The 7th Beijing International Children’s Film Festival Comes to a Successful Close

Lights, stories, and celebrations. On October 28, following the final screening of the festival, the Closing Ceremony and Awards Presentation of the 7th Beijing International Children’s Film Festival was held at Yanching Institute of Technology. Filmmakers, industry guests, educators, jury representatives, and students from around the world gathered to celebrate the achievements of this year’s festival and bring several days of international cinematic exchange to a close.

Distinguished guests attending the ceremony included Professor Zhao Peng, Vice President of Yanching Institute of Technology; Professor Sun Chuanlin, Dean of the School of Media; Mr. He Yunqing, renowned actor and Head of the Acting Program at the School of Media; Mr. Waleed, Chairman of the Egyptian Film Center and President of the Festival Jury; filmmakers Jiang Dong and Moris; film critic Guo Yu; and Ms. Wang Qi, representative of the National Teachers’ Jury, alongside filmmakers and representatives from participating films.

PART 1. Opening Addresses: Preserving the Spirit of Children’s Cinema

During the closing ceremony, university and faculty representatives shared their perspectives on the future of children’s cinema and encouraged the next generation of filmmakers.

Professor Zhao Peng, Vice President of Yanching Institute of Technology, emphasized that children’s films are far more than entertainment. They play an essential role in shaping how young audiences understand the world, develop empathy, and connect with others.

Addressing the profound changes brought about by artificial intelligence, he raised an important question: As moving images become increasingly easy to produce, what kind of films should we leave for children? He stressed that while technology may transform the creative process, human understanding, compassion, and genuine emotional expression remain irreplaceable.

Professor Sun Chuanlin, Dean of the School of Media, approached the subject from the perspective of film education. He noted that filmmaking requires both technology and creativity. In an era of rapid AI development, young filmmakers must continue asking fundamental questions: Why do we make films? What can our work offer to audiences?

He encouraged students to embrace new technologies while maintaining independent thinking, drawing inspiration from real life, and creating films with substance, warmth, and a distinctive personal voice.

Both speeches reflected one of the festival’s central concerns: in an age when AI is reshaping the landscape of filmmaking, children’s cinema remains an important creative field that deserves to be protected and sustained.

PART 2. Awards Presentation: Celebrating Global Children’s Film Creativity

This year's festival featured several sections, including the Children's Focus Section, Special Animation Curated Section, Short Film Section, and Feature Film Section. Through a diverse range of jury perspectives, the festival recognized outstanding works from different cultural backgrounds and creative approaches.

The awards were announced during the closing ceremony.

Children’s Focus Section

• Outstanding Film: 厝边阿红

Special Animation Curated Section

• Best Short Animation: Beyond the Tracks

• Best Feature Animation: Emma & Thomas

Short Film Section

• Outstanding Film: 杨柳青

• Parents’ Jury Recommendation: 回填

• Teachers’ Jury Recommendation: 虎哩，你好！

• Organizing Committee Recommendation: 穿越疆谷的声音

• Jury Recommendation: Papa’s Coding Day

• Best Film: ABRACADABRA

Feature Film Section

• Outstanding Film: Summer on Wheels

• Parents’ Jury Recommendation: 我和奶奶

• Teachers’ Jury Recommendation: Defiant

• Organizing Committee Recommendation: 我们的太空

• Jury Recommendation: Hey Hey Hey, Football Team!

• Best Film: DIPLODOCUS

From animation and imaginative storytelling to films rooted in real-life experiences, this year's selection reflected the diversity of global children's cinema and offered audiences different perspectives on the world through the eyes of young people.

PART 3. Special Interactive Experience: Finding the Courage to Take the First Step

One of the most memorable moments of the closing ceremony was a special presentation and interactive activity featuring the documentary Hey Hey Hey, Football Team!

Filmed over six years, the documentary follows a blind football team in Xinjiang, China. During the presentation, the filmmakers shared a powerful message:

"Hope does not simply come from perseverance. We must first take action and have the courage to begin. Every new beginning deserves to be seen."

To help students better understand the challenges faced by visually impaired football players, the festival organized a blindfolded ball-control activity. Without visual guidance, participants attempted to control and move the ball, experiencing firsthand the difficulties that the athletes encounter in training and competition.

The activity brought audiences closer to the realities portrayed in the film, allowing the spirit of courage and determination to extend beyond the screen and into the festival venue.

PART 4. The Screen Never Fades: Connecting Film, Education and the World

With the awards presented and the closing ceremony concluded, the 7th Beijing International Children’s Film Festival came to a successful close.

From international children's film screenings and filmmaker discussions to animation workshops, film masterclasses, and professional forums on youth filmmaking, creative development, and industry opportunities, this year's festival continued to explore the connections between film festivals, higher education, creative practice, and international cultural exchange.

As artificial intelligence continues to transform the production of moving images, the Beijing International Children's Film Festival remains committed to preserving a space for children's cinema. We hope to continue bringing together filmmakers, educators, and young audiences from different countries and cultural backgrounds, encouraging dialogue, mutual understanding, and new possibilities for cinematic expression.

Our sincere thanks go to all the guests, jury members, filmmakers, partner organizations, teachers, and students who contributed to this year's festival. Every gathering, every screening, and every meaningful exchange has become part of the festival's continued journey.

The screen never fades. See you at the next edition!