SCHLINGEL International Film Festival

National and international competitions are at the heart of the SCHLINGEL programme, including a focus on different countries each year and non-competitive sections. More than 100 films from countries all around the world are brought to the big screen, with their exciting, empathetic and thought-provoking stories taking their audiences on a journey to distant lands far removed from standard Hollywood clichés. Every year, more than 700 long and short films and animations from over 70 countries compete for a place in the selection. At the end of the festival, children’s, youth and expert juries judge the winners of the respective categories and award SCHLINGEL trophies and five-figure sums of prize money.

SCHLINGEL offers a challenging and varied fringe programme to accompany the first-class viewing delights, with podium discussions, talks, workshops and exhibitions. There is a particular emphasis on educational sessions on film and media for kindergartens, schools and nurseries; through practical activities, the participants are given an insight into topics such as film production, using a camera and equipment or writing reviews. Accredited trade visitors also bring themselves up to date with the latest trends and issues relating to children’s and young adult films at seminars and forums, and can exchange views with each other in lively discussions. Some events are also open to the interested public.

In addition to the annual staging of the SCHLINGEL International Film Festival, matinee tours have been established across Saxony. Selected productions are brought to a larger audience outside the festival as well. This is the aim behind diverse international film presentations, for example in China, Israel, Canada and Russia.