New Delhi, February 01st, 2025: The 11th edition of the annual Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY), organized by Smile Foundation in partnership with the European Union (Delegation of the European Union to India), announced its much awaited awards under various categories.

Greetings from Mars, from Germany and directed by Sarah Winkenstette, was adjudged winner in three different awards categories, such as the Best Feature Film (Children), the Best Director, and the European Children’s Film Association Award. Another acclaimed film from Germany, Winners, directed by Soleen Yussef, took away the Best Feature Film (Youth) accolade.

German director Sarah Winkenstette not only took away the coveted Best Director’s award but also claimed the European Children’s Film Association (ECFA) award during SIFFCY 2025 in New Delhi.

Palash Das and Santanu Ghosh from India received the Best Story award for “Soaring Wings”. “Ballad of the Mountain”, directed by Dr. Tarun Jain from India got the Best Short Story award.

Indian film “Rebell” directed by Rahul Dhanwate received the Next Gen Award, while “Dandelions Girl” from Iran directed by Azadeh Masihzadeh took away the Young Jury Award.

Iranian actor Mohammad Reza Arab Jafai received the Best Actor’s award for the film “7600”.

Dutch film “Bigman”, directed by Camiel Schouwenaar, swept both CIFEJ award and FCCI award.

The Jury Panels, representing six different categories during the 11th edition of SIFFCY, was composed of distinguished leaders from the global film industry.  These are as follow:

International Competition (Feature Films) jury panel: Astrid Aure from Noway, Mikk Granstrom from Estonia, Elisabeth Lichtkoppler from Austria, Shubhra Gupta from India, and Marta Karwowska from POLAND

International Competition (Short Films) jury panel: Erica De Lisio from Italy, Vineeta Mishra from India, Yoko Yano from Japan, Kamakhya Narayan Singh from India, and Murtaza Ali Khan from India.

European Children’s Film Association (ECFA) Awards jury panel: Marta Kraus from Poland, Harbauer from Germany, and Josep Arbiol from Spain.

International Centre of Films for Children & Young People (CIFEJ) Award jury panel: Vassilis Karamitsanis from Greece, Hilde Steenssens from Beligium, Adam Dvorak from the Czech Republic, Dhvani Desai from India, and Alejandra Fritis Zapata from Chile.

The Next-Gen Award jury panel: Stephan Ottenbruch from Germany, Geert Neckebroeck from Belgium, Ulisse Lendaro from Italy, Christopher Dalton from India, and Ketki Parikh from the USA.

Film Critic Circle of India Award jury panel: Anjali Monteiro, Ratnottama Sengupta, and Dr. Piyush Roy

The 11th edition of Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY) witnessed sizeable participation from various schools and young audience. Panel discussions on “fostering India-global collaboration and opportunities in cinema” and “engaging young audience in good cinema in the age of Instagram reels and YouTube shorts” were proved engaging and invigorating. Workshops for young participants on photography and storyboard making were hugely successful too.

Mr. Santanu Mishra, Chairman of SIFFCY, producer of I Am Kalam, and Co-founder of Smile Foundation said, “It is a momentous occasion for all of us at Smile Foundation as we showcase a Maha Kumbh of good cinema from across the globe through SIFFCY. We believe that cinema plays a pivotal role in shaping the young minds. We will carry forward our mission to engage young audience creatively and meaningfully to strengthen the value system in the society. Good content and work of art bring lots of opportunities and, in this digital age, platform like SIFFCY has a significant role to play.”

Mr. Jitendra Mishra, SIFFCY Festival Director expressed, “As the festival director and curator, I am very much satisfied for showcasing the outstanding selection of films this year. Our goal has always been to celebrate the diversity of storytelling and the artistry behind each project. The jury, comprised of esteemed leaders in the film industry, has worked diligently to evaluate each film with careful consideration, focusing on social relevance, creativity, story line, and technical excellence. Their verdict reflects the high calibre of work presented, and we are thrilled to honour these remarkable filmmakers and their contributions to cinema at SIFFCY 2025.”

SIFFCY (Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth) is an initiative by Smile Foundation to entertain, engage, educate, and empower young minds. It is based on a strong belief that good cinema represents much more than entertainment; rather this is the most powerful medium to depict the reality and emulate values. Film becomes an interesting and engaging alternative to stimulate discussion among young people about vital personal, societal, mora,l and world issues.