Hearts of Steel Captures the Heart With Steely Determination
By Julian Cao Directed by Gayle Wilmot, Hearts of Steel is a twenty-minute documentary film that centers on a group of steelpan musicians in Toronto. The motley crew of steelpan musicians, or pannists, are diverse and of all stripes, but what unifies them is their palpable, unreserved love for the steelpan. They train rigorously and tirelessly; for endless hours, they convene and practice each song until they master it. Their...
Black Lives Matter Song for Kids Encourages Equality and Inclusion
By Ali Grutchfield In the current political sphere, there is constant strife and conflict related to diversity inclusion. No one stops to think about when and how people form their different belief systems. In their upbeat music video Black Lives Matter Song for Kids, Directors Omar Vigueras and Javier Rendon Borja with Hopster Studios take matters into their own hands by encouraging kids to treat all people equally and never...
Dance! Empowers Kids to Overcome Fear and Pursue Their Dreams
By Ali Grutchfield Society has focused on encouraging kids to follow their hearts and minds in whatever direction this might take them. However, in the face of change or challenge, how does a young person tackle fear and lack of self-confidence? Andrea (Andy) Mangano’s Dance! tells the beautiful story of a young girl who’s inspired to become a dancer after seeing a performance. Mangano’s animated story employs simple...
London Mitchell’s Delivering Sunshine Reminds Us That a Simple Act of Kindness Can Change Everything
By Will Hite Delivering Sunshine is a short film written, directed, and produced by London Mitchell and was presented at the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. It is the story of a young boy collecting old shoes in a wagon. The boy stumbles across a homeless man and gives him a pair of shoes. The film’s title corresponds with the theme of the film (spread kindness to others) as well as the narrator’s explanation of the word “climate”...
Hide! Shows That Children Can Outsmart Monsters
By Julian Cao Directed by Matt Streeter, who plays the monster, and starring Olivia and Ava Streeter as the two little girls, Hide! is undoubtedly a fun, memorable family project. The premise of Hide! is simple: Two little girls are haunted by a menacing monster around the house, and they do their best to hide from it. They squeeze into dark, cramped nooks, such as the attic and the bottom of the stairs, to evade the monster. Hide!...
Love is Love Celebrates LGBTQ+ Families Across the Globe
By Ethan Thomas As the old adage goes, family comes first. Many of us are lucky to have the support and love that comes with a loving family. But many of us have never considered the different types of love found in diverse families around the world. Set on Pride Day, Love is Love features the original song from Phil Evans that celebrates LGBTQ+ families. Created by Hopster Studios, the video applauds diversity and serves as a...
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