The Barbican Centre and theIndependent Cinema Office are working with Film London to create the firstcity-wide London Children's Film Festival. The inaugural event will be heldNovember 9-20, screening 60 films at the Barbican and 15 other venues.

Disney's animated comedy Chicken Little will open the fest witha charity gala screening on November 9, and Japanese feature Shining Boy and Little Randy will closethe event on November 20.

Films are selected from 22countries and they include Craig Clyde's TheDerby Stallion (US); John Henderson's Greyfriars Bobby (UK), Gholamreza Ramezani's Hayat (Iran);Marilyn Agrelo'sMad Hot Ballroom (US), Byambasuren Davaa's The Cave ofthe Yellow Dog (Mongolia/Germany), Torun Lian's The Colour ofMilk (Norway), Fanny Armstrongand Ken Loach'sMcLibel (UK), andGeoff Bennett's Hating Alison Ashley (Australia).Children'sjuries will award prizes.

The festival will offerprogramming strands for three ages: 5-11, 12-16, and young adults.

The programme includes asidebar dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen, animated films from Sheffield's Showcomotion festival, shorts made by youngLondoners, schooloutreach events, hands-on workshops, and more.

The festival's artisticdirectors are Barbican Cinema head Robert Rider, Barbican Education headJillian Barker, ICO head Catharine Des Forges, and bfiMediatheque curator Robin Baker. Its patrons includeClive Owen, Catherine Tate, Jim Broadbent, Samantha Morton, and Beeban Kidron.