Starting Friday (August 16) with the wonderful Song of the Sea, the Reel 2 Real International Festival for Youth begins its annual Outdoor Summer Film Series at Granville Island’s Ron Basford Park.

Released in 2014, Song of the Sea draws on Irish folklore for its tale of selkies, faeries, and lost mothers. Like director Tomm Moore's 2009 feature The Secret of Kells, it also takes its place in the pantheon of modern animated classics. 

Continuing next Friday (August 23), Short Films from Coast to Coast to Coast offers a 90-minute program of award winners and local titles, including VIFF 2018’s Best BC Short, “Biidabaan”.

The series closes on Friday, August 30 with 2016’s Swiss-German adaptation of Heidi, starring the late, great Bruno Ganz.

As ever, R2R offers free animation workshops from 6 until 9 pm at Performance Works. That’s three long evenings of fresh air, no Switch, and a $5.99 saving on that Detective Pikachu rental.

More information here.