Season’s Report – 10th Lahore International Children’s Film Festival 2018

/12th Lahore International Children’s Film Festival (LICFF) 2020/Season’s Report – 10th Lahore International Children’s Film Festival 2018

Celebrating the 10th year of Lahore International Children’s Film Festival – we had amazingly successful events in Lahore, Karachi, Jamshoro and Faisalabad this year.

Lahore International Children’s Film Festival, a project of The Little Art, has been bringing some of the world’s best films, made for, by and about children and youth to Pakistan since 2007. The Festival has been pivotal to entertain, inspire and educate thousands of children in several cities across Pakistan.

The Little Art is a non-profit arts education organization that uses the medium of art to promote social values among children and young adults in Pakistan and empower them on various social issues.

This year has seen a record-breaking 2765 film entries from 115 countries. Selected 72 films presented from 29 countries including Afghanistan, Antigua, Australia, Argentina, Bermuda, Bangladesh, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States of America. Children from the different strata of society were invited to watch these educational and entertaining films.

These diverse range of films, that included all genres like animation, fiction, short and feature films, and documentaries that revolved around issues related to education, creativity, relationships, values, dreams, our environment etc., a selection of films made by children themselves and even films made by young children of Pakistan.

Lahore

The 10th Lahore International Children’s Film Festival is produced by The Little Art and presented in collaboration with Cinepax Cinemas and Morango started from 1st October till 6th October, 2018 in Cinepax Cinema Packages Mall, Lahore.

The six-day long film festival was a momentous success in terms of response from children as well as teachers and families. Our shows had fully seated audiences who enjoyed the programs for all age groups.

The Festival was inaugurated by Dr. Murad Raas, Minister of Education Punjab. The opening of the Festival was attended by known celebrities from film and television, artists and writers such as Mr. Usman Peerzada, Mr. Asghar Nadeem Syed and Mr. Adeel Hashmi, along with partners of the event i.e CEO Cinepax Ms. Mariam ElBacha and CEO Packages Mall Mr. Khurram Bhaktayari.

Nearly 15,000 children and youth attended the festival events in Lahore and enjoyed 72 films from 29 countries which were displayed on colossal screens of the cinema and presented to a young audience.

A total of 40 schools in Lahore participated in the event that took place at the Cinepax Cinemas in Packages Mall, Lahore.

The festival also included school children from foundation schools. Australia Awards hosted a special show and invited families and children.

Download LICFF Brochure (PDF)

ICFF-Karachi

The 8th International Children’s Film Festival – Karachi is produced by The Little Art and presented in collaboration with the Teachers Resource Center and Cinepax Cinemas. It took place from 6th October till 15th October, 2018 in Cinepax Cinema Ocean Mall, Clifton, Karachi.

This year’s festival in Karachi showcased selected 72 films for KICFF from 29 Countries, which included several films by young Pakistani filmmakers. These films have been selected from a total of 2765 film entries from 115 countries. The response from the audience had the festival team extend the festival for 1 more day and around 10000 audience including children and families attended the festival.

This year again in Karachi, Australia Awards helped us to include mentally challenged children from Karachi Vocational Training Center and supported their participation.

Once the show ended, the children got ready to leave the cinema hall, queuing up for the group photos and feedback, jumping with giddiness, smiling and chatting constantly about the films with their friends. It was this particular heart-warming sight that gives us the motivation to continue with our work year after year.

Download KICFF Brochure (PDF)

ICFF-Jamshoro

The 4th International Children‘s Film Festival– Jamshoro is produced by The Little Art and presented in collaboration with Institute of Art & Design, University of Sindh. It took place from 27 October till 28 October, 2018 in Sindh University Auditorium.

The Festival was inaugurated by Muhammad Abbas Baloch Commissioner Hyderabad, Munawar Ali Mahesar Chief Administrator Auqaf Sindh and Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat, Vice Chancellor University of Sindh. The opening of the festival was attended by known celebrities, teachers and students from film and design department of University of Sindh

Nearly 1,800 children and youth attended the festival events and enjoyed films. A total of 21 schools and different university departments participated in the event that took place at the Sindh University Auditorium.

ICFF-Faisalabad

The 2nd International Children‘s Film Festival– Faisalabad took place from 5th November till 7th November, 2018 in Cinepax Cinema Hotel One, Faisalabad.

Nearly 2500 children attended the festival events in Faisalabad and enjoyed the screening. A total of 10 schools participated in the event that took place at the Cinepax Cinemas in Hotel One, Faisalabad.

Download Faisalabad Brochure (PDF)

Feedback from Teacher’s and Students

“I thought maybe we were going to watch a horror film. But this turned out as something else, something very interesting to watch” Ishmael Khan,

a class eight student of River Oaks Academy

It is simple story telling through visuals, but the effectiveness was visible in the screening room, for instance, the children laughed their hearts out and could relate to the characters.  “Are You Volleyball” instantly become the most favorite film of the festival.

A Teacher

“The films were short and informative and really demonstrated the importance of education, caring for others and the significance of relationships”.

Ms. Ayesha – Teacher from Educators

“It was our education trip that we attended the festival screening and watched the educational films. It was a nice experience and a very healthy activity for children and they really enjoyed it a lot.”

Sabia Batool – Umul-madaras Model School, Faisalabad

“We are continuously participating in International Children’s Film Festival Karachi from last 8 years. The environment creates a great impact when children watch films with their friends, class fellows and school teachers. It creates a long lasting impact on their behavior.”

Teacher from Jaffar Public School, Karachi.

“Today media is so strong, no matter how much we try to teach them in class they only learn quicker by watching through such mediums”.

Tooba Qausar – Teacher

“Are You Volleyball?” was my favorite film. I also like “Fort Box.” That movie made me cry. It was very emotional”.

A 14 year old student Bisma from LGS School

“…and here besides watching films and learning through them about various countries and their cultures, these kids also learn how to behave and carry themselves in public.”

Mrs. Ahmed, a school teacher

“The children were so amused when they heard about this event at school,” a teacher from Jaffar Public School, adding that events like these will make children interested in filmmaking and animation.”

“International Children’s Film Festival Karachi is a great platform where we experienced the whole world under one roof.”

Shabana Akram – PCHS Girls School, Karachi

Festival Winning Films

(Animation Category)

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Duration: 11:10:00 minutes

Country: Russia

Director: Zhanna Bekmambetova

Film Synopsis:

Our life is like walking on a tightrope. In times we are scared or lost we lose balance. When we are happy and excited we forget we walk on a rope. We can even fly!
Main characters are girl Luba and her friend Sparrow. Silly Sparrow doesn’t know fear. By playing with him Luba forgets her she is on a rope…

(Live Action Category)

Are You Volleyball?

Duration: 15:00:00 Minutes

Country: Iran

Director: Mohammad Bakhshi

Synopsis:

A group of Arabian spoken asylum seekers arrive to an English spoken country border and can’t keep going. They conflict with border soldiers everyday till a deaf-mute baby becomes a catalyst for better communication between two groups.

Festival Jury

The festival Jury this year that selected top international entries for the festival consisted of

Mr. Urooj Samdani (Producer and Director)

Mr. Syed Karrar Hussain (Chairman Media Association)

Mr. Umer Saeed (Filmmaker and film teacher)

The film programming was carefully curated keeping in mind the young audience that largely comprised of school children from different backgrounds. As part of the festival, The Little Art announced its national film making competition for under 18 young filmmakers, inviting young Pakistani film makers to send in their short films and to showcase at the Lahore International Children’s Film Festival. The competition invited short films (under 5 mins) on the theme of My Mother / My Father. The winning entries were awarded with shields, certificate and cash prize of Rs. 5000 and screened in the Festival.

#LICFFYoung – National Filmmaking Competition Selected Films for Competition 2018

1st Position: “A Slice of Life” Directed by from Learning Alliance DHA Campus Lahore

2nd Position: “My Father/ My Inspiration” from Beaconhouse School System Multan

3rd Position: “All is Not Lost” from Army Public School and College for Girls

Volunteers

Thank you to Partners, Schools and Volunteers

We are thankful to the Partners, Schools and Volunteers. This was not possible to manage for us without your participation and support for the successful festival.