(ages 7 and up) Princess Bluerose is a gnome living deep in the Norwegian mountains with her small community. They are responsible for making the transition between day and night. This moment, the "magic hour," depends on the magic silver that only these gnomes possess. When the silver is stolen, the world is plunged into eternal night. Find out what happens when Princess Bluerose sets out on a remarkable journey to retrieve the silver and save the world from unending darkness. (Katarina Launing and Roar Uthaug, Norway, 2009, 84 minutes) In Norwegian with English subtitles.

(ages 5 and up) Join us for a series of animated shorts featuring furry and fun-loving monsters of all sorts, sizes, and shapes. The program will feature The Gruffalo (Max Lang and Jakob Schuh, 2009, 30 minutes), based on the children's picture book by Julia Donaldson, a magical story of a forest mouse who outwits several dangerous predators, one by one, with his made-up tales of a fearsome beast called the Gruffalo. Of course, such a bizarre creature could never exist—or could it…? The program also includes an adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic Where the Wild Things Are (Weston Woods Studios, 1988); Mike's New Car (Pixar Animation Studios, Pete Docter and Roger Gould, 2002); Hair Raising Hare (Warner Bros., Chuck Jones, 1946); End of a Scarer (Chris O’Hara, 2007); and The Silence Beneath the Bark (Joanna Lurie, 2010). Approximately 60 minutes.

(ages 13 and up) Every year, more than 600 teenagers from over 60 Chicago area schools gather for the world's largest youth poetry slam, a competition known as "Louder Than a Bomb." This award-winning documentary chronicles the stereotype-confounding stories of four teams as they prepare for and compete in the 2008 event. By turns hopeful and heartbreaking, the film captures the tempestuous lives of these unforgettable teens, exploring the ways writing shapes their world, and vice versa. As the students learn to work together and share their personal stories, they discover how they can transform their unique experiences and emotional issues into intricate and expressive rhymes. How and why they do it—and the community they create along the way—is the story at the heart of this inspiring film. (Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel, United States, 2010, 99 minutes) Presented in collaboration with INTERSECTIONS: A New America Arts Festival. A performance by the DC Youth Poetry Slam Team will precede the screening.

(ages 11 and up) The profession of mahout (elephant whisperer) in Sri Lanka has traditionally been reserved for men. When young Chandani becomes determined to follow in her father's footsteps and learn the secrets of the trade passed down through generations of her family, she has to show extraordinary dedication to prove herself. A documentary with a strong emotional core, Chandani perceptively explores the constraints of traditional gender roles. In English and Sinhala with English subtitles. (Arne Birkenstock, Germany/Sri Lanka, 2010, 86 minutes) Presented in collaboration with the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital.

(ages 9 and up) For one emotional night, a group of children living in a slum in Mumbai, India, get a chance to experience a different world as they perform Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music with a classical orchestra, fostering hopes that it could change their lives. This rousing documentary focuses on charismatic 11-year-old Ashish, who has to overcome his anxieties as he prepares to sing a solo during the performance. (Sarah McCarthy, United Kingdom/India, 2010, 64 minutes) Presented in collaboration with the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital.

(ages 6 and up) When Satsuke and her younger sister, Mei, move to a new home in the country to be near their mother, they discover the magical world of forest spirits. English-language version. (Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 1988, 86 minutes) Presented in honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

(ages 12 and up) When Kenji, a high school student, is invited by his crush, Natsuki, to take a summer job in her hometown, he learns that he is to pretend to be Natsuki's fiancé. English-language version. (Mamoru Hosoda, Japan, 2009, 114 minutes) Presented in honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

(ages 9 and up) Mourning the loss of his parents, 11-year-old Satoshi moves to a small seaside town where he decides to participate in Hiwatashi, a ritual swim in the open sea. In Japanese with English subtitles. (Naoki Segi, Japan, 2004, 89 minutes) Presented in honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.