Month: June 2024

Announces official selections

150 Films from 40 countries to be screened; 50 locations covered

New Delhi:  Smile Foundation is hosting the 10th edition of the annual Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY) in partnership with the European Union (The delegation of the European Union in India). SIFFCY in its 10^th year has put together a diverse list of films from India and abroad to be organized in a hybrid model. The main celebrations, including the opening and award ceremonies, are happening at the PHD House, New Delhi during 9-11^th April. SIFFCY will also be hosted at 50 different locations across India simultaneously, making it the largest and biggest film festival in the country.

The European Union and its member countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland will be taking the center-stage as the countries of focus this year. SIFFCY 2024 will have various categories such as International Competition (Feature and Shorts), 70MM Smile which features World Panorama Feature and non-feature films, while the Yellow Carpet segment celebrates the diverse Indian Regional Cinema in Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali, Rajasthani, Karbi, Garhwali, Nepali etc. Films made by Children can be viewed at Take One and Extra Smiles brings together the best of SIFFCY from the earlier editions as well as classics.

Multiple special showcase this year includes 10 films made by the students of BATA University, the Czech Republic, to be presented by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in India. Eight Classic Animations (1990s / 35mm) curated by TV Studio Animated Films, Poland will be presented by acclaimed film personality from Poland Mr. Jerzy Moszkowicz along with the Polish Institute New Delhi. Eight Award winning films from Germany are to be presented by SCHLiNGEL Int’l Film Festival. Multiple films made by children from more than 30 different countries (including the USA, Spain, Columbia, Portugal, Belgium, Ukraine, Croatia, Greece, Austria, Germany, Estonia, Australia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Malaysia) and films on environment, family values, inclusion, disability, friendship, art and culture, war and peace and many other important topics will be made available for the young film lovers.

“I believe that good cinema is one of the most powerful media to depict reality and to emulate values. Good cinema has the power to stimulate discussion and contemplation in young minds about personal, emotional, societal and moral duties, thereby enabling them to become better and stronger individuals. With a platform like SIFFCY, we want to contribute towards bringing positive societal change that begins with the young minds,” says Mr. Santanu Mishra, Chairman of SIFFCY and Co-founder & Executive Trustee of Smile Foundation.

“As we celebrate the 10^th anniversary edition of the festival, this year we are trying to reach out to a larger young audience in multiple locations across the country and spread extra smiles. We are going to screen 150 films from 40 countries, besides hosting ten different types of film-related interactive sessions and capacity building workshops for children and youth free of cost,” SIFFCY Festival Director Mr. Jitendra Mishra said on this occasion.

SIFFCY will see sizeable participation by schools and communities across India. Screenings and programmes are scheduled to tap young, imaginative minds. Selected films and programmes will also be streaming on a dedicated, secured, geo-blocked virtual platform of the festival for a larger audience throughout the week. SIFFCY intends to continue with his mission of reaching out to as many children and youth as possible and bring together an entertaining and enlightening format.

SIFFCY’s journey over the last decade has brought together a milieu where professional filmmakers and young amateurs have brought forward the best of audio-visual medium. Keeping the tradition alive, this year SIFFCY will host 50 young Jurors from across the world, besides 30 International Professional Jurors from 15 countries.

SIFFCY is the only non-European Festival to host ‘European Children’s Film Association Award (ECFA) and the only Indian Festival to host CIFEJ Award supported by UNESCO.

SIFFCY this year will organize 10 different workshops, masterclasses and panel discussions on wide-ranging topics like environment, family values, war and peace, road safety amongst others.

ABOUT SIFFCY

SIFFCY (Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth) is an initiative by Smile Foundation to entertain, engage, educate and empower young minds. It is based on a strong belief that good cinema represents much more than entertainment; rather this is the most powerful medium to depict the reality and emulate values. Film becomes an interesting and engaging alternative to stimulate discussion among young people about vital personal, societal, moral and world issues. https://siffcy.org/

Films from Taiwan, France, South Korea, Belgium, the Netherlands and India win awards at Smile International Film Festival

150 Films from 40 countries participated in various categories

New Delhi:  The 10th edition of the annual Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY), organized by Smile Foundation in partnership with the European Union (The delegation of the European Union in India), announced film awards in numerous categories in New Delhi. German film Weekend Rebels won a maximum of five awards in various categories. Weekend Rebels enthralled the audience and the jury with its fine craft of storytelling, besides displaying good theatrical and directorial acumen. Marc Rothemund won the best director award and Cecilio Andresen won the best actor for Weekend Rebels. The film also won the FCCI Award along with International Competition Feature Film (CHILDREN) and (Story).

SIFFCY is the only non-European Festival to host ‘European Children’s Film Association Award (ECFA) and the only Indian festival to host CIFEJ Award supported by the UNESCO. Kung Fu Lion from the Netherlands won the ECFA award, while the CIFEJ Award went to ICARUS and The Minotaur from Luxembourg, France and Belgium.

In another notable category, the Next Gen award was bagged by animation film Kasang Alun from India. The Young Jury award was conferred to Hannah meets Hannah from South Korea while 30 Days from Taiwan won the International competition short film.

The 10^th edition of Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY) witness sizeable participation from various schools and young audience. Panel discussions on Road Safety, regional cinema, children cinema and green screen brought forward insights and diverse views on the topics.

Mr. Santanu Mishra, Chairman of SIFFCY and Co-founder of Smile Foundation said, “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 the young minds. We will carry forward our mission to engage young audience creatively and meaningfully to strengthen the value system in our society. Good content and work of art bring lots of opportunities and, in this digital age, platform like SIFFCY has a significant role to play.”

Mr. Santanu Mishra is also the producer of the much acclaimed film; I am Kalam.

LIST OF WINNERS AT SMILE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FEATURE FILM (YOUTH)

ICARUS AND MINOTAUR | LUXEMBOURG, FRANCE, BELGIUM

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FEATURE FILM (CHILDREN)

WEEKEND REBELS | GERMANY

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FEATURE FILM (STORY)

WEEKEND REBELS | GERMANY

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FEATURE FILM (ACTOR)

CECILIO ANDRESEN FOR WEEKEND REBELS

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FEATURE FILM (DIRECTOR)

MARC ROTHEMUND FOR WEEKEND REBELS

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION SHORT FILM

30 DAYS | TAIWAN

NEXT GEN

KASANG ALUN | INDIA

YOUNG JURY

HANNAH MEETS HANNAH | SOUTH KOREA

European Children’s Film Association Award – ECFA AWARD

KUNG FU LION | NETHERLANDS

CIFEJ AWARD

ICARUS AND THE MINOTAUR | LUXEMBOURG, FRANCE, BELGIUM

FCCI AWARD

WEEKEND REBELS | GERMANY

About SIFFCY

SIFFCY (Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth) is an initiative by Smile Foundation to entertain, engage, educate and empower young minds. It is based on a strong belief that good cinema represents much more than entertainment; rather this is the most powerful medium to depict the reality and emulate values. Film becomes an interesting and engaging alternative to stimulate discussion among young people about vital personal, societal, moral and world issues. https://siffcy.org/

Children should dream big and art & culture is essential for inspiration: EU Ambassador, Hervé Delphin

Cultural exchange will bring world peace and harmony: Mishra

New Delhi, April 10: Given the impact of good cinema on young minds, Smile Foundation is considering creation of a SIFFCY Fund to encourage making films specifically for children and youth, says Santanu Mishra, co-founder of Smile Foundation. Mr Mishra is the brain behind SIFFCY and is also its chairman. He informs that various stakeholders have been approaching the organisation in order to create such a fund that could further support and promote good cinema meant for children and youth in the country. 

The biggest feature of creativity is that it is not threatened by artificial intelligence and no creative person will be under-appreciated because of AI, Santanu said while inaugurating the 10^th edition of the ‘Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth’ (SIFFCY) in New Delhi. Being held in collaboration with the European Union, the festival is being organised across 50 locations in India in a hybrid mode. This makes SIFFCY the largest film festival in India. 

The Ambassador of the European Union, H. E. Mr. Hervé Delphin was present at the inauguration of the festival as the chief guest. The European Union and its member countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland are taking the centre-stage as the countries of focus this year. Many other diplomats from the EU member states also graced the inaugural event. 

The EU ambassador, Mr. Hervé Delphin, during his address conveyed his satisfaction of being a part of SIFFCY once again and appreciated Smile Foundation for this unique initiative. He further said that children globally should dream big and exchange of inspirations in the form of art and culture remained essential. 

The active participation of the European Union in SIFFCY 2024 is aimed at facilitating cultural exchange between the citizens of India and the European Union countries, due to which a sense of understanding, respect and global brotherhood will be strengthened. The sense of belonging that arises between people through the exchange of culture, art and ideas is beneficial for children and youth, who will shape the future course of humanity.

SIFFCY is an initiative of Smile Foundation to entertain, engage, educate and empower young minds. Smile Foundation believes that meaningful work of art, especially good cinema, not only entertains but also leaves an indelible impression on the young minds. As a result, children and youth catalyse a positive change thanks to their way of thinking and their sense of duty towards the society. Good cinema is a powerful medium to depict reality and inculcate values. Meaningful film becomes an interesting and engaging tool to encourage discussion among the youth about important personal, social, moral and global issues too.

Creation and availability of meaningful yet entertaining content tailor-made for young audience becomes more pertinent, considering the unbridled access to a plethora of inappropriate materials.

This year, around 150 curated films from 40 countries are being showcased for the young Indian audience through SIFFCY. 

Mr. Santanu Mishra, SIFFCY chairman and producer of the much-acclaimed film ‘I am Kalam’, states that childhood is the decisive age of human life – the lessons we learn, the habits we make as children, it stays with us forever. Therefore, it is important that we sensitise our youngsters with a positive value system from the very beginning which will help them become kind and responsible citizens.