Thank you 2025!

A look back at the Children's International Film Festival 2025

Now that the dust has settled from June 6th we have been able to look back and look over what has been an incredible journey over the last 8 months. Do have a watch of the video above. What started as, a children's film workshop here, and a Primary School Film of the Year award there, has risen a Festival of filmmaking specifically celebrating filmmakers aged 16 and under.

The Children's International Film Festival was the brain child of George Young. After several years working with many different youngsters using filmmaking as a way for them to express their creativity and with more than 100 films made by children under his belt, a Festival was the natural way to show the world how incredible these young minds are. Alongside this the Festival enables us to champion an industry that offers so much and provides a huge contribution to the country as a whole.

Friday, June 6th, saw more than 1,000 children visit the Festival both as school groups with their teachers and with friends and families.

Commenting on the school's day at the Festival, Lucy Garrioch, music and drama specialist at Southborough Primary School in Tunbridge Wells commented, "It was a wonderful day! The children loved it. It was so special to see their documentary on the big screen!" 

We now look ahead to 2026 when the Children's International Film Festival will head to the south coast, basing itself in Hastings in East Sussex. A date, June 18th has been set and schools and community arts organisations as well as ccouncillors and the local MP are all coming together to support what already looks to be a bigger and wider reaching festival. We can't wait to see you there.