Smile Int’l Film Festival for Children & Youth, India: SIFFCY OPENS CALL FOR ENTRIES for it’s 8th edition of the festival, scheduled from 24-30 APRIL 2022.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR SIFFCY 2022 EDITION:
Festival Dates: 24-30 April 2022 (New Delhi, India)
Format: ONLINE (On a secured, dedicated portal for India only/ geo-blocked)
Submission Dead Line: 15 March 2022 (Early), 05 April 2022 (Final)

Submit your films at https://filmfreeway.com/siffcy
Email: submission@siffcy.org

(Kindly read the Rules & Regulations of SIFFCY carefully before you submit your films)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This year due to the pandemic situation of Covid-19 (Omicron variant) the festival (SIFFCY) to be hosted ONLINE (We might host selected physical events subject to the practical situation related to Covid-19)

INTRODUCTION

SIFFCY (Smile International film festival for children & youth) is one of a flagship initiatives of India’s leading development organization Smile foundation launched in 2015 with an objective to engage, encourage, educate & empower young people through Good Cinema, screenings of meaningful films, interactive sessions, capacity building activities & related workshops. The festival has created a benchmark in its category and has already been recognized as a highly credible international film festival for young audiences. Every year in December the week-long film festival & forum caters to more than 30000 audiences & 100 industry professionals, experts, filmmakers from across the globe in New Delhi, after that it travels to several other parts of the country reaching out to maximum audiences staying in remote locations, small towns & villages of India.

OBJECTIVES

• To Engage, Educate, Encourage & Empower young minds through GOOD CINEMA and film related workshops.
• To promote GOOD CINEMA that meant for children & youth
• To bring together high quality, entertaining, multi‐cultural cinema for children & youth
• To cultivate understanding of other cultures, lives & experiences through the medium of film
• To catalyze critical appreciation and creative pursuit of cinematic art amongst children & youth
• To support the work of talented and dedicated children & young film‐makers and encourage the exchange of ideas amongst them

THE ORGANISATION BEHIND:

Smile Foundation, one of the leading development organization in India has been working continuously for last 18 years in all core areas to best serve the needs of the people, especially young people keeping in mind all challenges. The foundation is directly benefitting over 15,00,000 children and their families every year, through more than 400 live welfare projects on education, healthcare, livelihood and women empowerment, in over 2000 remote villages and slums across 25 states of India. SIFFCY (Smile International film festival for children & youth) is one of such flagship initiatives of Smile foundation launched in 2015 with an objective to engage, encourage, educate & empower young people through Good Cinema, screenings of value based films, interactive sessions, capacity building activities & related workshops.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2022 EDITION:
Festival Dates: 24-30 April 2022 (Online)
Submission Dead Line: 15 March 2022 (Early), 05 April 2022 (Final)

Awards & Prizes
Professional Jury
• Best Film (Feature-Children)
• Best Film (Feature-Youth)
• Best Director (Feature)
• Best Actor / Actress
• Best Story (Feature)

Professional Jury
• Best Film (Short-Children)
• Best Film (Short-Youth)
• Best Story (Short)

Young Jury:
• Best Film (Short-Children- By Young Jury)
• Best Film (Short-Youth- By Young Jury)
• Best Story (Short- By Young Jury)

Professional Jury
• Best Student film
• ECFA Award -(European Children’s Film Association) – for best film
• CIFEJ Award -(International Centre of films for children & young people) – for best film
• Film Critics Circle of India Award – for best film
• Special Mention Plaques may be awarded at the discretion of the Jury.
• Certificate of Participation to all films presented in this section.

RULES & REGULATIONS FOR SUBMISSION

1) Films produced only after 1st January 2020 are eligible for submission.
2) Entry fees: Entry is FREE (T&C applied)
3) Submission format: Online Screener link.
4) Projection format: Digital, HD Videos (MOV/MP4)
5) Materials: Film screener, Trailer, at least 2 High Res stills from the film, Directors’ photograph (Head shot), Director’s Bio, Synopsis (Long & short both), Cast & Crew detail.
6) Final Deadline: 05 April 2022 (Duly filled entry form & Online screener must reach the festival office before the deadline. OR kindly check for late deadline dates. But this deadline must be strictly observed. )
7) LANGUAGE & SUBTITLES (Films must be submitted in their original language. Films in all languages should be subtitled in English)
8) All Indian films must be censored by CBFC.
9) The festival accepts entries in the competition & non-competitive sections in accordance with the criteria outlined below:
9.1) International Competition (Both Feature & Non Feature)
9.2) 70mm Smile (Non-Competitive, Value Based Films Feature & Non Feature)
9.3) The Yellow Carpet (Only Indian Feature Films, Non-Competitive)
9.4) Next-Gen (Films Made By Students, Competitive)
9.5) Take One (Films Made By Children, Non-Competitive)

10) FILM TYPES:
10.1) FEATURE FILMS (Fiction: Live Action, Animation, 60 min and above) It should have been produced after 1st January 2020 and should be in Digital format.
10.2) SHORT FILM (Fiction: Live Action, Animation, below 30min) It should have been produced after 1st January 2020 and should be in Digital format.
10.3) SHORT DOCUMENTARY (Below 30 minutes) Documentaries shot on film or Video (Digital format) after 1st January 2020 within a running duration of less than 30 minutes are eligible for the festival.
10.4) SPECIAL FILMS BY CHILDREN/YOUTH Films made by children of any age group below 21 years and shot on any format & any length are eligible for the festival (The festival may ask for the age proof of the film maker if required)
10.5) FILMS MADE BY FILM STUDENTS Films made by Film students of any age group and shot on any format & any length are eligible for the festival (ID Proof issued by the school/college/university is required)

11) RIGHT OF PARTICIPATION
11.1) Participation in the Festival implies adherence to the regulations here. It is the responsibility of producers, distributors, and sales agents, other organizations submitting a film to ensure that they are legitimately entitled to enter a film in the festival and are in a position to make the exhibition and publicity material available for screening in the festival upon selection.
11.2) In case of dispute of interpretation of the regulations of participation, the Festival organizers shall have the right to adjudicate on all disputes including those relating to the matters not specifically covered by Rules & Regulations, as well as allowing exceptions. The decision of the Festival Organizers shall be final and binding on the participants concerned.
11.3) The festival Organizers, SIFFCY and/or Smile Foundation reserve the right to exclude films which are not in conformity with the aims of the festival or which could offend the national feelings of any participating country or contain visuals/ dialogues that are discriminatory, offensive or inappropriate for young viewership, without giving any notice/clarifications.
11.4) The festival organizers, SIFFCY and/or Smile Foundation reserve all rights to publish the images, working stills, video footage, posters, trailers and/or all related publicity materials of the films selected in the festival SIFFCY anywhere at any point of time, without any restriction.
11.5) The festival organizers, SIFFCY and/or Smile Foundation reserve all rights to change the format of the festival, postpone, reschedule or totally cancel the festival due to any unforeseen situation, without any prior notice or explanation.
11.6) Submission fees once paid are non-refundable in any case (in case there is any).

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS WITH DULY FILLED AND SIGNED ENTRY FORM (In case of Physical submissions only):

• Preview copy of the film in (DVDs – region 0/5 or Pen Drive), labeled with the film title, director’s name, year of production, length, format.

• One DVD on Pen Drive with the following information:
a) Filled Entry Form (PDF / Scanned)
b) Synopsis of the film (100 words for feature film & 50 words for Short films)
c) Cast & Crew details
d) Director’s Bio & pic
e) Two or more high resolution stills from the film (300 dpi)

Note: Do not send master tapes or film prints for preview screening, as the preview tapes/DVDs will not be returned.

-All material submitted to the Festival will be retained for archival purposes.

DISPATCH OF SUBMISSION MATERIAL
DVDs for selection must be clearly marked:
For SIFFCY-2022 India, SELECTION AND PREVIEW PURPOSE, FOR CULTURAL USE only ‐ Not for commercial use.” The courier invoice should mention “No Commercial Value ‐ Value for Customs Purposes US$ Two / INR 100 only. The cost of the courier charges for the preview material is to be borne by the applicant.

Additionally, the sender should inform the Festival by e‐mail, the title of the film, the date and means of shipment, and the AWB number.
(submission@siffcy.org)

The duly filled form & preview
DVDs and other material must be sent to:

Submission of films – SIFFCY 2022
C/O Smile Foundation,
161 B/4, 3rd Floor, Gulmohar House, Yusuf Sarai Community Centre, New Delhi – 110049, India. Email: submission@siffcy.org

Website: www.siffcy.org | www.smilefoundationindia.org

SELECTION

A selection Committee appointed by SIFFCY will select all films. The decision of the committee will be final. And there should not be further question of any kind to it.

Eligibility. The Festival may include the film in a particular section that the committee decides and/or is suitable for that particular section irrespective of the submission category.

LANGUAGE VERSION, SUBTITLES & OTHER TERMS

• The cost of subtitling is the responsibility of the producer of the respective films.
• English translation of the dialogue list must be provided to the festival organizers along with exhibition material.
• Granting permission for screenings of officially selected films is pre-approved by the rights holder/producer. This is applicable for all selected films.
• The deadline for arrival of the Film Prints/ Provided Exhibition Formats in New Delhi-India of selected films is April 1st 2022. The date stipulated for the film’s arrival in New Delhi must be respected at all costs.

SPECIAL REQUEST FOR NON-COMMERCIAL SCREENINGS AFTER THE FESTIVAL SIFFCY – Smile Foundation, India is committed to sensitize children & youth through meaningful cinemas. Digital as well as DVD screenings of Children’s films will tour the country different activities! We request producers/right holders of films selected for SIFFCY 2022 to allow their films to be screened in non-commercial shows/screenings after the festival. We will not be able to provide screening fees for these films, but hope that we have your goodwill and support in reaching your delightful film to children across India. Exhibition Format for these non‐commercial screenings will be DVDs and digital/online.

JURISDICTION

All disputes in respect of any matter relating to the SIFFCY shall be subjected to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts and forums in NEW DELHI, India.

Please Note: This is understood that you agree to all the Terms & Conditions mentioned here when submit your film and by default allow SIFFCY / Smile Foundation to conduct screenings of your film during & after the festival. Also pre-authorize the festival organizers to publish all related video & photo materials of the film anytime, anywhere.

Thanking you
Festival Director – SIFFCY