Ukraine will host the 12th Children Kinofet: the largest film festival for children and teenagers
The war in Ukraine leaves its mark on everyone. However, children are especially vulnerable to this horror, who not only face losses, fears and difficulties, but are also often left without the possibility of a normal childhood. Today, society faces an important task: to find ways to help children maintain psychological stability, to return to creativity and joy. One of these tools was the “Children’s Film Festival” — the largest Ukrainian film festival for children and teenagers, which every year gives young creators the opportunity to reveal their talent.
“Children’s Film Festival”: a space for children’s creativity
Within the 12th “Children of Kinofest” a competition of short films for children aged 7 to 14 is underway. This event, which brings together young filmmakers for the ninth time in a row, offers the opportunity to create their own films from 1 to 8 minutes in any genre and on any topic.
This year, the initiative invites children to take part in a short film competition, which allows them to feel like directors, screenwriters and even actors, turning their thoughts and dreams into real movie masterpieces. At a time when war blurs the boundaries between childhood and adulthood, such events become not just entertainment, but an important element of supporting children.
Organizers invite children not only to fantasize, but also to turn their ideas into reality using animation or game formats. Each participant can submit up to five works by uploading ready-made videos to free online services and filling out an application containing the rules of participation.
Applications will be accepted from December 3, 2024 to May 4, 2025. The jury of the competition will announce the list of finalists on June 13, 2025, and the winners will be recognized at the closing ceremony of the festival, which will take place on June 8.
Awards for the best
The organizers of the festival provided significant prizes for the winners. In the “Best Film” category, UAH 10,000 will be awarded, the audience prize will be UAH 7,000, and the authors of the best animated films in the age categories of 7–10 and 11–14 years will receive UAH 5,000 each. In addition, all winners will be awarded with honorary diplomas, which will become a symbol of their creative contribution.
History and significance of the festival
“Children’s Film Festival” is not only a competition, but also a cultural event of a national scale. Since its establishment in 2014, it has been visited by almost 300,000 viewers who supported children’s talents and got to know the best films from around the world.
Despite the challenges of war, this year’s festival took place in a hybrid format, attracting around 19,000 viewers in cinemas and another 10,000 online. Special programs, such as “When the Beasts Were Talking” and animated hits, including “The Boy”, allowed children to forget about the realities of war at least for a few hours and immerse themselves in the world of creativity and fantasy.
Why is this important?
In times of war, when children are faced with challenges, creative contests such as Children’s Film Festival play a vital role. They not only help children express their emotions, but also distract them from the horrors of war, support psychological health and promote the development of new skills.
Creativity becomes the force that helps overcome fears and restore faith in the future. And “Children’s Film Festival” is exactly the space where children can feel like heroes, creators and participants in the joint struggle for a happy childhood.
Children’s participation in competitions such as Children’s Film Fest is more than just entertainment. This is an opportunity to build the future even in the darkest of times. And every film created by young directors is proof that childhood and creativity are stronger than any challenges. The festival becomes a symbol of indomitability and belief that even in the midst of chaos there is room for dreams and inspiration.
