The 12th edition of the Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY), hosted by Smile Foundation, will be held in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to India, with support from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
SIFFCY is a significant international platform dedicated to children’s and youth cinema, with a strong focus on film literacy, cultural exchange, and amplifying young voices from around the world.
SIFFCY 2026 continues its collaboration with the Giffoni International Film Festival (Italy) through the School Experience programme, which curates films made by children across Italy.
As part of this collaboration, Italian professionals and young participants will be actively involved in the festival. Ms Laura Aimone, Founder & Festival Director of Shocking Pink Endorphins (Venice) and a member of the Giffoni Film Festival, will participate as an Eminent Jury Member and Panelist.
Through its partnership with the Giffoni International Film Festival, SIFFCY has received nine short films produced by Italian schools under the CIPS programme, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Education (MIM) and the Ministry of Culture (MIC).
The following titles will be screened at 1:00pm on 29th January:
Un’ottima ragione; C’era una volta 2.0; Fuori campo; Note di inclusione; Le vite accanto; Senza maschere siamo tutti uguali; Domenica mattina; Maskiacci & femminucce; Dov’è la casa di mio nonno?
Two Italian students will also join the festival online as part of the Young Jury Programme.
In addition, SIFFCY 2026 will host two special panel discussions exploring international perspectives on cinema and education:
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Cinema Without Borders: Cultural Exchange Between India and the World through Cinema (28th January at 11:30am)
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Film as a Classroom: European Models of Film Literacy for Children (30th January at 10:15am)
These sessions aim to foster dialogue on the role of cinema in education and cross-cultural understanding, reflecting SIFFCY’s commitment to international cooperation and creative exchange.