Summary
- Kids Love Cinema returns to Thessaloniki on 18 October 2026.
- The season opens at Olympion with a €3 ticket.
- Screenings continue through 25 April 2027 with classics and new releases.
- Fundamentals for Kids and NextGen add educational screenings and activities.
Event Details
Sunday cinema is back for Thessaloniki’s younger audiences: Kids Love Cinema returns on 18 October with Monsters, Inc., beginning a season of screenings running through April 2027.
Organised by the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the opening screening takes place at the Pavlos Zannas cinema inside Olympion on Sunday 18 October at 12:00, with a €3 ticket. The programme brings together familiar favourites, newer animated films and activities that introduce children to the language of cinema.
Discovering cinema beyond the familiar characters
From Coco and The Lion King to Little Amélie, Arco and Toy Story 5, the season places established favourites alongside more recent films. For children accustomed to watching stories on small screens, the experience of sharing a full-size cinema screen can be as valuable as the choice of film itself.
The Fundamentals for Kids strand returns for a fourth consecutive year, aimed at children aged 7–12. Its three screenings are Hola Frida (24 January), Matilda (7 February) and Mirai (21 February). Interactive activities accompanying the films are intended to introduce children to directing tricks and the fundamentals of visual storytelling.
The season also includes NextGen selections associated with the 67th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (5–15 November 2026) and the 29th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (4–14 March 2027). These educational short- and feature-film screenings form part of the Festival’s in-person and online programme, although this does not mean that every Sunday feature will be available online.
Three nominees for the European Film Academy Young Audience Award will also be presented. Their titles have not yet been announced; the Festival says they will be revealed at a special event during its 67th edition.
Kids Love Cinema 2026–2027: full screening schedule
October 2026
- 18 October — Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- 25 October — Little Amélie (2025)
November 2026
- 8 and 15 November — 67th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, NextGen
- 22 November — Mironins (2022)
- 29 November — Weekend Rebels (2023)
December 2026
- 6 December — Lioness (2023)
- 13 and 20 December — European Film Academy Young Audience Award nominees (titles to be announced)
January 2027
- 10 January — Third Young Audience Award nominee (title to be announced)
- 17 January — Coco (2017)
- 24 January — Hola Frida (2024), Fundamentals for Kids
- 31 January — Arco (2025)
February 2027
- 7 February — Matilda (1996), Fundamentals for Kids
- 14 February — The Lion King (1994)
- 21 February — Mirai (2018), Fundamentals for Kids
March 2027
- 7 and 14 March — 29th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, NextGen
- 21 March — Barry & Me (2026)
- 28 March — Toy Story 5 (2026)
April 2027
- 4 April — The Last Whale Singer (2025)
- 11 April — Rally from Paris to the Pyramids (2025)
- 18 April — GOAT (2026)
- 25 April — Hoppers (2026)
Venue, opening time and tickets
The opening screening is on Sunday 18 October 2026 at 12:00 at Pavlos Zannas in Olympion, Aristotelous Square, Thessaloniki. The Festival advertises a €3 ticket for the opening screening of Monsters, Inc. The season continues through 25 April 2027. Check the official Festival programme for subsequent ticket prices, exact times and any programme updates.
What we think
The most compelling part of Kids Love Cinema is that it treats young viewers as more than an audience for another animated film. Fundamentals for Kids, with its carefully selected screenings and hands-on activities, gives children an opportunity to notice how stories are built on screen.
That matters to anyone working with images. Editing, framing, direction and movement become easier to understand when children can explore them through a film they have just watched, rather than through an abstract lesson. Pairing classics with newer productions also creates opportunities to encounter contrasting visual styles and storytelling approaches.
The €3 opening ticket makes the first screening an accessible introduction for families who want a shared cinema outing. For later dates, checking the updated programme remains important, especially while the titles of several special screenings are still to be announced.
Frequently asked questions
When does Kids Love Cinema 2026–2027 begin?
On Sunday 18 October 2026 at 12:00, with Monsters, Inc.
Where is the opening screening?
At the Pavlos Zannas screen in Olympion, Aristotelous Square, Thessaloniki.
How much are tickets?
The Festival has announced €3 tickets for the opening screening on 18 October. Check the relevant listings for prices of later screenings.
What age group is Fundamentals for Kids intended for?
The educational strand is designed for children aged 7–12.
