Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth is back

Smile Foundation is back with the 8^th edition of the Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY). The film festival will be held from April 24, 2022, celebrating the cinematic journey of good cinema.

SIFFCY, in the 2022 edition, will be held virtually, and will bring stories from across the globe. Given the dreading situation of the pandemic, the festival aims to bring positivity and engage, educate, and empower children and youth by screening of meaningful films, and by hosting interactive sessions, capacity building activities and workshops. The festival will screen more than 100 films from 50 countries, from different categories and genres, through its online platform. The films showcased will include award-winning new releases, and international classics. The bouquet of films will range from professional feature films, short films and documentaries to experimental films made by children. The festival will also host multiple workshops and discussion forums for children and the youth.

This edition of SIFFCY will have a special focus on cinema from Germany, Iran, the Czech Republic, and Latin America. With an international jury from 15 counties, the festival brings global perspective. The festival will be instrumental in cultivating an understanding of other cultures, lives, and experiences through the medium of film and will become a catalyst for critical appreciation and creative pursuit of cinematic art amongst children and the youth.

“Children and the youth shape the future of the society. Good cinema is a powerful tool for sensitizing them. With SIFFCY 2022, we aim to create conversations among children and youth through good cinema that highlights social issues and values of empathy. In addition, we wish to encourage budding filmmakers with special categories of entries and organizing interactive workshops for them as part of the festival,” says Mr. Santanu Mishra, Chairman, SIFFCY and Co-Founder, Smile Foundation.

“With the impact that the pandemic has had on everyone especially the children and the youth, it is key to address the issues and create conversations of positivity. In this 8^th edition of SIFFCY, through different formats, we bring several interesting stories from across the world to engage with the children and the youth. The festival will allow children and the youth to interact with international industry experts through our online platform,” says SIFFCY director, Mr. Jitendra Mishra.

With SIFFCY 2022, Smile Foundation is bringing cinema with a message to the doorsteps of the young Indian audience, besides the larger enthusiasts of good cinema, by providing them a never-before cinematic experience through the free online platform.