Entertainment
Cinekid Festival in Amsterdam opens with ‘Benjamin Bat’ by Beta Film
Cinekid Festival, touted as the world’s largest festival for children’s film and media, opens on October 20 at Pathé Amsterdam Noord with Beta Film’s ‘Benjamin Bat’, an animated musical adventure picture about a bat with nyctophobia.
“Benjamin Bat” follows a timid bat whose fear of the dark (also known as nyctophobia) makes him the odd one out among his peers. They find his sensitivity and love for singing, an activity reserved for their avian enemies, astonishing. Everything changes when Benjamin meets Sherida, a tropical songbird. To save her and embrace his true self, Benjamin must muster all his courage.
Produced by Storytellers Film & TV (producers Errol Nayci and Julia Ton) and Zeilt Productions (co-producer Laurent Witz), in collaboration with il Luster, the 76-minute show is directed by Patrick Raats and Sarah Sutter from a screenplay by Karen van Holst Pellekaan , based on a story she created together with Errol Nayci.
Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros co-produces the show, which was created by animation teams in the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Beta Film handles international sales.
Heleen Rouw, director of Cinekid Festival: “’Benjamin Bat’ is a real Cinekid film; Benjamin chooses his own path with his unique style. Everyone is welcome in this film, an important message in this time when individuality is central and we are often more in conflict with each other than with each other. It is a striking Dutch animated film with international allure.”
Claudia Schmitt, head of Kids & Family Entertainment, Beta Film, describes “Benjamin Bat” as a part 3D animated film with painted backgrounds, noting: “It’s a beautiful story about facing your fears, standing up for yourself, even against those fears. who is closest to you, and how family is more than the blood we share.
“Benjamin Bat” will be released in the Benelux on October 23 by Dutch distributor September Film. The show was made possible with support from the Netherlands Film Fund, Netherlands Production Incentive, CoBO, Luxembourg Film Fund and Creative Europe Media.
Now at 38e edition, Cinekid can be seen in cinemas throughout the Netherlands during the autumn holidays from October 19 to November 3, with Amsterdam-Noord as its home base. In addition to premieres of films and series, it organizes daily master classes and workshops among its many activities.
