Heartwarming Asian Films to Watch With Your Family on World Children's Day

World Children’s Day, according to UNICEF, is not only to honor children but also their rights. Celebrated annually on Nov. 20, this celebration commemorates the Declaration of the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly in 1959, which cements children’s rights to be fed, nurtured, and protected, among others.

Beyond this, the celebration also reminds us that every child is special and deserves to be loved — and what better way to honor the spirit of this special day than by gathering your loved ones for a meaningful movie night?

In this article, we’ve listed down some of the best Asian movies to watch with your little ones this World Children’s Day and beyond, from fun musicals to heartwarming drama classics. Check out our picks below!

Taare Zameen Par (Every Child is Special/Like Stars on Earth)

Aamir Khan is considered one of India’s top actors and filmmakers and is known for his heartfelt, tear-jerking movies, such as the 2009 coming-of-age film “3 Idiots” and sci-fi-slash-comedy “PK.” This film is no different.

Premiered in 2007, “Taare Zameen Par” is about Ishaan (played by Darsheel Safary), a dyslexic eight-year-old boy who has a hidden talent for the arts. With his condition, the boy has lots of trouble in school, often getting bullied by his schoolmates and scolded by his father and teachers for his shortcomings in academics. Fed up with his behavior, Ishaan’s father sends him to boarding school, where he experiences fear and anxiety.

At the boarding school, he meets substitute art teacher Ram (played by Aamir Khan), an optimistic educator who discovers Ishaan’s dyslexia and helps him overcome it. He also finds out about Ishaan’s amazing artistic skills and encourages the boy to participate in an art contest.

Watch "Taare Zameen Par" on Netflix India.

Over the Moon

Musicals are always fun to watch with the family. Combine it with a fantasy-filled storyline, and you get a magical movie experience!

The animated film “Over the Moon" follows Fei Fei, a girl who believes in the legend of moon goddess Chang’e, who became a divine being and ascended to the moon after taking a potion of immortality. After her mother falls ill and dies, Fei Fei is enveloped in sadness. Following her mother’s death, Fei Fei also finds out about his father’s engagement with Ms. Zhong.

Upset with all these happenings, Fei Fei plans to build a rocket to fly to the moon and prove that Chang’e is real. An exciting adventure for Fei Fei, her pet rabbit, Chin (Ms. Zhong’s son who tags along with Fei Fei), and his pet frog follow suit.

You can stream “Over the Moon” on Netflix.

Raya and the Last Dragon

Released in 2021, “Raya and the Last Dragon” made history as the first animated film from Disney to feature Southeast Asian characters. But apart from its Asian representation, the film also stunned critics with its stellar storyline and depiction of the Southeast Asian culture.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” is set in Kumandra, a fantasy land where humans coexist with dragons. Attacked by mindless spirits called Druun, Kumandra falls into chaos. Sisu, the last surviving dragon, creates a gem to eliminate the Druun. While the gem succeeds in vanquishing the spirits, it creates a power struggle within the land, causing Kumandra to get divided into five chiefdoms: Heart, Tail, Spine, Talon, and Fang.

About 500 years have passed, and Heart’s Chief Benja gains possession of the gem and trains his daughter Raya to protect it. Aiming to reunite the five chiefdoms, Benja holds a banquet, which does not go as planned — the chiefdoms fight over the gem, breaking it into five pieces. This fissure releases the Druun, who quickly attacks the Land of the Heart and turns its people into stones. Benja saves Raya, who goes on an adventure to find Sisu and seek her help in saving her tribe.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” is available for streaming on Disney+.

Magnifico

A classic Filipino drama film, "Magnifico,” tells the story of a nine-year-old boy, the film’s titular character. Magnifico is a sweet young boy from an impoverished family who is full of love for his parents, siblings, and grandmother, as well as the people he encounters. While he might not be intellectually gifted, Magnifico is street-smart, industrious, and selfless, helping his family and people around their community in his own little way, from negotiating for a wheelchair for his sister with cerebral palsy so he can take her to the carnival to playing matchmaker for his love-stricken brother.

His grandmother was then diagnosed with terminal cancer, worsening the family’s problems. Edna, Magnifico’s mother, worries about how they’ll be able to afford treatments. Meanwhile, Magnifico gets an idea of his own: to build a coffin for his grandmother from scrap wood to aid their expenses — reflecting how real-world dilemmas are seen from the eyes of a child.

Ponyo

Created by Studio Ghibli and Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, “Ponyo,” the film’s titular character, is about Brunhilde, a goldfish who escapes the ocean while on an outing with her father, Fujimoto. She gets trapped in a small glass jar and drifts to the shore of a small town but is then saved by a five-year-old boy named Sōsuke, who names her Ponyo. Believing she was kidnapped, Fujimoto calls on the wave spirits to recover his daughter, causing an extreme storm across Japan.

After reuniting with her father, Brunhilde expresses her desire to become human and to be called Ponyo. With the help of her sisters, she uses her father’s magic to transform herself into a human, which causes an imbalance in nature. This imbalance, if not solved, will cause disasters and turn Ponyo into a sea foam — and it’s all up to Sōsuke.

You can watch "Ponyo" on Netflix.

Khan Kluay (The Blue Elephant)

Set in Ayutthaya-era Siam, the 2006 Thai animated film “Khan Kluay” is about a young and mischievous elephant who grows up in the wild. Extremely curious, he sets out to look for his war elephant father, Phupa, who is already deceased, along with his bird friend, Jitrit.

Throughout this adventure, he meets Chaba Kaew, a pink elephant who was raised by humans. Going through all sorts of challenges and adventures, he eventually learns more about the friendship between man and elephant.

To watch “Khan Kluay,” visit Netflix.

Stand by Me

Another film that will surely get you weeping is the 2018 Korean drama film “Stand by Me.” The movie follows the story of a 70-year-old grandpa who struggles to raise his two grandchildren, Deok-gu and Deok-hui, all alone after his son’s death. To do so, he does all sorts of work, like dishwashing at barbeque restaurants, among others.

Deok-gu and Deok-hui also struggle with the absence of their mother, putting their grandfather in a deeper dilemma. His problems get even worse when he finds out that he has lung cancer and will die soon. To prepare for his impending death, he looks for ways to ensure that the kids are taken care of and have a better future.

“Stand by Me” is available via Apple TV+.