The Children’s Film Festival Seattle — which begins its run through February 7th Thursday night at 12th Ave’s Northwest Film Forum — isn’t quite old enough to welcome its second generation of kids.

But festival director Elizabeth Shepherd says the 10th annual event celebrating all ages cinema is growing up.

“Kids that came to our first festivals are now off to college,” she said. “My own kids have grown up with this festival. It’s a tradition for our family. I think it is for many.”

With more and more kids experiencing their media via tablets and even smaller screens, Shepherd hopes NWFF’s annual event will help keep the spirit of cinema and filmmaking alive.

“I think it’s a really great experience and a really exciting experience to see these on a big screen and to see them with other people,” Shepherd said.

“These are films about the world. To come and see that with other people and with other kids to laugh as a group and be moved as a group is a really human experience.Digital and online can’t erase that.”

This year’s festival has grown into a “12-day extravaganza” that “celebrates the best and brightest in international cinema for children,” and will include more than 175 films from 58 countries, including Afghanistan, Venezuela, Qatar, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Uruguay and Trinidad and Tobago. The festival will include live performances, animation, features, shorts and hands-on filmmaking workshops, “all crafted with care to appeal to the next generation of movie-lovers, ages 3 to 15.”

You’ll find the full 2015 slate of festival films, tickets and more information at nwfilmforum.org.

More things to do around Capitol Hill and beyond this weekend including the opening of Our Town at 12th Ave Arts, Backyard Barter on Capitol Hill, a Lindy West This American Life Listening Party at Speckled and Drake, and Campfire BBQ at Vermillion, below. Plus, sadly, don’t forget Sunday is the final day of business for Kingfish Cafe at 19th and Mercer. Expect a line.

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