehouse Children’s Museum in Ogden, Utah. It’s a retelling of Louis Sachar’s 1999 Medal Winner Holes . . . but instead of being set at an all-boys prison camp in the desert, it takes place at an all-girls finishing school! As for the Pirates of the Caribbean-style swordfight at the climax . . . well, I don’t know where that came from, but it was certainly fun to watch:

Want to see more bangers like these? Interested in participating in the 90-Second Newbery next year? You can find complete information at the 90-Second Newbery website here, including contest rules, the best movie submissions from the past, and even help on how to make your own 90-Second Newbery for first-time filmmakers!

See you at the movies!

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