Little Big Shots: International Film Festival for Kids

Little Big Shots is Australia’s only major film festival that exclusively screens children’s films. Beginning in 2005, it is now in its seventh year. It specialises in screening short films, and every year it includes a significant selection of films made my children. Another unique feature is that the prizes are decided by a jury entirely made up of children. The festival occurs in the days up to and including the Queen’s Birthday weekend i.e. early-mid June. It operates out of an office based in Richmond, Melbourne.

Although non-profit, Little Big Shots of course must remain commercially viable, which it is doing a very good job of according to this article, Since 2007, the festival would have continued to grow stronger if I am any judge. To see how far it’s come just take a look at this article from the festival’s first year where 21 films were screened (now the total is around 80). 

The current director is Chloe Boulton, who just finished running her fourth festival (the first three were run by Marcella Bidinost). The new festival director is Ben Laden, who was being shown the ropes at this year’s festival. The title “director” doesn’t really do justice to the work involved. The director is the sole paid employee of the festival, and has to do nearly everything. It is a stupendous amount of work involving artistic judgement, budget management, high levels of organisation, public speaking, sponsorship and grant management, venue management and not least of all, dealing with children. Just see this description when the job was advertised earlier this year. 

If I manage to keep this blog going, it will become obvious to whatever readers there are that I love film, and have a particular interest in children’s cinema. I have attending Little Big Shots since 2008, and last year I decided to do a little volunteering for the festival. It should be clear from the foregoing that Little Big Shots can always do with some extra help. I’m proof that no special skills are required – I don’t work in a film or even an arts related occupation. All you need is enthusiasm and interest in the aims of Little Big Shots.

With full-time employment, I am limited to helping out on whatever annual leave days I can spare. Since I only get 20 annual leave days per year, then I have been able to volunteer once every 1-2 months, which is not as much as I would like, but I’m still glad to help out when I can. At various times I’ve done tasks such as: helping to upload the archive of previous years’ festival programs onto the website, sending out letters and emails, writing film synopses to submit for the film classification authorities, uploading film images onto the website, researching children’s films at other festivals that might be potentially screened at Little Big Shots, giving my opinion on various films submitted by filmmakers etc.

In return, I get a few benefits. Firstly there is the intrinsic benefit of volunteering. Secondly, I get some insight as to how a non-profit film festival operates and the challenges involved in putting together a film festival. Plus, I get to watch plenty of children’s films! I see some of the films that will be included in the festival or films under consideration for screening, and when I get time I like to dig through the video archive of previous years’ film festivals. There’s some top films there.

Minnie Loves Junior - One of the Little Big Shots 2011 films

Because I am one of the more regular volunteers, I got a couple of other unexpected benefits from the nice folk at Little Big Shots. This year I got invited to the launch and got a free pass to the festival itself! I will blog about the launch and the festival in a future post.

Although the festival has just finished in Melbourne for 2011, it does tour nationally and even internationally. Do try to see it and please give consideration to volunteering. You will have great fun!