Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth Unveils Official Selection for 2026 Edition
The Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY) has officially announced the curated selection for its highly anticipated 12th edition. This annual cinematic celebration is scheduled to take place from January 28th until February 3rd, 2026, and will be hosted across multiple locations throughout India.
Hybrid Format and Nationwide Reach
Organized by the Smile Foundation, a leading Indian development organization, in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to India, the festival will once again adopt a hybrid format. This strategic approach is designed to maximize accessibility and engage a wider, more diverse young audience across the country.
The core festival events, including the grand opening ceremony, prestigious award functions, interactive workshops, insightful panel discussions, and major film premieres, will be centrally hosted at PHD House in New Delhi from January 28th to 31st, 2026.
Simultaneously, a vast outreach program will see film screenings and associated educational activities conducted in numerous schools and local communities spanning more than 100 locations nationwide. Furthermore, a specially curated selection of festival programs will be accessible on a secure, geo-blocked virtual platform, allowing audiences across India to participate and engage with the festival content throughout the entire week.
Theme and Global Focus
The overarching theme for the 2026 edition is Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA). This theme is being celebrated in collaboration with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
This year's festival places a special spotlight on international cinema. Poland's rich cinematic legacy will be honored with a dedicated 'Poland Day,' featuring curated film sections and guest appearances from the country. Additionally, The Netherlands has been designated as the Country of Focus for this edition. The festival will also showcase a thoughtfully selected array of films for young audiences from countries including Germany, the Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Sweden, and several others, offering Indian viewers a truly diverse and engaging global cinematic experience.
Film Showcase and Competitive Sections
The 12th SIFFCY will present an impressive lineup of over 150 films, encompassing feature films, animations, short films, and documentaries. These works have been created by professional filmmakers, children, and students from more than 35 countries.
The films will be showcased across five distinct competitive and non-competitive sections:
- International Competition (for feature and short films)
- 70MM Smile (World Panorama)
- The Yellow Carpet (Indian Showcase)
- Next-Gen (films by film students)
- Take One (films made by children)
Prestigious Awards and Jury Panels
The festival will confer several prestigious awards, including the ECFA Award (European Children’s Film Association), the CIFEJ Award (established under UNESCO), and the Film Critics Circle of India (FCCI) Award.
To evaluate the submissions, six distinguished jury panels have been constituted. These panels comprise acclaimed filmmakers, educators, programmers, critics, and industry leaders from over 20 countries. In an innovative move, the festival's Young Jury Programme will this year involve more than 100 young participants from over 30 countries who will join online to judge the short film competitions.
Leadership Perspectives
Santanu Mishra, SIFFCY Chairman and Producer of the acclaimed film 'I am Kalam,' emphasized the festival's mission. "Childhood is a crucial and decisive phase of human life. The lessons we learn, the habits we make as children, stay with us forever. Therefore, it is important that we sensitize our youngsters with a positive value system early," he stated. He added, "Good cinema can play a crucial role in shaping young minds and can even help fight issues such as depression, loneliness, and aggression that children and young adults are increasingly prone to."
Festival Director Jitendra Mishra, a National Award-winning filmmaker and current president of CIFEJ, shared his vision. "The 12th edition of SIFFCY celebrates inclusion and diversity through powerful global cinema. With multiple film screenings, workshops, panel discussions, and inspiring international voices, we aim to engage, empower, and broaden young minds through shared stories—offering young audiences a truly global and transformative cultural experience," he said.
Official Selection Highlights for 2026
The official selection includes a diverse range of films competing across categories. A snapshot of the lineup includes:
Feature Films in Competition:
- Elvis Starling by Boris Jurjaševič (Slovenia)
- The Crown Prince and the Return of the Tyrant by Tord Danielsson (Sweden)
- Stitch Head by Steve Hudson (Germany, Luxembourg)
- I Accidentally Wrote a Book by Nóra Lakos (Netherlands, Hungary)
- Grandpa, Let’s Go! by Olga Chajdas (Poland, Czech Republic)
- Bird of a Different Feather by Manohara K (India)
- The Prank by Benjamin Heisenberg (Germany, Switzerland)
- Dupki by Abhay Punjabi (India)
- The Treasurer and Secret of the Magic Silverpiece by Tomasz Jurkiewicz (Poland)
- Bear Cubs on the Green by Yin-Sheng Lin (Taiwan)
Short Films in Competition:
- Deva Aaj Pan Vhey by Amol Jadhav (India)
- Down in the Dumps by Vera Van Wolferen (Netherlands)
- Martha and Mary by Verónica Ramírez (Mexico)
- Songs of Springs by Swaraj Priyo (India)
- Fly, bird, fly! by Rabeah Rahimi (Germany)
- To Fly by Mohsen Khademi (Iran)
- Hoofs on Skates by Ignas Meilūnas (Lithuania)
Films Nominated for Next-Gen Award (Films by Students):
- M.U.R.B.Y (Singapore)
- Malmequer em Flor (Portugal)
- The Ramune Soda Girl (Taiwan)
- Till the Sun Set (United Kingdom)
- Yungay (Spain)
- Chitrit (India)
- The Lie of the Mountain God (China)
- Upya (India)
- Primitiv (Malaysia)
It is important to note that SIFFCY is a non-profit initiative. Festival participation is entirely Free of Charge (Non-Ticketed) and fully accessible to all audiences on a pre-registration basis, reinforcing its commitment to inclusivity and reaching every young mind.
