To spread a million Smiles, SIFFCY, and SMILE Foundation are gearing up to host the eleventh edition of its film festival early next year. The 10th edition held this year was a huge success, says Rahul Laud, Associate Editor at Asian Lite who attended it narrates his experience.
The call from the organizers of Smile Int’l Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY) “ SUBMIT YOUR FILM !” has created huge excitement and enthusiasm among film goers especially those who work among kids and youth. SIFFCY has opened entries for the 11th edition of its annual festival, scheduled from 28 Jan until 03 Feb 2025, in New Delhi and several other locations across India. Hosted by Smile Foundation in partnership with the European Union in India the prestigious – European Children’s Film Association (ECFA) Award at the annual festival each year, distinguishes SIFFCY as the only non-European festival to do so.
SIFFCY is one of the flagship initiatives of India’s leading development organisation Smile Foundation launched in 2015 India. Shantanu Mishra, Chairman of SIFFCY and Founder, Mentor, and Executive Trustee at SMILE Foundation, said, “The festival aims to engage, encourage, educate & empower young minds through GOOD WORLD CINEMA and various film-related workshops.”
The 10th edition of the annual SIFFCY organized in partnership with the European Union (The delegation of the European Union in India), was held successfully from 9th to 15th Apr 2024 in New Delhi and 100+ other locations across India. The week-long film festival reached out to more than 5,00,000 young audiences across India with a diverse program of over 150 films from 52 countries and 50 different workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, and more. The festival has garnered huge international support with 50+ national and international industry professionals, jurors, filmmakers and guests from 12 different countries participating in person and 100+ young Jurors from 10 different countries participated virtually during these 7 days.
The national media has recognized the 10th edition of SIFFCY as the largest film festival in the country this year! Major activities along with the opening and award ceremony were held in New Delhi during the week. Simultaneously multiple screenings and related activities were scheduled in different schools and communities in various locations across India. Selected programs were also available on the festival’s specially designed, secured, dedicated streaming platform for the online participants throughout the week.
The young, dynamic, enthusiastic, and globally recognized Producer and Director Jitendra Mishra who has been the Festival Director since its inception boasts that SIFFCY is aimed “ To promote GOOD CINEMA that meant for children & youth; To bring together high quality, entertaining, multi‐cultural cinema for children & youth; To cultivate an understanding of other cultures, lives & experiences through the medium of film; To catalyze critical appreciation and creative pursuit of cinematic art amongst children & youth; To support the work of talented and dedicated children & young film‐makers and encourage the exchange of ideas amongst them”
The 10th film fest, witnessed some unique films in the screening programs including 10 films made by the students of BATA University, Zlin, with the support of the Czech Embassy in India, 10 films from Germany with the support of SCHLiNGEL Int’l Film Festival, 10 classic animations curated by TV Studio Animated Films, Poznan and presented by acclaimed film personality Mr. Jerzy Moszkowicz along with the Polish Institute New Delhi and 10 films made by children from various countries under the PRIX JEUNESSE Suitcase section.”
In addition, the SIFFCYthethe team organized several interactive workshops for free for the children and youth. The collaboration with the prestigious European Union for SIFFCY 2024 and its Member States has taken the stage at the festival at its 19th edition. This was a collective effort by the Smile Foundation management, the Delegation of the European Union, the SIFFCY team of devoted and dedicated volunteers, eminent jurors, partners, supporters, filmmakers, and all the participants.
On the occasion of announcing the 11th edition, Santanu Mishra added, “It is a momentous occasion for all of us at Smile Foundation as we showcase a decade of good cinema through SIFFCY. We believe that cinema plays a pivotal role in shaping young minds. We will carry forward our mission to engage young audiences creatively and meaningfully to strengthen the value system in our society. Good content and works of art bring lots of opportunities and, in this digital age, platforms like SIFFCY have a significant role to play.”
SIFFCY has been the only non-European Festival – the only Indian festival to host the CIFEJ Award supported by UNESCO. The film KUNG FU LION by Froukje Tan from the Netherlands won the ECFA award at the 10the festival this year, while the CIFEJ Award went to ICARUS AND THE MINOTAUR by Carlo Vogele from Luxembourg, France, and Belgium. WEEKEND REBELS by Marc Rothemund from Germany won 4 different awards including the biggest award of the festival – the best feature film award (children).
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