Chicago International Children's Film Festival
The largest children's film festival in North America, held annually in October in Chicago, presenting competitive international films for young audiences and honoring the best films made for and about children worldwide.
Overview
The Chicago International Children's Film Festival is the largest children's film festival in North America. Founded in 1983 and held annually in October in Chicago, the festival presents competitive international films for young audiences and honors the best films made for and about children worldwide.
The festival operates through Facets, one of America's most important independent cinema organizations, which also operates a film school, a video lending library, and year-round programming. This infrastructure gives the children's festival unusual depth and sustainability.
Children's cinema is a distinct and important genre internationally, with countries including Japan, France, Sweden, and Denmark producing films for young audiences that routinely match or exceed adult art cinema in ambition and quality. The festival provides North American exposure for this international tradition.
Key Sections
- International Feature Competition -- films for children competing for jury prizes
- Short Film Competition -- short films for young audiences
- Animation Competition -- animated films for children
- Documentary Program -- nonfiction films appropriate for young audiences
- Children's Jury -- prizes awarded by young audience members
What Filmmakers Should Know
The festival accepts open submissions. The Children's Jury creates a unique dynamic where films are evaluated by their actual intended audience. For international filmmakers creating films for young audiences, Chicago provides the most important North American competitive platform.
Major Awards
- Best Feature for Children -- jury prize
- Best Short Film for Children
- Children's Jury Award -- voted by young audience members
- Audience Award
Festival History
Chicago International Children's Film Festival was founded in 1983 through Facets and has operated for over four decades.
See Also
For family filmmaking, see Film Festival Strategy. For animation, see Ottawa International Animation Festival.
