SILVER

[KNOR]
Babs and her parents are vegetarians living an idyllic life in the Netherlands, except for one missing ingredient: a puppy! That is all nine-year-old Babs wants for her birthday, so imagine her joy when her estranged grandfather Tuitjes reenters the family's life and gifts the young girl an adorable piglet named Oink. Eager to ensure her new pet is welcome at home, Babs enrolls him in obedience school as grandpa generously plumps up the porker. Surely there's no catch, not even if Tuitjes keeps a large, locked suitcase and the centennial celebration of the King Sausage competition — where local butchers compete to serve the most delicious wurst — is set to begin in just a few days. This stop-motion animated adventure is the feature-length debut from Dutch director Mascha Halberstad, a delightful little oinker of a film with cute puppets and charming scenery. Its pint-sized runtime makes it a perfect family treat. Official Selection, 2022 Berlin Film Festival. DIR Mascha Halberstad; SCR Fiona van Heemstra, from the book by Tosca Menten; PROD Marleen Slot. Netherlands/Belgium. 2022, color, 72 min. In Dutch with English subtitles. NOT RATED; recommended for ages 8+

No AFI Member passes accepted.