THE KIDS FIRST! Film Festival/Hawaiʻi Announces Awards

The perennially popular UH KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, presented by Outreach College at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and supported by the Sidney Stern Memorial Trust, celebrated its 14th year. Celebrating the 30th KIDS FIRST! Anniversary the festival streamed over 100 films made by student, indie and seasoned filmmakers from 25 nations for kids ages 2 to 18.

Highlights of the ten-day showcase included the world premiere of an episode (Gloria’s Got ‘Em All) from DreamWorks Madagascar: A Little Wild (First Place Winner, ages 5-8), followed by a live streaming interview with Executive Producer/Showrunner Johanna Stein; Supervising Director T.J. Sullivan; plus three ASL Consultants: Justin Maurer, Delbert Whetter, and Jevon Whetter.

Another premiere for the Western Hemisphere included two episodes from MeteoHeroes (First Place Winner, Environmental Short), the quintessential series about climate change, including its impact on the South Pacific; preceded by an interview with Luigi Latini, Creator/Executive Producer; followed by a live streaming interview with Kenn Viselman, Showrunner/Executive Producer.

Creatives from Hawaiʻi stole the local spotlight with their iive stream interviews and films. Laura Margulies, whose lively hand-painted animations have won awards around the globe, articulated her techniques, vision and inspiration. Laura is an Assistant Professor of Animation at the University of Hawaiʻi’s Academy for Creative Media. Wing Foil phenomenon, eleven-year-old Bobo Gallagher, along with Director/Producer (and sister) Deveraux Gallagher, chatted in a live stream from Maui about their film, A Boy’s Journey: Crossing the ʻAlenuihāhā.

The festival offered a full range of features and short films addressing climate change and the environment, space and technology, arts and culture, social justice, love and just plain fun! Ann Brandman, a Communications Specialist at UH Mānoa Outreach College and Director of the UH KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, co-curated the festival with KIDS FIRST! CEO Ranny Levy.

We are pleased to announce all of the winners for the 2022 UH KIDS FIRST! Film Festival whose work truly excels in every way. It has been an honor to show all of our filmmakers films and they make it very difficult to vote for the best, because every film is worthy of the honor.

We are pleased to announce the winners for the 2022 UH KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, whose work truly excels in creativity, production, uniquemess and messaging. It has been an honor to show all of our filmmakersʻ films – their talent makes it very difficult to vote for the best since every film is worthy of honor. Complete list here: https://tinyurl.com/5n89w5j6

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa offers hundreds of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. UH Mānoa is a research university of international standings. Committed to being the leading indigenous–serving university in the country, UH Mānoa delivers a unique multicultural global experience in a Hawaiian place of learning, with a long history of adherence to the principles of sustainability and the essence of aloha. Outreach College at UH Mānoa provides diverse educational opportunities to individuals whose personal and professional lives require convenience and flexibility. outreach.hawaii.edu.

About KIDS FIRST! / Coalition for Quality Children’s Media

The KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media (CQCM), a national, nonprofit organization that promotes quality children’s media. The CQCM was founded in 1991 by a group of parents, educators, and filmmakers who were concerned about the lack of quality children’s media available. The CQCM’s mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children’s media. The CQCM accomplishes this mission through a variety of programs, including:

● KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
● KIDS FIRST! Film Critics
● KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions podcast
● KIDS FIRST! website