Get Inspired at the 2014 Boston International Kids Film Festival

Annie, Mulligan’s Island, a Ghostbusters parody trailer. These are just a few of the full-length films and shorts you and your kids can see at the second annual Boston International Kids Film Festival, of BIKFF, hosted by Filmmakers Collaborative.

The event, which takes place this weekend at Somerville Theatre and Tufts University, includes showings of movies made by kids, for kids, and about kids—although with a recommended age range of 10 and up, the target audience is really teens and their families.

However, don’t confuse family-friendliness with frivolity. Teens like to know that their voice and actions matter. Exhibit A: all the dystopian YA blockbusters out there with a young protagonist saving the world from evil adults.

At BIKFF, teens will watch documentaries about topics that make them think. Take, for instance, Don’t Shoot, a short film about Ferguson, or The Holding Cell, about a girl who struggles with drug addiction. Both of these will be shown Friday night. Other films will look at the immigrant experience, coming of age stories, and more.

Of course, there will also be plenty of fun mysteries, adventures, and love stories, too. On Saturday afternoon, prepare to be amused and impressed at a block of exclusively student-made films. Here you’ll see films both silly and serious, from GhostBOSters, a remake of the original Ghostbusters trailer, to My Iron Lung, a documentary about polio.

Another highlight of the festival is a series of workshops at Tufts University in Medford. “Communication Camp” and “Social Media Bootcamp for Parents” sound, er, fine. But we’ve got our eye on two other sessions: “Smartphone Moviemaking with David Tames,” a tutorial on mics, lighting, tripods, and other add-ons that make your iPhone productions look more professional; and “Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls,” a session on personal identity and telling your stories via digital media. (Poehler won’t be there. Sorry.)

The weekend is preceded by a kick-off event on Wednesday, where BIKFF will host a special screening and discussion of Annie.

Prices vary by event, Friday-Sunday, November 7-9, Somerville Theatre and Tufts University, full schedule and tickets at bikff.org.