Search
Close this search box.

‘HERE MY VILLAGE’ by Iranian Filmmaker Abas Aram Wins Big at the 5th Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY 2019)

( December 16, 2019 )

Iran reigned supreme at the awards ceremony of the 5th edition of Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY 2019) with Abas Aram’s ‘HERE MY VILLAGE’ winning as many as 4 categories that included Best Story, Best Director, Film Critics Circle of India and CIFEJ awards. Belgium was the next big winner with as many as 4 awards with ‘Binti’ by Frederike Migom shining bright receiving humongous applause from the audience. Featuring 150 films from 50 countries in over 30 different languages, SIFFCY 2019 screened socially relevant cinema, intending to initiate a positive change in the world by impacting the youth with the films.

At Award Ceremony of 5th Edition of Smile International Film Festival

With as many as 7 categories and 17 awards, the ceremony got the attention of international critics and cinema-enthusiasts. The categories of awards extended from the International Competition Feature, Film Critics Circle of India Award, International Competition Shorts, Next-Gen Students film to ECFA Award and CIFEJ Award. SIFFCY, a one-of-its-kind carnival for good cinema lauded the young talent with many other recognitions.

Bagging laurels doe their exemplary contribution to world cinema, here’s the list of all the winners for the evening:

International Competition Feature Award

Best Story: HERE MY VILLAGE by Abas Aram (Iran)

Best Actor: Bebel Tshiani Baloji for Binti (Belgium)

Best Director: Abas Aram for HERE MY VILLAGE (Iran)

Special Mention: Inventing Tomorrow by Laura Nix

Best Film (Youth): Fight Girl by Johan Timmers (Netherlands)

Best Film (Children): Binti by Frederike Migom (Belgium)

International Competition-Short Films Award

Best Children’s Film: Matilda by Ireine Iborra (France) and Eduardo Puertos (Belgium)

Best International Short For Youth: Three Feet by Giselle Geney (Columbia)

Best Story: This Side-Other Side by Lida Fazli (Iran)

Youth Jury Award

Best film: Flowing Through Wonder by Joanna Lurie (France)

Best Story: Maradona’S Legs by Firas Khoury (Palestine and Germany)

Children Jury Award

Best Film: This Side-Other Side by Lida Fazli (Iran)

Best Story: Matilda by Ireine Iborra (France) and Eduardo Puertos (Belgium)

ECFA Award

Too Far Away by Sarah Winkenstette (Germany)

Film Critics Circle of India Award

Best Film: HERE MY VILLAGE by Abas Aram (Iran)

Special Citation: Fight Girl by Johan Timmers (Netherlands)

CIFEJ Award

HERE MY VILLAGE by Abas Aram (Iran)

The event orbiting around the idea to engage, entertain, educate and empower young minds through meaningful films, welcomed a jury of international judges including — John Stevenson (UK), Julia Jarl (Sweden), Mitsuo Tahira (Japan), Felix Vanginderhuysen, Founder, Secretary General-ECFA, Renowned European film distributor (Belgium), Judita Soukupová, International Film Festival Director (Czech Republic), Michael Harbauer, Festival Director of IFF Schlingel, German Distributor (Germany), Josep Arbiol, President of the Cultural Association ‘Jordi el Mussol’, Director of the Valencia Film Festival for Children, Youth (Spain), Mohsen Chiniforoushan, Secretary-General, CIFEJ, Former General and Managing Director of Kanoon (Iran), Paméla Bisson, Film Maker, New-age media artist (Canada), Ratnottama Sengupta, National Award-winning film critic (India), Utpal Datta, National Award-winning film critic (India), Johnson Thomas, Eminent Journalist (India), Hilde Steenssens, international Film Festival Director, Programmer (Belgium), Kim Sang-Hwa, Animation Professor, Festival Director – Busan International Kids & Youth Film Festival (Korea), Mama Marlaine, Motivational Speaker, (USA) and Daniel Lundquist, Swedish festival producer & programmer (Sweden).

Along with being India’s biggest film festival for children and youth, the event is also the only non-European festival to present the ECFA award.

Appreciating SIFFCY’s endeavours, Felix Vanginderhuysen, Founder, Secretary-General, Renowned European film distributor (Belgium) and International Jury of SIFFCY ’19 said, “I admire the efforts put by SIFFCY to inspire the young minds. This is the third consecutive visit of mine to the fest and I feel honoured and thankful to be a part of it. Eager to continue with the association, I am already looking forward to SIFFCY 2020.”

Speaking on the occasion, Santanu Mishra, Executive Trustee of Smile Foundation and Chairman, SIFFCY, said, “With SIFFCY turning 5, I look back at the journey and realise what a long way it has come. SIFFCY has evolved over time as it contributes to creativity in the world, sensitising it and making it more humane to live in. The carnival celebrating young talent realises the power of cinema and how it can impact the world; to change it for good. The fest intends to leave a mark on the young minds as they are the leaders of tomorrow and have the potential to transform this world in a place, which is worth living in and living for.”

Mr. Jitendra Mishra, Festival Director, SIFFCY said in a statement, “SIFFCY is not just about screening international films but appreciating the efforts and the energy invested by the people involved, especially children and the youth. The festival encourages young talent and influences it positively to bring a wave of change that makes it all count. SIFFCY recognises good cinema and makes it reach as many people as it can. Acknowledging the budding talent, it looks forward to metamorphose the world only for it grow wings and discover new horizons of success, love, and empathy.”

Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth is supported by BookMyShow’s charity initiative – BookASmile, the association is going strong with BookMyShow encouraging the event for the fourth year in a row, backing the cause to extend a good cinema to one and all and convey a message of significance along with it.

SIFFCY is a unique film platform by Smile Foundation devoted to a greater appreciation of meaningful cinemas made for children and youth which can bring a change in the society by showcasing those films, supporting emerging filmmakers, recognising the pioneers and leaders of the similar industry and by promoting the diverse perspectives of Good World Cinema.

The 5th Edition of Smile International Film Festival concluded on 15th December 2019 at Siri Fort Auditorium, Delhi.

For more information on SIFFCY 2019, please visit siffcy.org/siffcy-2019.html

About Smile Foundation

Smile Foundation is a national level development organisation reaching out to more than 7, 50, 000 underprivileged children, youth and women directly every year through more than 250 welfare projects on subjects such as education, healthcare, youth employability, and women empowerment across 25 states of India. Adopting a life cycle approach of development, Smile Foundation focuses its interventions on children, their families and the community.

Source: https://www.newdelhitimes.com/press-release-section/?c_article_id=13052&c_author_id=9031

Privacy Policy - Smile Foundation

Information Gathering

1. Smile Foundation collects information from the users in a number of ways, for example when the user:

  • Makes a donation
  • Signs up for a campaign
  • Signs up to stay updated

2. While forwarding a donation for Smile Foundation the well-wishers have to submit some personal information as it would help us ensuring genuine contributions:

  • Your name
  • Your email and mailing address
  • Your telephone number
  • Your payment processing details
  • Any other data as required

3. Smile Foundation does not collect or record the user’s personal information unless he/she chooses to provide it.

Use of Personal Information

1. General browsing of Smile Foundation website is anonymous and it does not register the user’spersonal information except the time, date and place of visits and the name of internet service provider. This data is used only for statistics and diagnosis.

2. By signing up for various services offered by Smile Foundation, the user explicitly authorizes us to collect information based on the user’s usage. The information is used to help provide a better experience to the user and is used as per the user’s specified instructions.

3. Smile Foundation keeps the user information strictly confidential and this information is secured safely. All relevant information collected through Smile Foundation website is handled and used by internal and/or authorized officials only. It is nevershared with any external agencies or third party individuals.

4. Smile Foundation uses the information givento it in the following ways:

  • To keep an accurate record of all the donations received
  • To update users about its happenings and developments through bulletins and newsletters, with an option of not to subscribe for the same
  • To make sure the user is receiving the most appropriate and relevant information
  • To find out more about the people who are visiting the Smile Foundationwebsite, donating, or joining its campaigns

5. Usually, Smile Foundation does not store user data. In case of specific sign-ups, the data is stored as per user request. The user can opt to delete all the information he/she has provided by simply requesting such by mail. All information, without exception, will be deleted in two working days.

Privacy of e-mail lists

Individuals who join Smile Foundation’s mailing lists via its website or through its campaigning engagements are added to its email database. Smile Foundation does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease the addresses on our lists to anyone.

Cookie Policy

1. Cookies are pieces of electronic information which will be sent by Smile Foundation when a user visitsthe website. These will be placed in the hard disk of the user’s computer and enable Smile Foundation to recognise the user when he/she visits the website again.

2. The user can configure his/her browser so that it responds to cookies the way he/she deems fit. For example, you make want to accept all cookies, reject them all or get notified when a cookie is sent. The users may check their browser’s settings to modify cookie behaviour as per individual behaviour.

3. If a user disables the use of cookies on the web browser, or removes or rejects specific cookies from Smile Foundation’swebsite or linked sites then he/she may not be able to use the website as it is intended.

Payment Gateway

1. SmileFoundation uses well-recognised and proven technology for payments. Payment information is transferred by the use of an SSL connection which offers the highest degree of security that the donor’s browser is able to support.

2. Several layers of built-in security, including an advanced firewall system, encryption of credit card numbers, and use of passwords, protect the collected information.

External Web Services

1. Smile Foundation uses a number of external web services on its site to display content within its web pages. For example, to display video it uses YouTube. As with the social media buttons, Smile Foundation cannot prevent these sites, or external domains, from collecting information on the user’s consumption of the content embedded on its site.

2. The Smile Foundation website contains links to other websites for the benefit of its visitors. This Privacy Policy does not apply to such other websites.

3. Smile Foundation is not expressly or impliedly responsible for, or liable to any loss or damage caused to a user by the collection, use and retention of Personal Information by such website in any manner whatsoever. It is important that the users review the privacy policies of all websites they visit before disclosing any information to such websites.

Changes to Privacy Policy

1. As and when the need arises, Smile Foundation may alter its privacy policy in accordance with the latest technology and trends. It will provide you with timely notice of these changes. The users may reach out to Smile Foundation if they have any queries about any changes made to its practices.

2. If you have any questions at all about Smile Foundation’s privacy policy, please write to us at: [email protected]

Refund and Cancellation Policy

Welcome to this web-site of SMILE FOUNDATION. We make public our policy on refund and cancellation of donations received for the social cause on payment gateway as under:-

  • No refund/cancellation for the donated amount by any donor will not be entertained, the online donations through the online payment gateway.
  • No cash or refund of money will be allowed.
  • If any in-kind support received by the donor from any where the material will be reached to the poorest of the poorer communities.
  • Once received the donation for a cause will not be refunded to the donor. No cancellation to be made. The donation will be used for the community development, children education or women’s empowerment.
Terms and Conditions

Use of this site is provided by SMILE FOUNDATION subject to the following Terms and Conditions:

SMILE FOUNDATION reserves the rights to change these terms and conditions at any time by posting changes online. Your continued use of this site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of this agreement as modified. You agree to use this site only for lawful purposes, and in a manner which does not infringe the rights, or restrict, or inhibit the use and enjoyment of the site by any third party.

This site and the information, names, images, pictures, logos regarding or relating to SMILE FOUNDATION are provided “as is” without any representation or endorsement made and without warranty of any kind whether express or implied. In no event will SMILE FOUNDATION be liable for any damages including, without limitation, indirect or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever arising from the use or in connection with such use or loss of use of the site, whether in contract or in negligence.

SMILE FOUNDATION does not warrant that the functions contained in the material contained in this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or bugs or represents the full functionality, accuracy and reliability of the materials.

Copyright restrictions:

Commercial use or publication of all or any item displayed is strictly prohibited without prior authorization from SMILE FOUNDATION. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring any license by SMILE FOUNDATION to use any item displayed.

Documents may be copied for personal use only on the condition that copyright and source indications are also copied, no modifications are made and the document is copied entirely. However, some documents and photos have been published on this site with the permission of the relevant copyright owners (who are not SMILE FOUNDATION). All rights are reserved on these documents and permission to copy them must be requested from the copyright owners (the sources are indicated within these documents/photographs).

SMILE FOUNDATION takes no responsibility for the content of external Internet sites. Other websites that we link to are owned and operated by third parties and SMILE FOUNDATION has no control over them. The fact that we include links to other websites does not mean that SMILE FOUNDATION approves of or endorses any other third party website or the content of that website. We accept no liability for any statements, information, products or services that are published on or are accessible through any websites owned or operated by third parties.

Any communication or material that you transmit to, or post on, any public area of the site including any data, questions, comments, suggestions, or the like, is, and will be treated as, non-confidential and nonproprietary information. If there is any conflict between these terms and conditions and rules and/or specific terms of use appearing on this site relating to specific material then the latter shall prevail.

These terms and conditions shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of India.

If these terms and conditions are not accepted in full, the use of this site must be terminated immediately. SMILE FOUNDATION for Social Welfare Service is a registered at

161 B/4, 3rd Floor, Gulmohar House
Yusuf Sarai Community Centre
New Delhi-110049
Phone : +91-11-43123700

Supplementing & In Alignment with Government Initiatives

donation for child education in india

EDUCATION

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
National Education Policy
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
Digital India

donation for child education

lIVELIHOOD

Skill India
Enhancing Formal Skilling



donation for health care

HEALTH

National Rural Health Mission
Universal Health Coverage
National Digital Health Mission
Promotion of Govt. Health Schemes

livelihood skills training programs

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Anaemia Mukt Bharat
Poshan Abhiyan
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
Anganwadi Strengthening