12th Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth opens

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12th Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth opens

New Delhi; 28 January 2026: The 12th edition of the Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY), an initiative of Smile Foundation, opens in New Delhi. This year, the unique festival is celebrating Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility through cinema for young audiences.

SIFFCY is being organised in partnership with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, and the Delegation of the European Union to India.

SIFFCY 2026 opened with the Polish-Czech co-production, Grandpa Lets go! The festival is bringing more than 100 films from 20 European member states. A delegation of five filmmakers and festival directors from Poland are also participating in SIFFCY with the support of Polish Institute New Delhi.

The focus country in SIFFCY 2026 is the Netherlands, in collaboration with the embassy of the Netherlands. In addition, specially curated films from Germany, Italy, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Estonia will be part of this year’s festival.

Conducted in a hybrid format, SIFFCY is featuring film screenings, workshops, panel discussions, and award ceremonies at PHD House, New Delhi, alongside outreach screenings across over 100 locations, including schools and community spaces, nationwide. A curated selection of films is also available on the festival’s secure, geo-blocked virtual platform, ensuring nationwide access. The festival remains non-profit, non-ticketed, and fully accessible.

Chief Guest, Ms. Manmeet Kaur Nanda, IAS, Additional Secretary, DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GOI, said, “Initiatives such as SIFFCY play a critical role in shaping inclusive thinking from an early age. I commend Smile Foundation for placing accessibility, equity, and participation at the centre. True inclusion is achieved not only through intent, but through structures that enable persons with disabilities to participate fully and with dignity. Cinema can be a powerful medium in building empathy and awareness among young audiences.”

Echoing this vision, Santanu Mishra, Chairman, SIFFCY, and Co-founder, Smile Foundation, said, “Childhood is a decisive phase where values and perspectives take root. Through SIFFCY, we use cinema as a gentle yet powerful medium to nurture empathy, resilience, and social awareness among children and youth. Stories that celebrate diversity and inclusion can leave lasting impressions and help shape more compassionate worldviews.”

Expanding on the festival’s global outlook, Jitendra Mishra, Festival Director, SIFFCY, and President, CIFEJ 2025-27, said, “SIFFCY brings together stories from across cultures that reflect the realities and aspirations of young people worldwide. Through carefully curated films and meaningful dialogue, the festival offers young audiences a shared cultural space to explore diversity, creativity, and global perspectives.”

The festival showcases over 150 films from more than 35 countries, with special focus on Poland, The Netherlands as Country of Focus, and curated selections from Europe and beyond. Prestigious awards including the European Children’s Film Association Award (ECFA), the CIFEJ Award (formed under UNESCO), and Film Critics Circle of India (FCCI) Award are also part of the programme.

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