Though we’re adults now, we all remember celebrating Children’s Day at school — waiting for chocolates from teachers, playing games, and enjoying a day with no studies. And once again, that special day is just around the corner. This year, the celebration is going beyond the usual, as schools across India gear up to turn classrooms into mini cinemas with the 8th edition of the School Cinema International Film Festival (SCIFF), running from November 14 to November 30. Scroll down for more details.
School Cinema International Film Festival In India
Over 40,000 government and 1,000 private schools across India will take part in the School Cinema International Film Festival. More than 100 curated films from 25 countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, and the UAE, will be showcased to students. According to Hindustan Times, Festival Director Syed Sultan Ahmed, who is also the Founder and Chief Learner of LXL Ideas, said SCIFF was started on a simple idea — that films are more than entertainment. They motivate children to see, feel, and think differently.
The festival is designed to align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes creative learning and the use of diverse media like cinema for holistic education. Ahmed added that SCIFF gives every school in India a chance to host its own film festival. This way, they can bring stories from around the world directly into classrooms.
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More About This Film Festival
This year, during this festival, organisers will showcase films in more than 20 Indian and foreign languages. They will focus on stories that inspire curiosity, empathy, and imagination among students. Global film festivals such as the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, AniMela Festival, Giffoni Film Festival, and ZERO PLUS International Film Festival have extended their support to SCIFF 2025, reported Hindustan Times.
Here’s more about the three-step learning model of SCIFF:
1. Watch: Cinema turns schools into theatres where children watch age-appropriate, meaningful films.
2. Learn: Cinema introduces students to filmmaking through workshops and online masterclasses on scriptwriting, cinematography, sound, and editing.
3. Make: Cinema gives them a chance to create their own films and even join the youth jury for the next festival edition.
This innovative festival started in India in 2017, and last year it reached over 23,000 schools and 100,000 students across India.
We are absolutely excited to see the growth of SCIFF this year in India and what changes it will bring.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Instagram/ @school.cinema