Written by: Mehr Jan
Posted on: September 08, 2020 | 
| 中文
Children Lining Up for LICFF
With the onset and quick escalation of technological advancement in our daily lives, there is one festival which has aimed to provide educational entertainment to children of Pakistan on a massive scale. It remains undeterred by the chaos inflicted through COVID-19, and is currently holding its 12thedition. But this time, the Lahore International Children’s Film Festival (LICF), is going to the virtual space.
As one of the largest entertainment ventures to have come out of this country, LICFF is an exciting platform that has caught the eye of a plethora of artists, entrepreneurs, educationists, and others. This festival is the brainchild of Shoaib Iqbal, whose goal was to promote media literacy among children and young people through workshops and dialogue. He wanted this initiative to generate and inspire others to use arts education in Pakistan, and to promote the value of meaningful creative experiences in children’s life.
An Image from Previous Editions of LICFF
Speaking to Youlin, Programs Manager Omar Ijaz Khan, stated how in Pakistan, like various other countries, school is considered the prime source of information and knowledge for children. However, in today’s environment the concept of learning has somewhat transformed, and it’s time for Pakistan to catch up with the rest of the world by adapting to tools which cater to ‘creative learning’. “Having exposure to the world will help children and youth to make them understand their lives in so many ways, and films are the best source to enjoying this experience of learning”, he said.
Students Watching a Film
Emphasizing how films can open a window to the world that might otherwise be unknown, and tell stories which move or inspire people, Mr. Khan believed that the titles in the festival will bring joy to young viewers that they will remember for the rest of their lives. “It also enlightens us in various ways, by introducing us to other cultures and various languages; it makes us tolerant to the diversity this world has to offer.”
Shoaib Iqbal created LICFF in 2008, with a desire to make children and young people experience quality films and arts on larger platforms, learn from it and create meaningful memories. The festival has grown each year since its inception, with valuable inputs from a number of filmmakers, artists, sponsors, volunteers, and, most importantly the audience, which largely comprises of children and youngsters.“Since the inception of the festival in 2008, we have managed to screen 1188 films in 578 shows from nearly 118 countries, to over 501,550 children and youth. 900 schools have participated and 36 CSO’s working with children attended the festivals. The festival has also traveled to 10 different cities like Karachi, Islamabad, Multan, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gilgit Baltistan, Jamshoro & Tando Jam in Interior Sindh and Bhakkar in rural Punjab,” Mr. Khan explained.
Film Poster for 'Baxu and the Giants'
This year, 158 films from 24 countries in 16 languages are being presented on Starzplay, a professional streaming service.Among the diverse range of titles being screened is ‘Baxu and the Giants’, a 2019 Namibian bilingual drama short film written and directed by Florian Schott. The movie presents the intriguing story about rhino poaching, which triggers social change in a village in rural Namibia, as seen through the eyes of a 9-year-old girl. ‘100% Wolf’ is one of the other popular choices by young viewers, as a hilarious yet heartwarming animated film about family and self-acceptance.
Parents are equally ecstatic by the selection of films this year, with many sharing their insights on the festival’s social media platform about how it provides a unique opportunity to be entertained as well as being exposed to various points of view.
Students Smiling for the Camera
To screen one’s film at LICFF, the criterion for selection is simple. As Mr. Khan elaborated, “The film has to be made for, and by children from around the world. The titles must inspire, expose children to other cultures, promote cognitive thinking and creativity, and most importantly, make them laugh and have fun.”
The festival has three juries set in place; a young jury with national and international children and a senior jury of filmmakers and an artist’s jury.Aside from the screening of the films, LICFF is also presenting online talks and workshops by international filmmakers for children and film enthusiasts. Encouraging global diversity, peace and tolerance, the initiative wishes to provide a nurturing podium to local filmmakers, so they can widen their horizons in producing exceptional, inspirational films for the children of Pakistan.
Since the in-person festival events in 6 cities across Pakistan aren’t taking place as planned this year, the organizers, management, volunteers and the entire team have worked hard to reach more children across Pakistan through an accessible digital platform and multiple local collaborators.“We support children in raising their voices through creative expression where film is the medium. Covid-19 may have posed unprecedented challenges for us all, especially for the arts and culture sector, but we believe that we can find ways through determined collaborations,” remarked Mr. Shoaib Iqbal.
LICFF is an exciting opportunity for both film enthusiasts and children to enjoy a selection of lighthearted, entertaining and experimental films across continents and languages. It is particularly important for children in Pakistan to be exposed to thoughtful cinema, which encourages them to be creative, but also makes them cognizant of important issues which the world faces.
The festival will remain online on ‘Starzplay’ till 21stNovember. For more updates, please follow LICFF on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Vimeo.
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