As part of the first Otok’s Film Club in Koper, starting in October 2018, fortnightly meetings with children from 12 to 14 years of age were organized, where children got familiar with the basics of film language, of documentary, fiction and animation styles, and some practical exercises, all through watching films; first, short films. With the beginning of the year, 5 passionate  children remained part of the Film Club and two more joined in via an open call for a pilot programme of Young Programmers in Slovenia. The call for programmers was spread publicly with a special leaflet, circling around schools in the coastal  area. Three feature films were screened and the attending children were familiarized with how to select one title to be screened within Kino Otok IFF. For this purpose, the narrowed-down finalists for the selection were Vitello by Dorte Bengtson, Cloudboy by Meikeminne Clinkspoor and Theeb by Aji Abu Nawar, three films that were appropriate for their level of basic film knowledge and maturity all connected with a common theme of young kids in special family situations. They selected Vitello, as they were drawn to the animation style and the special humour that carries a challenging story of a young boy without a father. They also considered it an appropriate choice because the parents might enjoy watching it together with young audiences as well.

At the Submarine section of Kino Otok festival, 4 young programmers attended the screening in Izola’s House of Culture on Sunday, 9 June, where they presented the film together with the mentor Lorena Pavlič.

They wrote a joint review of Vitello:

‘’We really liked the film! It was very amusing, but we did not expect such an ending, we imagined that things will resolve in a different way. We expected that Vitello will get to know his father. We think that all teachers and parents should watch this film, to see what kind of problems children have, so they can help them. Vitello is a sympathetic and curious boy, but he is also naughty. He is most naughty, when he has problems and does not feel well, because his mother does not tell him who his father is. His mother is not the most kind one, but she loves him nevertheless. Vitello becomes more kind, when he gets to know his new neighbour, a girl friend who helps him to understand the new family life. He realizes that it is good that he has a new father or a stepfather, because he is kkind, buys him presents, and they go together to trips. It is very nice in the company of friends and family.’’