Hold onto your hats! After the resounding success of KUKI's first two festivals in 2008 and 2009 get ready for the 3^rd International Short Film Festival for Children and Youth Berlin.  

With more than 740 short films entered to the festival from from all over the world, we have been able to assemble a program that is bursting with exciting, funny and imaginative films. Carefully selected to suit audiences of varying age groups, the films have been organised into several competition programs for children aged 4+, 6+, 10+, 12+ and 14+. As all films are screened in their original languages, professional actors will provide live German voice-over where appropriate.

KUKI, the 3^rd International Short Film Festival for Children and Youth Berlin kicks-off on Sunday 14 November, with a fantastic opening ceremony at 3pm at Filmtheater am Friedrichshain, our KUKI Festival cinema! The opening screening will feature a selection taken from the festival program as well as the premiere of “Todo”, the short film made during the children’s filmmaking workshop “Kinder machen Kurzfilm!”

Due to the outstanding popularity of last year's first-time kindergarten program, 4-6 year olds are once again welcome to come and enjoy the creative diversity that these films for small children demonstrate. Throughout the festival week, KUKI offers young and not-so-young cineastes an array of competition, short documentary and foreign language programs as well as a special selection of short films addressing “nature and the environment”.  After each screening the audience is encouraged to participate in open discussions, often with the filmmakers themselves! All films are shown in their original language and are given a live German voice-over by professional actors when needed.

Whoever feels inspired to try their hand at animation is more than welcome to use the TRICKBOXX located in the festival foyer, kindly provided by KI.KA!

At the close of the festival week, the children’s jury will announce their competition favourites at the Awards Ceremony held by KUKI’s ‘big sister’, interfilm, the 26th International Short Film Festival Berlin, on 21 November at Kino Babylon. The competition program for ages 12+ is now an audience competition and we greatly encourage all cinema-goers to vote for their favourite film in that category and help determine the winner of the Best Short Film for Youth.

Don’t forget the wonderful zapf-sponsored family screening (free admission) on the last Sunday of the festival which will include film highlights such as the screen adaptation of “The Gruffalo“ (the popular picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler) and will be followed by a fabulous party including a wheel of fortune, balloons and popcorn galore!

Here’s wishing you a great time at the coming festival!

The KUKI team ;)