Lahore International Children’s Film Festival to begin Nov 16

77 shorts films from 26 countries to be screened in Lahore

LAHORE: The Lahore International Children’s Film Festival (LICFF) is set to begin on Monday at Cinepax, Fortress Square, Lahore Cantonment and Alhamra Arts Council, Mall Road for which preparations are well under way.

This is the seventh event organised by Little Art wherein students from around the world will screen their short films and documentaries. The festival will run between November 16 and 25 and is being slated as one of the biggest children’s film festivals of the world. During the course of the festival, different films produced completely by students will be run at morning and evening shows. The festival is a highlight of student activities in the city and this year it is welcoming delegates from all around the world for participation.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the festival’s project coordinator Awais Shafique said, “We selected 77 short films from around 983 entries. The subjects and themes they touch upon are very constructive.” He said they had also organised a national level film festival whose winners have been included in the international festival’s list. He went on to state that LICFF is beyond doubt the country’s biggest event and this year it has reached out to students globally. “The Canadian high commissioner and the Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashood will grace the opening ceremony,” he added. The opening will also welcome veteran playwright Asghar Nadeem Syed and actors Usman Peerzada and Sarmad Khoosat.

5th International Children Film Festival kicks off in Karachi

Little Art official Ammal Sahir said only last month the organisation put together a film festival in Karachi where students from the US, Taiwan, Portugal and Canada projected their films. “In the Lahore edition, students from India, Poland, Russia and Turkey will also participate.” Sahir said delegates from all prestigious schools and educational institutions of the city have been invited to the event.

Festival Director Shoaib Iqbal said, “Young people like to be told stories, stories that make an impact on their lives and stories that they can pass on and talk about with their peers.” He said the films that are part of the festival will open a window for them to develop their world view. “We hope to have more support from our audiences in contributing to the artistic and cultural life of children in Pakistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2015.

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