Big Screens, Little Folks, the children’s film section of the Festival, was created in 2014, and has been a popular feature of the Festival ever since. Public screenings and school matinees bring the world to our youngest audiences, inspiring curiosity, imagination and an appreciation of storytelling and the art of cinema.
Films from around the world introduce young audiences to new people and places in stories full of wonder and visual delight.
Families enjoy public screenings during the opening weekend of the Festival and after school during the week. Workshops help young patrons learn more about animation and filmmaking. The power of movies opens the world to young audiences.
Most Festival films will not be available in local theaters or, for the most part, on streaming services. Young audiences experience the community and camaraderie of other children and their families as they share stories and discoveries together in the glow of the big screen.
Learn more about all our BSLF Events below!
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Student Matinees for Elementary Schools
School groups attend Student Matinees during the week of the Festival. There is no cost for this field trip. The Festival provides the screenings and bus reimbursements.
For many students, this is their first experience in a movie theater. They discover the joy of sharing this experience with their class and the opportunity to express their thoughts about these diverse and remarkable films.
For information about 2025 Wisconsin Film Festival student matinees, please contact Terry Kerr at terry.kerr@wisc.edu
World Cinema Day for Middle and High School Students
World Cinema Day is a collaboration between the Wisconsin Film Festival and the Wisconsin International Resource Consortium (WIRC). The event features a free screening of an international film for middle and high school students and teachers, along with an introduction and discussion led by a UW faculty or staff member.
The WCD film introduces students to a culture and story from another part of the world, inspiring further exploration and discussion. The feature film is chosen from those screened as part of the wider Festival.
For questions or registration, please contact wirc@iris.wisc.edu.
Workshops
Big Screens. Little Folks offers workshops on the weekend of the Festival for children and their families.
The Stop Motion Animation Workshop is a hands-on experience for ages 7 and up. Using markers, whiteboards and props, each participant uses ipads provided to create their own short stop motion film.
BSLF visits school arts events to make thaumatropes or zoetropes, toys that use persistence of vision to blend images or to make them move.
