Children KinoFest was launched in 2014 by Arthouse Traffic, a Ukrainian film production and distribution company that specializes in art cinema. Other film festivals and projects founded or co-founded by Arthouse Traffic include the Odesa International Film Festival, Kyiv Critics’ Week, French Movie Nights, New British Cinema, New German Cinema, Austrian Cinema Week, Swiss Cinema Week, and more.
The logo, symbol and mascot of Children KinoFest is Charlie the Owl. The character is based on a drawing by Artem Rassadnikov, a then 7-year-old boy from Donetsk; it was named after the great Charlie Chaplin, whose 125th birth anniversary was celebrated the year the festival was first held.
The main goal of Children KinoFest is to introduce Ukrainian children and teenagers to the best of European cinema, both classic films and new releases. The program of the festival includes a film competition, retrospective screenings showcasing the works of internationally recognized filmmakers, studios and film schools, and screenings of the finalists of the festival’s short film competition. The main festival hub is in Kyiv, but parallel screenings are held in many other Ukrainian cities, as well as online.
The competition program typically consists of 7 feature films from different countries for viewers over 10 years of age. Interestingly, the winning film of the festival competition is determined by festival-goers rather than by a professional jury. At the entrance to the move theater, each visitor receives a voting ballot, and in the end, the film with the most votes is declared the winner.
Children KinoFest does have a jury for its short film competition. The competition is open to children and teenagers aged 7 to 14 who are Ukrainian citizens. Adults are allowed to help, but they can’t act as directors or screenwriters, and the number of adults in the creative team must be smaller than the number of children. Participants compete in two age categories (7 to 10 and 11 to 14; the category is determined by the age of the film’s principal director) and two film categories (live-action films and animated films).
The finalists of the competition are selected by a committee before the event and screened at the festival. At the closing ceremony, the jury announces winners in each category (Animated films, 7 to 10 years; Live-action films, 7 to 10 years; Animated films, 11 to 14 years; Live-action films, 11 to 14 years) and the winner of the main prize. The jury may also award special prizes to any film or member of a creative team.
In 2020, the festival was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike many other Ukrainian festivals, it did not go on a hiatus following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, although certain adjustments had to be made to ensure the safety of everyone present.
Photo: vk.com/childrenkinofest
