13 “art Films” Your Kids Will Really Enjoy
What should a movie-loving parent do to instill in their child a true love of quality cinema? I’m talking about arthouse classics, foreign films, non-franchise films, etc.
I don’t have children of my own: I have no idea, but the answer is very often: “Give up.” You will never make them like what you want them to like; trying to force it may push them further away. Children often need to discover their own taste.
However, my experience in education tells me that if you cannot get children to appreciate finer things, you can guide them in the right direction if you do it subtly and with a firm and definite knowledge that the seeds you are planting , may not bear fruit for many years. A good way to start is by showing them “art” films that they might actually enjoy.
I would never claim that every child will enjoy all (or some) of the films you’ll find below – firstly, many of them require reading subtitles, which can be a barrier; others will push their attention to the limit. But they’re all family-friendly and at least theoretically interesting for kids willing to watch something other than Pixar’s latest offering (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Playtime (1967)
Jacques Tati directs and stars in the third and perhaps most beloved of the four films, starring his bumbling creation Monsieur Hulot. Here he moves in and out of a series of incredibly elaborate sets in a hyper-modern Paris (as conceived in 1967), full of distractions and frustrations that are deeply silly while also serving as poignant and still-relevant bits of satire. . It’s hard not to like the harmless Hulot and his adventures in a world that is too noisy and too confusing, and which doesn’t always seem to notice him until he breaks some rule he didn’t even know about. will be at least as interesting to children as to adults. You can stream Playtime on the Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video .
Dreams (1990)
Akira Kurosawa’s first child? One of the last films of the great Japanese director, “Dreams ” (as the title suggests), is not a separate narrative, but consists of a series of eight episodes, each of which depicts a character very similar to the director himself, traveling through different dream worlds . . Alternatingly poignant, touching, funny and frightening, the sequences feature foxes that need to be appeased (don’t spy on a fox’s wedding if you don’t want to get into trouble), living dolls, a vengeful spirit and a Van Gogh painting coming to life. . You can rent Dreams from Prime Video .
Cave of the Yellow Dog (2005)
A sweet and tender tale from Mongolia, it follows Nansal as she returns home from boarding school to her family of livestock farmers. In the cave, she meets a puppy whom she names Zohor (meaning “Spot”) and decides to bring the cute dog home to her family’s yurt. For a variety of practical reasons, her father is categorically against the idea of leaving him – naturally, Nansal does not want to give in. This is not just the story of an angry father who does not allow his child to have a puppy: Nansal’s father’s fears are well founded. And this is not a story about a child who learns to live without anything. Both the girl and the dog have a lot to learn before it’s all over, and the results are very satisfying. You can stream The Cave of the Yellow Dog on Tubi and the Kino Lorber YouTube channel .
Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
Another anthology film, perhaps well suited for children who may have difficulty coping with a longer narrative. This film comes from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the British directing team behind some of the most stunningly brilliant films ever made (I’d advise kids to stay away). to more sensual films such as The Red Shoes or Black Narcissus until they are older). In this film, based on the stories of the German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann (whose work also formed the basis for Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker ), the shot features Hoffmann telling stories of his lost love in a tavern. Among these loves are an automaton, a courtesan who steals a reflection, and a soprano forced to sing against her will. With elements of dance and opera, this is an introduction not only to classical cinema, but also to several art worlds at once. You can stream The Tales of Hoffmann on Plex .
Good Morning (1959)
Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu was best known for his dramas, including Tokyo Story, which is often (rightly) cited as one of the greatest films ever made. Good Morning doesn’t have that reputation, but it’s a delightful late-career comedy from a director satirizing suburban life in 1950s Japan. There are some notable subplots, but at the heart of the story is a group of young students who spend almost the entire film trying to convince their parents to buy a television. Who can’t communicate? (Okay, maybe not TV, but every kid wants something their parents don’t want to shell out for.) You can stream Good Morning on Max , The Criterion Channel and Tubi, or rent it on Prime Video .
Red Balloon (1956)
Albert Lamorisse’s story of a child chasing the titular balloon is just over 30 minutes long and is delightful even for younger children. The director’s son plays Pascal, a little boy who encounters a giant helium balloon on his way to school and befriends it like he would a precocious puppy. And like a puppy, the balloon is loyal but doesn’t always do what it should, causing trouble for Pascal and making some of the local bullies jealous. A bit of drama in the climax gives way to a wonderfully uplifting ending. You can stream The Red Ball on Max and The Criterion, or rent it on Prime Video .
Whale Rider (2002)
Thirteen-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes became, for a time, the youngest Best Actress nominee in Oscar history for her starring role in the film—certainly an inspiring little tidbit to share with your kids, at least if they’re a little take care of her. about the Academy Award. The film tells the story of Paikea Apirana, the descendant of the traditional whale rider of her people, and therefore who should have led the tribe, if only she had not been a girl. Fairly respectful and accurate to modern Maori life and traditions (or so I’m told), it’s ultimately an uplifting film that honors Pai’s desire to go against tradition and claim what she believes is hers right, but not to denigrate those who are trying their best to break with traditions. past. Think about this when the kids stop watching Moana. You can stream Whale Rider on Tubi and Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video .
Ernest and Celestine (2012)
Except for the fact that it’s in French, this cartoon may be less difficult to sell to children since it’s a cute cartoon about a bear and a mouse who become friends after a candy heist goes wrong. It’s beautifully animated and wonderfully distinctive: in the film’s world, bears and mice are separated by prejudice and fear, and mice routinely prepare for careers in dentistry by collecting discarded cub teeth. Certainly. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in its year and might have won if not for Frozen . You can watch Ernest and Celestine on Tubi .
Wally (2017)
Thirteen-year-old Adi (Makan Nathan Diarra) becomes a handful for his single father living in the south of France, so he is sent to spend the summer with his uncle Amadou in a small village in Burkina Faso. Adi believes he’s just here for a short vacation, but his uncle and father have something much more long-term in mind. Despite its relatively light tone, it’s a smart take on the clash of cultures and the interplay of tradition and modernity. Neither Adi nor his uncle Amadou are giving up, with the issue of traditional teenage circumcision being, perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest of many stumbling blocks. You can rent Wallay from Prime Video .
The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
Jacques Demy’s earlier musical, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, is gorgeous and fun, but full of romantic boredom that children may not respond to. The Young Girls of Rochefort, on the other hand, is a candy-colored confection that lifts the mood a bit. A dance instructor and music teacher, twins Delphine and Solange (real sisters Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorléac) live in a small town, but dream of experiencing life in the big city. When the fair comes to town, they experience the glamor of movie stars and get a chance to break out into the big world. Children can communicate, I’m sure. You can stream The Girls of Rochefort on Max and The Criterion, or rent it on Prime Video .
Little Maman (2021)
A little heavier in its themes than some of these others, Petite Maman is nonetheless a beautifully crafted children’s fantasy that uses the death of a beloved grandmother as a starting point for an exploration of grief as well as family relationships and the constancy of love. A trip to clean out her late grandmother’s house strains the relationship between eight-year-old Nellie and her mother Marion, but something more intriguing happens: Nellie meets a girl in the woods who she realizes has a lot in common with her mother when she was little. Through a series of adventures, she begins to understand her mother better, as well as say goodbye to her grandmother, something she was unable to say in life. You can stream Petite Maman on Kanopy or rent it from Prime Video .
White Mane (1953)
It’s short (47 minutes) and has horses in it. For a certain type of child (and a certain type of adult), this will be a formula for success. Albert Lamoris (who you remember from The Red Balloon ) directs this story about a boy from the swamps of coastal France who makes a deal with local ranchers: he can have the beautiful, almost untamed white stallion of the title if only he can catch him. It turns out that young Folko cannot be tamed either, and he and the horse become soul mates. You can stream White Mane on The Criterion Channel .
Breakfast with Scott (2007)
An English-speaking American child can experience a foreign film with a short trip to Canada in Breakfast with Scott , a sweet, funny family film about love and acceptance. Sports commentator Eric (Tom Cavanagh) lives a sheltered but generally content life with his partner Sam when they both have to take on Sam’s brother’s stepson Scott (Noah Burnett). The kid immediately challenges the couple with his strictly unconventional clothing style and hobbies that challenge typical gender roles. As Scott threatens Eric and Sam’s desire to remain private, they try to steer him toward more stereotypically boyish ways of acting and dressing before they realize how much harm they are doing by not allowing Scott to be himself. You can stream Breakfast with Scott on Tubi and Here TV, or rent it on Prime Video .