SIFFCY 2026 Begins in New Delhi With Inclusion Focus

The 12th edition of the Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY) commenced in New Delhi today, reaffirming the role of cinema as a tool for social awareness and youth engagement. The seven-day festival is being organised by the Smile Foundation in collaboration with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The event brings together filmmakers, educators, policymakers, and children from diverse backgrounds.

About SIFFCY and Its Objectives

SIFFCY is a curated international film festival aimed at children and young people, using cinema to promote dialogue on social, moral, and global issues. Speaking at the inauguration, Smile Foundation Co-founder Santanu Mishra said the festival seeks to sensitise young audiences to contemporary challenges while encouraging positive action. He underlined that films can help children reflect on personal values, social responsibility, and collective wellbeing.

Smile Foundation’s Developmental Outreach

Smile Foundation is an Indian development organisation working across key sectors such as education, healthcare, livelihoods, and women’s empowerment. According to Mr Mishra, the organisation currently runs over 400 live welfare projects across 27 states, impacting nearly two million children and families every year. He noted that SIFFCY aligns with the foundation’s broader mission of empowering underserved communities through awareness, access, and inclusion.

Theme of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The 2026 edition of SIFFCY places special emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Addressing the media, Additional Secretary in the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Manmeet Kaur Nanda, highlighted that films are powerful communication tools. She pointed out that, for the first time, the festival features films made by children with disabilities, alongside content focusing on disability inclusion and equitable representation.

Important Facts for Exams

• SIFFCY is an international film festival focused on children and youth.
• The festival is organised by Smile Foundation in collaboration with a Union government department.
• Smile Foundation operates welfare projects across 27 Indian states.
• The 2026 edition highlights disability inclusion, equity, and diversity.

International Collaboration and Cultural Exchange

The festival is being organised with support from several foreign missions, including the embassies of Ukraine, the Netherlands, Finland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Cyprus, and Estonia, along with the Polish Institute and the Italian Cultural Centre. This international participation reinforces SIFFCY’s role as a platform for cross-cultural exchange and global perspectives through children’s cinema.