Press room

This May, Barbican Cinema launches Preschool Pics, a brand-new, year-round film programme for toddlers aged 12 months to 4 years designed to discover the magic of the big screen in a fun and relaxed environment. 

Each screening will include films perfectly programmed for burgeoning film fans and their grown-ups, alongside live performances and creative activities.

Taking place on selected midweek mornings at the Barbican’s Beech Street Cinema Café everything is catered for - highchairs, plenty of toilets and baby-change facilities, plus books, bricks and colouring out in the foyer and café before and after the screenings. 

The beautiful and thoughtfully curated programme - which takes place in May, June and September before continuing in December, February and March next year (programme to be announced in the summer) - will include a mix of international gems, favourite classics, recent film releases and animations ranging in visual styles and themes. All films will be dialogue free or in the English language.

 Susie Evans, Barbican Cinema Curator, Families, says, “It’s very exciting to think that the youngest toddlers can soon start their film loving journey with us here at our brand new Preschool Pics. For years our weekly Family Film Club series has welcomed school-aged attendees and their families, and we're very happy to expand our offering to include a special programme of films and activities curated especially for younger attendees who are just starting their movie going experience. I can't wait to see them grow up with us!” 

Preschool Pics joins Barbican Cinema’s other regular strands – from Parent and Baby Screenings to Family Film Club and Senior Community Cinema – creating a cinema offer for audiences at every stage of life.

PROGRAMME (May to September):

Amazing Animations (U*) + Music with Tara Franks 

Wed 20 May, 10.30am, Café opens 10am

Cinema 2 

Approximate event run time: 55min

A fun music session and a selection of short films, curated with youngest audience members in mind.

Cellist Tara Franks - a regular at the Barbican’s weekly Family Film Club, and the founder of  Tots Tunes - will perform music from all over the world to get toddlers and their adults dancing and shaking to the beat in the cinema, followed by a friendly mix of international short films, perfect for young audience members in the early stages of their big screen adventure. Full programme of film titles below:

Jasmine and Jambo – Music with Style

Spain 2024, Dir Sílvia Cortés, 7min

The delightful duo Jasmine and Jambo live in a surreal music themed land and in this story, they find a minor key and a major key can sound very different. 

Animanimals: Ladybird 

Germany 2022, Dir Julia Ocker, 3min

Two ladybirds live side by side, but one of them is grumpier than the other – can they ever be friends?

The Adventures of Baby Bee’s Boot 

UK 2026, Dir David Burns, 7min
Set in a colourful garden, this sweet story follows what happens when a Baby Bee loses a boot and must get help from all sorts of creatures to find it again.
First Flight

Germany 2025, Dir. Adrian Jaffé, 3min

This charming animation, full of beautiful textures, sees a baby bird learning to use its wings.

The Little Bird and the Bees

Switzerland 2020, Dir Lena von Döhren, 4min
A little bird is pursued by a sneaky – and hungry – fox but finds help from some buzzy friends.

Animanimusical

Germany 2024, Dir. Julia Ocker, 3min
The zany animals of the Animanimal world come together for a sing-song, but there’s always one voice that seems to stand out from the rest. 

Jasmine and Jambo- Midsummer Magic (U*) (UK Premiere) + Storytelling with Emily Hanna-Grazebrook
Spain 2024, Dir Sílvia Cortés, 26min (in English language)

Wed 24 Jun, 10.30am, Café opens 10am

Cinema 2 

Approximate event runtime: 55min

A magical morning of live interactive storytelling, followed by a fantastic, animated gem celebrating Midsummer’s Day.

Ahead of the screening, storyteller Emily Hanna-Grazebrook of Dragonfly Tales will weave her magical worlds with words and perform some fantastical stories in the cinema before the film.

Jasmine and Jambo - Midsummer Magic is a delightful animation featuring characters, Jasmine and Jambo, two friends who live in a funny and surreal land where music and lifeg o hand in hand! While preparing for a Midsummer party the inseparable pair are a little careless when gathering food and the Spirits of the Forest start to play tricks to teach them a lesson. This charming animation from Spain has not been seen in the UK before and is full of quirky characters, colour and sweetness. 

The Smeds and the Smoos (U) + Music with Tara Franks 
UK 2024, Dirs Samantha Cutler and Daniel Snaddon, 26min

Wed 23 Sep, 10.30am, Café opens 10am

Cinema 2
Approximate event runtime: 55min

The wonderful cellist and musical extraordinaire, Tara Franks, of Tots Tunes, is back to start the morning with rhythm and get everyone boogieing to the beat before watching The Smeds and The Smoos, a delightful adaptation of the Julia Donaldson classic.

Set on a distant planet, the story follows two neighbouring alien families that never want to talk to each other. When one of each of their number – Bill and Janet – strike up a secret friendship, the families must overcome their differences or lose the ones they love. This gorgeous animation from Magic Light Pictures is a warm-hearted treat about conquering prejudice and finding friendship. 

Upcoming Dates – programming to be announced:

Wed 9 Dec 26 10.30am 

Wed 10 Feb 27 10.30am 

Wed 27 Mar 27 10.30am  

Useful information

Tickets: £2.50 Under 18s / £5.00 over 18s. Tickets are needed for children over 18 months and their adults.

Adults/Children: Designed for families/nursery groups to attend together. These events will be open to pre-school-aged children from 12 months up to 4 years and their carers. Adults can only attend with accompanying children, and children with a grown up. We suggest that there should be a minimum of 1 adult to every 4 children. 

Seating:  Booster seats for children of 18 months and above are available. Attendees of under 18 months may be seated on an adult’s lap for the duration of event. The auditorium has flip seats – please always supervise children in seats and never leave them unattended. 

Screening environment: The lights in the screening will be lightly dimmed and the sound of the films will be reduced. Movement and noise from young film fans is expected in these screenings but accompanying grown-ups should not use mobile phones/devices in the auditorium and children should always be supervised – especially on the stairs. 

Age recommendation: Films will all be rated a U by the BBFC or classified as a U* by the local authority - but assessing suitability of any film screening is always the responsibility of parent/guardian. Please see www.bbfc.co.uk for more information on film ratings and content guidelines. For a more nuanced description of any film content in this programme, email [email protected] at least 5 working days before the screening. 

Prams and buggies: Prams and buggies must be left outside the auditorium (at owners’ risk). 

Baby-changes / highchairs: There are 5 baby changes in the Cinema 2&3 building (3 in the accessible toilets and 1 each in our male/female toilets). There are up to 5 high-chairs available in the café which are available on a first come, first served basis.

Food and drink: Parents/guardians are welcome to bring packed lunches/snacks/drinks for their child to consume; however, while seated in the main café area, adults are asked to make a purchase.

Spares / spills: For emergency supplies, the Barbican team has a selection of spare baby wipes, nappies, nappy bags, bum cream and the odd spare outfit in case of spills and leaks. 

Books / Activities:  There are a selection of books/activities/toys left out in the café before and after the screening. These are used at customers’ own risk and young children should always be supervised. 

Family Film Club: aimed at 5+ cinemagoers and their families, the weekly club takes place on Saturday mornings during term time to screen the best new releases, archive classics and international gems. 

Parent and Baby Screenings: For parents/guardians with children under 12 months, wanting to watch new releases on a Saturday morning.https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/series/parent-and-baby-screenings

Also at the Barbican: The Barbican Library on Level 2 is open Mon – Sat and hosts regular Rhyme Time sessions and Monster Art Clubs, please check their website for more detail. 

The Fortune Street Park is a 5-minute walk from Cinema 2&3 with an entrance on Whitecross Street and is a great place for a picnic and to burn off some energy off after a screening!