REDCAT International Children's Film Festival Speaks Many Languages

"Who's There?" a film by Vanda Raymanova of Slovakia.

The jam-packed audience was all abuzz even before the lights went down. Families who spoke a variety of languages -- some I didn't recognize -- filled the seats (and front-row cushions) at the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater downtown for Day 1 of the 2012 REDCAT International Children's Film Festival on Saturday.

And CC was one of them.

After announcing that one short film would be spoken in German, with English subtitles, CC told the people in front of us, "I'm part German. Guten Tag!" Thank you, Berlin!

It was truly amazing being part of such an international crowd right here at home. It really speaks to L.A.'s diversity and curiosity about different cultures.

CC also loved the balloons they were handing out at the festival.

But that wasn't exactly what interested CC. She was in it for the short, kid-friendly films. In fact, the one she chose as her favorite was the one pictured above, "Who's There?" about two boys who become friends and then enemies and then friends again, all while building a curious house together and teasing one another about scary wolves.

I was a big fan of "Hoggie & Snip," from Magnus Hjerpe of Canada. That film told the story of an unlikely friendship between a young snake and hedgehog. OK, so I'm a sucker for hedgehogs.

There's still one more weekend of kid-friendly films at the festival. Click here for more info and $5 tickets.