The CIFEJ Prize

 

In 1981, CIFEJ decided to create the CIFEJ Prize that would be given to one production chosen from the films in competition at some selected international children’s film festivals. Since then, 55 films received the award in 76 international festivals in 19 countries. During the last General Assembly, held in September 2000 in Montreal, CIFEJ delegates adopted new rules and regulations as well as new criteria.   The Prize – a trophy and a diploma – still goes to the director of the production, but the new criteria facilitate festivals that were already hosted by an international jury.  The award goes to productions for children and young people which in form and content express the following qualities:  a high standard of artistic achievement and technical competence; an effective rendering of a subject which contributes to a better understanding between children and young people throughout the world; a potential to be distributed internationally.

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Considering that CIFEJ, in its Statutes and by-laws,
clearly states in article 2.2.8 that one of its objectives is ‘to
promote and encourage the production and dissemination of films, especially
designed for children or suitable for them, with the following objectives:
entertainment, art, information, education’, the following rules and regulations are to be followed.

 

1-The festival
must be an active CIFEJ member, and must have paid its membership fees.

 

2-The aim
of the International Children’s Film and/or Television Festival
(or a section dedicated to children) should be to promote high quality
films and/or television programs for young audiences.

 

3-The Festival:

a) Will clearly define in its regulations its chosen specialization,
and that it is a competitive event.

b) Will present films from at least five countries.

c)
The following applies only to festivals that host an international adult
jury; they must guarantee that the jury:

 

-Be
made up of a majority of persons foreign to the host country;

-Does not include any person in any way connected with the production
or commercial exploitation of a competitive entry;

-Will include among its jury members only persons having a genuine knowledge
of the television and/or film industry.

 

d) Will list all prizes in its regulations.

e)
The competition section should consist of at least 8 different screenings
(a screening being the exhibition of a feature film or a set of shorts,
or a television program with a minimum duration of 45 minutes);

 

f)
The production date of the films presented in the Official Competition
should not exceed 4 years before the date of the festival;

 

g)
Ideally, the jury should see the films during a public screening in
front of a young audience; this rule should not apply to television
program festivals;

 

h)
The festival has to send the list of prizes and winning films 2 weeks
after the event to the CIFEJ Secretariat, and a complete report, with
names of the jury members, number of guests and spectators, official
catalogue, a month after the closing ceremony of the event. The official
press book of the event can be sent later on.

 

i)The
festival should also cooperate with CIFEJ in promoting the goals of
the organization, either by inviting an official observer from the organization,
or helping organize a CIFEJ press conference, or by putting together
special screenings, workshops, information stand, etc.

 

j)
The request coming from a festival to award a CIFEJ Prize must be sent
to the Secretariat at least 6 months before the dates of the event.
The required documents for the application should consist of:

– Complete information on the event, including the Rules and Regulations
of the festival, to confirm that the festival follows the rules above
mentioned, and that it is a well organized festival;

– Copy of the official catalogue and press kit with additional material
from previous editions, to confirm that it is a well promoted festival.

 

The decision
of awarding a CIFEJ Prize to an international children’s film
and/or television festival will be taken by the board of directors,
and will be valid for 3 consecutive editions of the festival. If during
that period, the board of directors notices that the festival is not
observing the rules, the decision could be reversed. After that period,
the application must be renewed.