Menu
The week-long SIFFCY (film festival) is entering its ninth edition from April 17 this year. In this, more than 150 films from more than 50 countries will be staged. The week-long festival will be celebrated on three days at Sirifort where more than 30,000 youth will participate while meaningful films will be shown to more than 100,000 children in various schools across the country on the remaining days. These films have been made on topics like climate change, road safety and children’s cinema and have been awarded many awards.
“We believe that meaningful cinema is a powerful medium to bring about genuine change in the society by portraying reality. Good films have the power to encourage discussion and reflection among the youth. This process makes them better and capable of personal, emotional, social and moral duties. Through this film festival, we aim to attract their attention and make them reflective towards the society. The aim of these films is to create a good impact on the society,” says Mr. Shantanu Mishra, President and Executive Trustee, SIFFCY and Co-Founder, Smile Foundation.
This year the film festival will also host the prestigious European Children’s Film Federation Awards and the prestigious CIFEJ Awards. Smile Foundation is the only Indian organization to host these awards. Apart from this, SIFFCY is also hosting the much talked about Film Critics Circle of India Awards. A Czech animation film will also be screened at the festival in collaboration with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi. In addition, 10 selected films made by young filmmakers from the Tomasz Bata University in Zlín will also be screened during the film festival. Renowned filmmaker from Japan, Mr. Nijitaro will impart skills to the children through an animation workshop.
The festival is also showing the best of European cinema with the delegation of the European Union. Also young Indians will be able to watch 10 selected films from Germany due to the collaboration with Schlingel International Film Festival, Germany. “This edition of Siffsy will feature dozens of workshops, panel discussions and film experts to encourage the youth to think critically. So that they can express themselves creatively. Through this platform, we also want to provide young, aspiring and independent filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their talent at an international level,” says Mr. Jitendra Mishra, Director, SIFFY Festival.
Smile Foundation believes that every filmmaker or storyteller has a unique way of working. It is also an important responsibility of films to inculcate a sense of contemplation among the youth through films. Good films inculcate in the youth invaluable human emotions like helping others, empathy and sense of responsibility. Smile Foundation has successfully worked on many short films, documentaries, TV series. The feature film ‘I Am Kalam’ has created a worldwide buzz by winning more than 30 awards, apart from the National Award.
Prominent directors, actors, writers, cinematographers and production stalwarts including Hansal Mehta, Jhanu Baruah, Santosh Sivan, Nagesh Kukunoor, Resul Pookutty, Tigmanshu Dhulia, and Utpal Borpujari have been supporting this platform by standing by SIFFCY.
