New York International Children’s Festival honors Uma Thurman

NOT A PUBLIC EVENT.

The New York International Children’s Festival announces it will honor Academy Award-nominated actress, activist, and longtime NYICFF juror Uma Thurman at this year’s upcoming Annual Benefit. Thurman will be recognized for her artistic contributions to film and television, her philanthropic commitment to projects serving women and kids, and her longtime support of creating a more dynamic film culture for kids as a NYICFF juror for many years.

The event will take place February 1, 2024 at Scandinavia House. In addition to the tribute to Thurman, the event will include “Not for Kids” short film program consisting of shorts submitted to the Festival that aren’t quite appropriate for kids but that demand to be shared.

In addition to the countless roles she’s inhabited in film, television, and onstage throughout her career—from Stephen Frears’ DANGEROUS LIAISONS to iconic characters in Tarantino’s PULP FICTION and KILL BILL franchise—Thurman has dedicated time and energy to children’s welfare in her personal and professional life. She is a mother of three and a long-time ambassador and founding Board Member of “Room to Grow,” which provides support and necessary supplies to low-income families and children aged from newborn to three years old. Her involvement with the NYICFF as both a juror and a participant goes back over a decade.

“We are so fortunate for Uma’s support,” said NYICFF Executive Director Nina Guralnick. “She has been a dedicated juror and participant for nearly 14 years, and we are thrilled to be able to formally acknowledge all of her contributions as an ambassador, industry leader, and activist at our annual benefit event.”

NYICFF is an Oscar-qualifying festival and remains a vital space for young cinema goers and filmmakers alike. It is North America’s largest and most prestigious film festival for young audiences. The 2024 Festival will run March 2-17, with program details to be announced.

Highlights from the 2023 Festival Include Awards Contenders like Makoto Shinkai’s SUZUME and Mahnoor Euceph’s Short “Eid Mubarek,” International Emmy-Winner THE SMEDS AND THE SMOOS, and the Acclaimed Animated Feature EARNEST AND CELESTINE: A TRIP TO GIBBERITIA, which all had their New York premieres at the festival.

All proceeds from the benefit event support NYICFF’s FilmEd program, a media-based education initiative created to help students better understand life beyond their own experiences through rich, inclusive film programs. FilmEd Field Trips are free for Title I public schools (where a majority of the student body comes from low-income communities) and take place at local neighborhood venues. FilmEd film programs are curated to give students from historically underrepresented communities an opportunity to see authentic, inclusive, representations of themselves on the big screen. All screenings are followed by critical-thinking and empathy-building discussions and activities, providing students with a thought-provoking, fun, and dynamic way to explore timely and important topics.

About New York International Children’s Film Festival

Established in 1997, NYICFF’s mission is rooted in the belief of film as a path for young people to understand themselves and others. All programs are designed to celebrate the beauty and power of film, spark the inherent capacity of children to connect with complex, nuanced art, and encourage the creation of intelligent films that represent and celebrate unique, diverse, and historically excluded voices. NYICFF serves children, students, families, educators, filmmakers, and media arts professionals through its three core activities: the annual, Oscar®-qualifying NYC film festival and national touring program; Film-Ed, a media arts and literacy program; and Toward an Inclusive Future, an annual industry forum.

About Uma Thurman

Award-winning actress Uma Thurman has proven herself to be one of the industry’s most versatile performers, lending her talents to an array of revered films and television.

Most recently, Thurman starred in Prime Video’s feature film “Red, White and Royal Blue” which was released globally on August 11th, 2023 and in comedy thriller “The Kill Room” where she reunited with Samuel L. Jackson. Thurman also completed production on Netflix film’s “The Old Guard 2” opposite Charlize Theron and independent film “Oh, Canada” directed by Paul Schrader.

Thurman’s entrance into mainstream film began following her role as goddess Venus in Terry Gilliam’s “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen”. She went on to receive critical acclaim for her portrayal of “Cecile” in Stephen Frears’ “Dangerous Liaisons” opposite John Malkovich. Additional film credits include “Beautiful Girls,” “Batman & Robin,” “Les Misérables,” “Prime” with Meryl Streep and “The Producers.”

Thurman received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of “Mia Wallace” in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” and, as Tarantino’s muse, Thurman garnered Golden Globe® Award nominations for her role as “The Bride” in the “Kill Bill” film franchise. Thurman earned a Golden Globe® Award for “Hysterical Blindness,” which she produced and starred in, and received her first Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her arc on NBC’s series “Smash”. Thurman completed her Broadway debut as the star of  The Parisian Woman .

Thurman is a long-time ambassador and founding Board Member of Room to Grow. The organization, which was founded by Julie Burns in 1998, provides support and necessary supplies to low-income families and children aged from newborn to three years old. Born in Boston and raised in Amherst, Thurman currently lives in New York City with her three children.