From October 20 to 26, 2024, the 17th China International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF) was held jointly in Chengdu and Jinan over seven days. With the theme “Light and Shadow Together, Heart Toward the Future,” the festival was hosted by the China Children’s Film Association, China National Children's Center, China Film Foundation, and the Film Satellite Channel Production Center, and organized by Chengdu Culture and Tourism Group, Shandong Xicheng Shiguang Cultural Investment Co., Ltd., among others.
On October 20, the festival officially opened at the Chengdu sub-venue, CRRC·Yuan STAGE, with nearly 500 guests and filmmakers from China and abroad in attendance. The opening also launched a series of Chengdu-based activities, including the Industry Expo, Future Film Technology Exhibition, Film-Themed Fair, “Culture and Tourism + Film” Industrial Heritage Showcase, and the “Light & Shadow Alliance: Creating the Future Together” International Dialogue and Cooperation Alliance on Children's Films and Television. Mr. Hu Zhenmin, Executive Deputy Director of the China Care for the Next Generation Working Committee, presented a calligraphic gift to the organizers, with the message “Adhere to the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education and promote the healthy growth of children”.
On October 21, the Jinan sub-venue held its opening ceremony at the Shandong Provincial Grand Theater, releasing the full schedule of activities, including the “New Quality Productivity and Children's Film Education” forum series, the 2nd Jinan Children's Theatre Festival, screenings, and filmmaker Q&A sessions, officially launching the dual-city event.
On October 26, the festival concluded with closing ceremonies in both cities, announcing the recommended film lists, which included 9 “Annual Recommendations” selected by the International Expert Recommendation Committee and 10 “My Recommendation” films selected by a panel of 230 young moviegoers from Jinan, Chengdu, Beijing, and Guangzhou. Also released were the “Golden Butterfly” annual short film recommendations under the “I Love My Motherland” campaign (launched in September 2024), awards for the “Three Littles” activities, and honors for outstanding organizations.
The festival presented special awards, including a “Special Contribution Award” to Zhongtai Securities, “Outstanding Contribution Awards” to various co-organizers, a “Distinguished Contribution Award” to Shandong Xicheng Shiguang Cultural Investment Co., Ltd., and a “Special Recognition” to Chengdu For the People Children’s Film Co., Ltd.
This year’s festival widely invited children’s film production institutions from both China and abroad. After two rounds of selection, a total of 35 outstanding children’s films were showcased — 20 from China and 15 from countries including Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Canada, Norway, Japan, Indonesia, and Iran. The films reflected contemporary realities and explored children’s development in different cultural contexts, touching on themes such as family, school, and social life. Each film displayed originality in theme, artistry, and cinematic appeal. The films, recommended by age group starting at age six, encouraged family audiences and adult cinephiles to share in the viewing experience. In addition to special screenings at the China National Film Museum in Beijing and nearly 200 screenings in major cinemas in Chengdu and Jinan, the festival also held seven days of public screenings in parks, squares, special education schools, and community venues. These efforts highlighted the rich cultural heritage of Chengdu and Jinan, both historic cultural cities, and showcased their progress in building child-friendly cities. The joint efforts across two cities and three locations embodied the festival's goals of cooperation, inclusivity, and cultural elevation, offering valuable insights into the implementation of arts education in schools.
A series of meet-and-greet events with filmmakers during the festival helped bridge the gap between creators and audiences. Films featured in these events included Chinese films Go Beyond, The Great Distance Delivers Crane, Love No Return, Home by the River, Love Without Words 2, When We Bloom, The Girl Like A Sunflower, Chosen, Iranian films Beyro and Loupetoo, Indonesian film Tegar, and the Russian film Timir, whose creators participated virtually and sent greetings from icy Yakutsk.
The “Three Littles” (Little Film Fans, Little Dubbers, Little Hosts) remained a signature program of the CICFF. Through school-based selection and training programs in Chengdu, Jinan, and Beijing, children wrote reviews, dubbed international films live, and hosted major events, helping foster their comprehensive artistic and communication skills. At the closing ceremony, representatives of the “Three Littles” were awarded certificates of honor.
The “Golden Butterfly” Awards, part of the nationwide “I Love My Motherland” short film campaign, aimed to cultivate creativity and media literacy among children by encouraging them to make short films expressing love for the motherland, showcasing its beauty, culture, and everyday heroes. Out of over 1,500 submissions, the festival announced recommendations for both the “Children” and “Teen” categories, including The Truth and Ingenious, as well as several creativity, performance, and encouragement awards. Outstanding organizing units included the China National Children's Center Film Education Team, Shaanxi Lizhi Campus Cinema Network, Beijing No. 22 Middle School, Fengtai District Youth Palace (Beijing), and Jinan Huaiyin District Education and Sports Bureau.
The Jinan Zhongying Nanfang Cinema (Hongyang IMAX branch) received the honorary plaque “Golden Butterfly Children’s Cinema” for its permanent children's cinema and programming.
This year’s festival placed special focus on inclusive education. Tegar, a film about a disabled boy based on a true story, brought the real-life Tegar and his creators to China for an audience Q&A. Chinese film Be Brave and German film Weekend Rebels deeply explored the lives of children with special needs, touching audiences with their portrayal of resilience, diligence, and optimism. During the Jinan screenings, filmmakers and the international expert committee visited Jinan Yuyuan School, the city’s oldest special education school, learning about its history, educational philosophy, and technological approaches, which offered insights into international best practices for inclusive education in children’s films.
The festival received strong support from the Embassy of Iran in China. Iranian children's films, a frequent and distinctive presence at the CICFF, were well represented this year with Between the Cliffs, Beyro, and Loupetoo. At the closing ceremony, Cultural Counselor Mr. Iran Zadeh emphasized Iran’s robust tradition in children's and youth films and the importance of Sino-Iranian collaboration in advancing children’s cinema.
The CICFF also focused on emerging film technologies and academic exchange. The “Future Film Technology Exhibition” was held in both Chengdu and Jinan, along with the “New Quality Productivity and Children’s Film Education” forum series at the Time Art City in Jinan (October 22–23). Key topics included “Optimizing the Animation Industry for Children,” “Innovative Development of Children's Films in the Era of AI,” and “Children's Films and Safety Education.” These discussions explored content innovation in Chinese animation, AI and children's development, and the role of film in safety education, culminating in the release of the “Children’s Film and Safety Education Initiative,” which called for using cinema as a tool for teaching safety and self-protection to children.
The successful conclusion of the 17th CICFF, with its short film competition, weeklong screenings, participatory programs, dual-city cultural showcases, and academic and industry forums, reaffirmed its role as a vital international platform for children's film culture. It encouraged global collaboration, creative responsibility, and the promotion of aesthetic and moral education for young people.
As 2024 marks the second year in the second century of Chinese children’s cinema, CICFF continues to drive theoretical exploration and innovative practice. With broad international attention and active social participation, the festival has contributed to deepening the knowledge base, enriching creative practice, and shaping the future of Chinese children’s film, while providing meaningful experience and perspective to the world of children's cinema.
