International Children’s Film Festival of India (ICFFI) also popularly known as The Golden Elephant is a biennial festival that strives to bring the most delightful and imaginative national and international children’s cinema to young audiences in India. Outstanding features, shorts, live action and animation films are screened over seven days of festive celebrations, attended by more than a hundred thousand children and hundreds of film professionals from across the world.
Every two years, the festival begins on 14th November, the birth date of PanditJawaharlal Nehru – India’s first Prime Minister – also fondly referred to as Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru), because of his love for children. Pandit Nehru established CFSI soon after India’s independence with the hope that indigenous and exclusive cinema for children would stimulate their creativity, compassion and critical thinking. It is this vision of Jawaharlal Nehru that guides ICFFI. Cinema is a powerful medium which will have to be used to play a pivotal role in child’s life and we should also understand what are the entertainment needs of the children.
In a world that is cluttered with consumerist and often violent content for children, ICFFI is committed to promoting cinema that is humane and non-violent, and yet delightful and fun! Special care is taken to program films that cultivate an understanding of other cultures, lives and experiences and encourage children to reflect on the world around. Workshops and open forums at the festival aim towards stimulating critical appreciation and creative pursuit of cinematic arts amongst young people. The festival also supports the work of children’s filmmakers by rewarding them for their dedication and talent.
ICFFI is one of the largest and most colourful children’s film festivals in the world. A unique feature of the festival is its audience. More than a hundred thousand children travel from little villages and towns from across India to view high quality international children’s cinema that they would never be exposed to otherwise. Here they get an opportunity to interact with other kids, eminent guests and directors from different parts of the world. ICFFI is dedicated to these little delegates and to those imaginative film-makers who attempt to make films for the toughest audience of all – children!
The 18th edition of ICFFI will take place from 14th to 20th November 2013 screening approx 150 plus films from across the world. The festival will have three Competition Sections: Competition International, Competition Asian Panorama,Competition Little Directors where international and national films compete for the prestigious Golden Elephant Trophies, accompanied by cash awards. The festival will also screen specially curated Non-Competition Sections including Children’s World that will showcase the most acclaimed films from the last decade and country specific which will present the best of one country’s children’s films to young audiences in India.
The main agenda of ICFFI is to give clean and healthy environment to the children by screening films produced by the countries all over the world. 18th Edition of ICFFI will take place in the historic city of Hyderabad, the festival permanent venue for the last 8 editions and is organized by Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI) – an autonomous body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with Government of Andhra Pradesh.
200 films from 48 countries are going to participate in this event. The countries participating for the first time are South America, Austria, Greenland, Lebanon, Scotland, Malaysia etc. Opening film is ‘Gopi Gawaiyya Bagha Baiyaya’ recently produced by CFSI and Closing film will be the award winning film. Around 1, 50,000 children are expected to participate in the festival. For the first time ICFFI has received a formidable quantity of animation films from across the globe: 285 animation films, focus on sourcing international award winning films featured in 20 most prestigious international children’s film festivals also including titles screened at Berlinale, Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes etc. 123 entries for Little Directors Section containing films made by children from India and around the world received for the festival. An amount of Rs.3.35 crores which also includes amount of Rs.25 lakhs towards North East, have been allocated by Ministry of I&B, Government of India. Contributions from AP Government are expected in tune of Rs.3.25crores.
Children’s Film Society, India
Children’s Film Society (CFSI) was established in 1995 to provide value-based entertainment to children through the medium of films. CFSI is engaged in production, acquisition, distribution/exhibition and promotion of children’s films. The head office of CFSI is located in Mumbai with branch offices in New Delhi and Chennai. The mission of CFSI is to facilitate promotion of children’s films by encouraging strengthening and spreading the Children’s Film Movement all over the country and abroad. Films produced/ procured by the society are exhibited through State/ District level Children’s Film Festivals as well as through theatrical, non-theatrical exhibition in schools through Distributors, NGOs, etc. Children film society exhibits films produced by state.
Highlights
Ranbir Kapoor will be the special attraction at the international children's film festival. Noted lyricist, Gulzar and well known actor Amol Palekar will also participate in the festivities. The highlights of Opening ceremony and closing ceremony will be combination of cultural programmes and screening of films.‘Gopi Gawaiyya BaghaBaiyaya’,a recently produced film of CFSI will be screened during Opening ceremony atLalit Kala Thoranam, Public Gardens, Hyderabad. Renowned director and actor AmolGupte, is the current chairperson of the Children's Film Society. An award winning film will be screened during closing ceremony. Celebrities from Hindi film industry (Bollywood) andTelegu film industry (Tollywood) are expected to be associated with opening and closing ceremony. 200 films from 48 countries will be showcased in 10 Screens across Hyderabad with 30 shows everyday and 150,000 expected child viewers. Besides Opening film for the festival i.e. ‘Gopi Gawaiyya Bagha Baiyaya’ & ‘Kaphal’, Jaldeep (First feature of CFSI), Adventures of a Sugar Doll (First animation of CFSI), RajuaurTinku (puppet animation short), Hangama Bombay Ishtyle, CharandasChor, Dost Magarmachch, Sunday, Halo,Karamati Coat, Gattu wiill also be exhibited. Animation section is introduced for the first time in the history of this event. A number of open forums and workshops will be organisedlike a master class on marketing locally produced children’s film internationally and Open Forums will be organised on Rights of Child Actors, Inclusive Cinema – representing the differently abled, Challenges and Potential of Indian Animation and Invisibility of Girls in children’s content. During this festival, the films are being screened through Digital Cinema Package (DCPs). Also, separate arrangements have been made for special children with one of the theatre in Hyderabad. The film will be screened at the Prasad IMAX Multiplex and 7 other theatres.
Main Programs and Events
Programming a Competitive Animation section, given the unprecedented quantity and quality of animation features and shorts received from across the world. Country Focus Retrospective of Czech films in collaboration with Zlin Film Festival, Czech Republic – the oldest children’s film festival in the world.
A Retrospective on the Best of Indian Children’s Films in commemoration of 100 years of Indian Cinema, the package will showcase National Award winning and Classic Indian Children’s films, in collaboration with DFF and NFAI. Special focus on Children with Special needs through dedicated film screenings and open forums. Topics screened for open forums are One Master Class on marketing locally produced children’s film internationally and 4 Open Forums on rights of Child Actors, Inclusive Cinema – representing the Differently abled, Challenges and Potential of Indian Animation, Invisibility of Girls in children’s content.
Awards
Four Golden Trophy Awards and a cash prize of 2 lakhs will be given for each for the best live action feature, best live action director, best live action screenplay and best live action screenplay. Special Mention Certificates may be awarded at the discretion of the jury. Awards and cash prizes of same cadre will also be given in all other categories namely Competition Animation, Competition Shorts and Competition Little Directors. These awards will be decided by four juries of 5 members each of eminent film personalities.
Moreover, Members of Selection Committee are very well known faces in film industry. Ayesha Sayani is a filmmaker. Amrit Gangar is a cinema critic and academic, Dolly Thakore is a film and theatre professional, Jeroo Mulla is a professor of media and communication at Sophia College, Mumbai, Meher Marfatia is a journalist and children’s story writer and also conducts workshops, Rashid Irani is a well-known cinema critic,Rekha Bhimani is a story writer, translator and voice-over artist.
Country Focus-Czech
The 18 ICFFI will have a Country Focus Retrospective of Czech films in collaboration with Zlin Film Festival, Czech Republic. The Zlin Film Festival is the oldest children’s film festival in the world which has had over 50 editions! The Country focus with Czech Republic is in keeping with the aim of the ICFFI which is to introduce children in India to the culture, lives and experiences of countries and people that they have limited access and exposure. In order to present the best of children’s cinema from an important child’s film producing country, and invite key players from their industry to inspire and encourage exchange of information, ideas and skills among Indian children’s filmmakers and film professionals. This will help to build an artistic and cultural relationship with film producing and film exhibiting organizations across the world and catalyze exchange of cinematic and cultural products and activities. The Country Focus will show a very beautifully curated package of children's films from the Czech Republic right from 1950's along with their most recent productions. The package will have live action as well as Animation features and shorts from across the years. There will be a delegation of 5 distinguished members visiting India from the Czech Republic, which will include the festival director of the Zlin Film Festival and famous children's film director's from Czech Republic.
Children Delegates
Total of 111 children delegate confirmed from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Andaman Nicobar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh & Jammu and two children from Chicago. Also, 65 children delegates from Japan, Germany, Morocco and other schools of India are expected to participate in this film festival.
