Edition 24: 1–9 August, 2025

Shadow Play: Films on Film

A Story of Children and Film

United Kingdom
2013 — 101' / Color, Black & White

1

Synopsis

The world’s first movie about kids in global cinema. It’s a passionate, poetic portrait of the adventures of childhood – its surrealism, loneliness, fun, destructiveness and stroppiness – as seen through 53 great films from 25 countries. It includes classic movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and The Red Balloon, also dozens of masterpieces (many directed by women) that are almost unknown. It combines the child’s eye view of Mark Cousins’ acclaimed film The First Movie, with the revelations and bold movie history of his 15 hour documentary The Story of Film: An Odyssey.

Directors' Biography

Mark Cousins is a critic and filmmaker and a former Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. He presented the TV series Moviedrome and Scene by Scene (1999-2001), and wrote and directed the documentary series The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011). His other movies include The First Movie (2009) and What is This Film Called… Love? (2012).

Directors

Mark Cousins

Producers

Adam Dawtrey

Mary Bell

Cinematographers

Marc Benoliel

Mark Cousins

Editors

Timo Langer

Sound

Ali Murray

Contact

BOFA PRODUCTIONS LIMITED
2 Clarendon Place
Stirling FK8 2QW UK
+ 44 (0) 7739 954106
[email protected]