Over 25,000 govt schools to screen children's films during 10th edition of SCIFF

NEW DELHI: The School Cinema International Film Festival (SCIFF), one of the world's largest children's film festivals, is set to return for its 10th edition bringing world cinema directly to classrooms across India, according to officials.

This year, more than 25,000 government schools and 550 private schools will host the festival, with an estimated five-six million children expected to participate.

Planned from November 14 to December 5, the festival will showcase 110 curated children's films from 31 countries in 32 languages, introducing young audiences to diverse cultures, perspectives and experiences through international cinema.

" Children's film festivals remain a rarity in India, and we have never built an organised culture of festivals for young audiences. For 10 years, SCIFF has been driven by a simple belief: if children cannot go to film festivals, we must take film festivals to them. A good film lets a child step into another culture, feel another person's emotions, and see the world through someone else's eyes," said Syed Sultan Ahmed, Festival Director, SCIFF.

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SCIFF 2026: Children's film festival in India

"In an age when children consume more content than ever, learning to watch thoughtfully is an essential life skill. Through 'watch, learn and make', we help children move from passive viewers to curious thinkers and confident storytellers.

I hope this festival becomes a milestone that inspires many more children's film festivals across India, because the real magic of cinema is not what happens on the screen, but what it inspires in a child's mind," he added.

Marking a decade of bringing cinema into classrooms, SCIFF 2026 will feature films associated with prestigious international film festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), Sydney Film Festival, Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France), Zlín Film Festival (Czech Republic) and Busan International Film Festival (South Korea).

The curated collection will include fiction, documentaries, animation, experimental cinema and other cinematic forms, offering age-appropriate stories that encourage children to explore themes such as empathy, identity, relationships, mental well-being and social responsibility.

The festival will also witness international participation, with a delegation of Russian filmmakers and representatives from the Embassy of Russia in India joining SCIFF 2026. Launched in 2017, SCIFF is a pioneering film festival hosted by schools, in schools.

Bringing the world of cinema into classrooms, SCIFF gives young minds the opportunity to watch, learn, and make films - inspiring creativity and a deeper appreciation for storytelling.

With prestigious partnerships and global recognition, SCIFF offers students an immersive festival experience within their most comfortable environment. Through age-appropriate, thought-provoking storytelling, SCIFF nurtures creativity, critical thinking, empathy, and global awareness among students - helping them engage with the world through imagination and dialogue.

Since its inception, SCIFF has reached over 10 million students and engaged over 60,000 schools through school-based screenings, positioning itself as a transformative educational platform that bridges art, learning, and social awareness.