Eight incredible animated short films from six countries β chosen to spark imagination, giggles, and wide-eyed wonder in children aged 5β12.
A tadpole somehow misses out on becoming a frog and is left behind, alone. But there is much to discover in the pond and spring is sure to come again next year. A little story about growing up.
On a prairie millions of miles from home, a grumpy space farmer is having trouble with one of her hive: a robot bee called Buzz that keeps going rogue. After failing to reprogram the mischievous bee she follows him into the belly of a volcano and discovers something that will change life on Mars forever.
Stop-motion underwater musical. The ocean is a paradise for Fran the shrimp β her deadly claws take whatever they desire. For the blind fish Milva, it's a daily fight to survive. Fran sees her as beautiful and wants her to see the ocean the same way. Can they overcome their differences? There will be singing, involuntary organ donation, and looking for love.
Deep in the jungle, life follows its usual course β until a streetlamp is lit in the night and insects go crazy, drawn to the light. A little bat pup rescues a firefly, a fly, and a moth from the dangerous spell. When the bat pup injures itself protecting them, the insects are immediately at its side to help. What luck!
A girl wanders through the city, countryside, and beach β always clutching a phone she never looks up from. Along the way she meets a bear, dolphins, pirates, and an alien. Everyone tries to capture her attention, but she's indifferent to everything. After a brief space trip she lands in a circus and climbs a roller coaster β where the phone finally slips from her hands.
A bittersweet story about a small bug named Peter who dreams of performing in front of a large crowd at the zoo. He leaves home determined to make his dream come true. Unfortunately, due to his tiny size, he goes unnoticed by the people. But all ends well β back at home, Peter finds his own audience, who appreciate him for exactly who he is.
An extraterrestrial duo travels the universe to share their advanced technological brilliance with lessβ¦ gifted civilisations. On one particularly peculiar planet, things do not go quite according to plan. What follows is pure, award-winning comedic chaos β genuinely funny for every single age in the room.
The wolf is wandering through the woods, trying to find a peaceful spot to practise his secret hobby. But then a spectator shows up in the bushes. A charming and funny short from German animator Julia Ocker.
Every film in our programme is hand-picked by Milli with one question in mind: will this make a child's eyes light up?
We look for films that are visually rich, emotionally honest, and genuinely funny β stories that respect young audiences and trust them to feel something real. We select films from festivals around the world including Clermont-Ferrand, Annecy, Berlinale, and more.
Films run between 4 and 15 minutes, making for a varied, pacy programme that keeps even the youngest viewers completely captivated.
Films from Switzerland, the UK, Czech Republic, Portugal, Estonia, Belgium, and Germany.
Short enough to hold attention, long enough to tell a proper story. Perfect for ages 5β12.
Many films are dialogue-free or have simple English titles. Great for all ages and backgrounds.
No scary content, violence, or adult themes. Curated specifically for young audiences.
Tauranga Β· 9 July 2026 Β· Graham Young Youth Theatre Β· Sessions at 10am & 1pm
π Get Tickets β from $8pp