SIFFCY 2024
A SMILE FOUNDATION
INITIATIVE
Smile foundation in partnership with the European Union successfully hosted the 10th edition of the Smile International film festival for children and youthfrom 9thApr to 15thApr 2024 in New Delhi and 100+ other different locations across India simultaneously.
The week-long film festival reached out to more than 5,00,000 young audiences across India with over 150films from 50 countries and 50 different workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions and more. More than 50 national and international industry professionals, jurors, filmmakers and guests from 12 different countries participated in person and 100 young Jurors from 10 countries participated virtually during these 7 days. The national media has recognised the 10th edition of SIFFCY as the largest film festival in the country this year !
Major activities along with the opening and award ceremony were held in New Delhi during the week. Simultaneously multiple screenings and related activities were scheduled in different schools and communities in various locations across India. Selected program were also available on the specially designed, secured, dedicated streaming platform of the festival throughout the week.
The films program included 150+ films from different genre including feature films, short films, documentaries and animations made by both professionals and children, from above 50 different countries have been selected for various sections of the official program of the festival this year. Along with film screenings, multiple capacity building workshops, panel discussions and interactive masterclasses were hosted during the week-long festival.
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BACKGROUND:
SIFFCY is a flagship initiative of India’s leading development organization Smile Foundation to engage, educate and empower young minds through Good Cinema and Cinema related capacity building workshops, interactivepanels, masterclasses and related activities. The annual festival attracts thousands of filmmakers, industry professionals and Cinephile from across the world and more than 50000 young spectators take part in the week-long film festival every year. We hope to reach out to a larger audience and expect virtual participation of more than one million Online visitors all together.
(You may find more information on www.smilefoundationindia.org | www.siffcy.org )
NEXT-GEN AWARD
A senior journalist having worked in India , Dubai and currently in the UK.
An active contributor to various media outlets and publications with a focus on the Indo-UK bilateral relationship that includes trade investments , art and culture and the role of the Indian diaspora. Experienced media professional with a cumulative experience of over 30 years as an Educator and teacher in media relations and writing skills.
A volunteer trainer on the international faculty of the Art of Living International Foundation leadings workshops on breathing techniques, meditation, wellbeing, and mindfulness.
An amateur musician and a player with a passion of multiple Indian percussion instruments.
Current roles :
Director, Communications
At BAPIO Training Academy UK
Producer and Curator at SAJDA ( Festival of South Asian Performing Arts)
Associate Editor , Asian Lite
Born in Mashhad, Iran RaedFaridzadeh studied Economics and German Literature at Tehran University and Comparative Literature at University of Vienna. Faridzadehgot his PhD in Philosophy and Literature at Free University of Berlin. He was a senior researcher at German-Asian Graduate Group of Humanities in Berlin. Since 2012 Faridzadeh has been teaching philosophy and German literature as a member of Faculty of Humanities at ShahidBeheshti University, Tehran. Since 2018 Faridzadeh has been working as the Head of International Affairs of Farabi Cinema Foundation (FCF) and General Secretary of International Council of Iranian Cinema. He is also head of the International Section of Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) and Isfahan International Film Festival for Children and Youth (ICFF).
Stephan Ottenbruch is a profound Media Professional. He is a graduate from Munich Film and Television School (HFF) and started his career at the renowned Bavarian Film Studios. He produced and commissioned more than 30 feature films and different TV-Series for the TV-Network Pro7Sat.1 before he became Theatre Manager for the legendary Babylon Cinema in Berlin.
He explored IndoGerman Culture Clash through the production of the Series “Kookaburra – The Comedy Club” and launched “IndoGerman Filmweek” as the largest Indian film festival in Germany, in 2013.
In 2021 Stephan started building up the company New2 with New2Germany & New2India together with Co-Founder Anjana Singh. The New2 App serves as a one-stop-solution for all expats to Germany and India.
As one of the founders and CFO of New2 he is passionately committed to building bridges between India and Germany by starting with the Indo-German team he is leading. His fascination for the diverse Indian culture, the spicy cuisine and heart-warming hospitality of Indians has always drawn him towards India. When travelling and exploring new destinations is not possible, Stephan enjoys immersing himself into different parts of the world through movies.
Anna Berger, born in Finland, graduate from Oxford University, documentary filmmaker, PhD candidate in Film Studies in Moscow. Her debut “The One I Love…” is a laureate of main Russian and international awards in documentary filmmaking.
It is a film about the state of post soviet Europe through the triptych of money-oriented seasonal workers from Lithuania and Ukraine, a Finnish socialist wanting to entertain the cultural heritage of architectural traditions, and his young daughter balancing out the disaccords between the men. Her new feature documentary “Where’s my home?” will premiere at the Moscow International Film Festival, as did “The One I Love…” It is about the disillusionment with the “European Dream” through the lens of a young African travelling from Moscow to Germany in hope of a better future.
Andrey Hadjivasilev belongs to the new generation of contemporary Bulgarian directors. In 2004, he graduated with honors from the National High School of Polygraphy and Photography, specializing in Photography. Later on, he received a bachelor’s degree as a Film and TV Director and a master’s degree in Film Production.
In 2009, he continued his education at the world-famous FAMU film academy in Prague, the Czech Republic. Andrey directed and produced the first Bulgarian 3D stereo documentary STEPS IN THE FIRE (2015), which received a documentary debut nomination by the Bulgarian Film Academy. Andrey loves working and spending time with kids, so the revival of the golden era of Bulgarian children’s movies has become a personal cause for him. “THE TESLA CASE” (2023) is his second children’s fiction feature film, preceded by “THE CURIE CASE” (2018). He is a member of ECFA – European Children’s Film Association & EFA – European Film Academy.