Festival Celebrates Inclusion Through Film for Children and Youth
In a call for deeper understanding of inclusion, Smt Manmeet Kaur Nanda, Additional Secretary of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), inaugurated the 12th edition of the Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY) today in New Delhi. Highlighting that inclusion is a matter of rights rather than charity, she urged societal transformation in attitudes and perceptions towards persons with disabilities.
Addressing an audience of policymakers, filmmakers, diplomats, and youth, Smt Nanda shared the challenges faced by the 2.68 crore persons with disabilities in India, a number she noted is a significant undercount. Among these, around 80 lakh children experience considerable exclusion, often lacking access to education and public spaces, including cinemas. She referenced important legal precedents, such as the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling in Vikash Kumar vs UPSC, which established that providing reasonable accommodations is essential for ensuring equality in participation.
In her poignant address, Smt Nanda reflected on her broad experiences and illustrated that simply enforcing regulations is insufficient for genuine inclusion. Recollecting her own observations as a District Magistrate—where accessible facilities were often misused or inadequate—she stressed the need to move beyond mere tolerance of differences to acceptance and celebration of them. She praised cinema as a powerful tool for fostering empathy, showcasing the film Little Big Dreams, created by children from Ladakh with special needs, to demonstrate how children can narrate their own stories, thus asserting their humanity and creativity.
Mr Kimmo Lähdevirta, Ambassador of Finland, echoed these sentiments, speaking of cinema’s ability to transcend cultural barriers. Celebrating Finland’s collaboration with SIFFCY, he introduced a selection of Finnish short films, including the beloved Moomins, which are being screened at the festival for the first time.
Ms Marje Luup, Ambassador of Estonia, highlighted the festival as a vital platform for creativity and cultural exchange, noting Estonia’s participation with six short films created by children, including works by Ukrainian refugee children. She underscored the importance of festivals like SIFFCY in promoting inclusivity, diversity, and understanding among nations.
Santanu Mishra, Chairman of SIFFCY and Co-founder of Smile Foundation, emphasized the importance of childhood as a crucial period for developing empathy and social awareness. With the festival spotlighting inclusion and accessibility, Jitendra Mishra, Festival Director, pointed out how SIFFCY offers a rich shared cultural space for young audiences to engage with globally relevant narratives.
The 12th edition of SIFFCY runs from January 28 to February 3, 2026, with a program aimed at celebrating inclusion, diversity, and equity in cinema. Organized in collaboration with DEPwD and the Delegation of the European Union to India, the festival operates in a hybrid format. It features film screenings, workshops, discussions, and outreach initiatives spread across over 100 locations nationwide. With no tickets sold and a commitment to accessibility, SIFFCY showcases more than 150 films from over 35 countries, with a special emphasis on Polish and Dutch cinema, and presents multiple prestigious awards.
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