Families, visitors and local residents who decide to stay in town for spring break will have the opportunity to travel internationally through film with the 2026 Spring Break Film Series. The event, made possible through a partnership between the local art house nonprofit, Park City Film, and Pa rk City Library, will feature free film screenings at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, April 13-17, in the Jim Santy Auditorium, said Katharine Wang, Park City Film executive director. “There are so many amazing films out there for children that people don’t get to see because the films don’t go to big, fancy megaplexes,” she said. “While most of our programming at Park City Film is not generated toward children, this gives us the opportunity for us to pick up those types of films.” The first film out of the gates on April 13 is Otto Bells’ 2016 documentary “The Eagle Huntress,” rated G. “It’s one of my favorite films we have shown over the course of my tenure,” Wang said. “It’s a film from Mongolia about a 13-year-old girl who is the first female in her family of 12 generations who becomes an eagle hunter.” Aishol-pan, a 13-year-old girl, trains to become the first female in 12 generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter in Otto Bell’s 2016 documentary, “The Eagle Huntress,. The film will kick start Park City Film’s Spring Break Film Series, a partnership with the Park City Library, on April 13. Credit: Photo courtesy of Park City Film Park City Film first screened the film when it was first released, and packed the auditorium, according to Wang. “It’s an inspirational story about what one can accomplish when they have the fortitude to take on something that maybe no one has carved out for you,” she said. “Certainly the girl’s family had eagle hunters, but no other woman had been.” Next on the schedule is Kyle Balda and Chris Renaud’s 2012 animated feature, “The  Lorax,” rated PG, Wang said.  “It’s based on the book by Dr. Seuss,” she said. “It’s a children’s classic about the gruff guardian who speaks for the trees and tries to prevent deforestation.”This version is a modern update of the animated 1972 TV special, Wang said. “It’s still a beautiful film we thought would be thematically great to include in the series,” she said. “Song of the Sea,” which will screen April 15, is a PG-rated animated film by Tomm Moore, originally released in 2014, Wang said. “This is another classic that was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature back in its day,” she said. “It’s based on an Irish folktale about mythological Selkies, who are men who transform into seals. It’s a beautifully hand-drawn animated film that lies outside the box of what you would usually see in commercial theaters.” The Spring Break Film Series then travels back to 1982 with a screening of John Huston’s “Annie,” rated PG, the first movie based on the Tony Award-winning musical of the same name, Wang said. “Of course the story is about Little Orphan Annie who is adopted by Daddy Warbucks and goes from rags to riches but still yearns to find her true family who gave her up for adoption,” she said. “It was nominated for two Academy Awards — Best Musical and Best Production Design — and features Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan with all her shenanigans. There have been remakes over time, but sometimes it’s fun to go back to the original, especially for those who may not have seen it.” “Song of the Sea,” an animated film by Tomm Moore, which will screen April 15 at the Jim Santy Auditorium, is inspired by Ireland’s mythical selkies. Credit: Photo courtesy of Park City Film The last film of the Spring Break Film Series is a current film, “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,” rated PG. “This was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature this year, and it’s about a Belgian girl who lives in Japan,” Wang said.  The film is about a young child who discovers the world. “If you have children, it’s like seeing them starting to open their minds about what’s going on around them  — the sights, the sounds, the experiences, other people — and recognizing that there is a world outside of themselves,” Wang said. “The way the movie is told and unfolds puts you into that place where your mind expands between the ages of 2 and 5. It’s an unimaginable explosion with synapses firing and connecting with everything around you.” All films will be screened in English, except for “Eagle Huntress,” which will have English narration by Daisy Ridley and English subtitles. Admission to the films is free, as is the popcorn, but registration is available, Wang said.  “We want to thank Rocky Mountain Power who has come on as a sponsor for our children’s series, along with Summit County RAP Tax, Utah Division of Arts and Museum,” she said. “And, of course, we are grateful to partner with Park City Library.”  Wang said Park City Film has worked closely with the Park City Library for more than a decade on these types of specialty screenings. “We try to find things that are thematic in a sense,” she said. “Those with Academy Award nominations are always helpful, but I do try to wait as long as possible to schedule them, because how well they do at the box office determines how soon they will be released to the public.” Wang also seeks out films that aren’t usually found on streaming services.  “There are plenty of other films we can curate that are independent-oriented, but you really have to look for these films in order to see them,” she said. “Those are the ones that are a little more aligned with our mission in terms of quality, but also outside the mainstream in a good way. So, we want to encourage people to come out during spring break to see some great movies with friends and families.” “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,” a 2025 award-winning animated film by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, sees the world through the eyes of a Belgian girl growing up in Japan. Park City Film and Park City Library’s 2026 Spring Break Film Series All screenings begin at 4 p.m. in the Jim Santy Auditorium Summaries provided by Park City Film Monday, April 13 — “The Eagle Huntress,” (2016) rated G, directed by Otto Bell; Aishol-pan, a 13-year-old girl, trains to become the first female in 12 generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter and rises to the pinnacle of a tradition that has been handed down from father to son for centuries. Tuesday, April 14 —  “The Lorax,” (2012) rated PG, directed by Chris Renaud; 12-year-old Ted lives in a place virtually devoid of nature; no flowers or trees grow in the town of Thneedville. Ted would very much like to win the heart of Audrey, the girl of his dreams, but to do this, he must find that which she most desires: a Truffula tree. To get it, Ted delves into the story of the Lorax, once the gruff guardian of the forest, and the Once-ler, who let greed overtake his respect for nature. Based on the book by Dr. Seuss. Wednesday, April 15 —  “Song of the Sea,” (2014) rated PG, directed by Tomm Moore; Ben and his little sister Saoirse — the last Seal-child — must embark on a fantastic journey across a fading world of ancient legend and magic in an attempt to return to their home by the sea. The film takes inspiration from the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore, who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Thursday, April 16 — “Annie,” (1982) rated PG, directed by John Huston; An orphan in a facility run by the mean Miss Hannigan, Annie believes that her parents left her there by mistake. When a rich man named Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks decides to let an orphan live at his home to promote his image, Annie is selected. While Annie gets accustomed to living in Warbucks’ mansion, she still longs to meet her parents. So Warbucks announces a search for them and a reward, which brings out many frauds. Nominated for two Academy Awards. Friday, April 17 — “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,” (2025) rated PG, directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han; Amélie is a little Belgian girl born in Japan. Thanks to her friend, Nishio-san, the world is full of adventure and discovery. On her third birthday, an event changes the course of her life. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Park City Film: Spring Break Films When: 4 p.m., April 13-17 Where: Park City Library’s Jim Santy Auditorium, 1255 Park Ave Cost: Free Web: parkcityfilm.org The post Spring Break Film Series brings the world to Park City appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less