Les oiseaux de passage, directed by Olivier Ringer and produced by Yves Ringer, has won two new awards: the Grand Prix for Best Film at the New York International Children's Film Festival (USA) and the Award for Best Film at the BUFF International Film Festival Malmö (Sweden).
© Wallonie-Bruxelles Image
The film, co-produced by the RTBF, showcases Cathy, a girl who receives for her tenth birthday an egg to hatch. When the duckling comes out of this shell, in the presence of Cathy’s best friend, Margaux, the animal is convinced that this latter is his mother. Margaux, however, can not take care of a duckling as she uses a wheelchair and must soon live in institution. When both girls learn that Margaux’s parents wish to get rid of the duckling, they embark on an adventure where they discover more about themselves than about the rescue of a web-footed bird.
At the New York International Children's Film Festival, which promotes intelligent family movie for children from 3 to 18 years, the film was awarded the Grand Prize for Best Film. Founded in 1997, the festival brings together more than 25 000 spectators today.
Les oiseaux de passage also won the Best Film Award at BUFF, worth 10,800 euros. This festival was founded in 1984 and presents films for children and youth, but also for parents.
Produced by Ring Production and distributed by Jekino, the film was partly shot in the Aquascope of Virelle (Chimay), and has received support from the Film Center and Audiovisual Federation Wallonia -Brussels. With these two latest awards, the film now totals 18 international awards, including the Grand Prix for best European children’s film by the European Children’s Film Association (ECFA) in February 2016, or the Best feature film at the Film Festival for Children of Montreal (2015) . It is expected on 1 April in Belgian theaters.
