Tel Aviv Cinematheque Presents: The 21st Tel Aviv International Children's Film Festival

This coming Hanukkah, the 21st International Children's Film Festival will take place at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. This year, the festival focuses on the values of inclusion and equality, inviting all children to find their place on and behind the screen. The Cinematheque hopes to bring hope and light and give a place to all the colors of Israeli society and the world in general in a celebration of cinema and culture.

The festival, which will take place during the Hanukkah holiday, between December 16 - 20, will include: an international film competition with a jury of young people alongside judges from the world of cinema and television; pre-premiere dubbed films; selected international series; a "Family in a Film" competition where families from all over the country are invited to participate in a challenge to create a short film in 48 hours, which will be screened on the big screen during the festival; events for toddlers; series in a festive pre-premiere screening of Kan Hinuchit; film workshops; classics for the whole family; sensitive screenings and daily accessible activities; story hours for toddlers every day; artist meetings; workshops and children's plays; a tribute event in memory of Albert Cohen with the participation of his son and granddaughter; candle lighting every day and activities in the Cinematheque lobby.

The abundance of content at the festival is suitable for children, toddlers, teenagers, and anyone young at heart.

Dina Feld, CEO of the Tel Aviv Cinematheque: "Our goal this year is to allow every child to see themselves on the screen and be active participants in film creation. The festival is a safe, diverse, and open space where cinema becomes a tool of connection and belonging."

Gili Zulti, Artistic Director of the Festival: "The content selected this year brings a broad view of the world of children from different parts of the world and raises issues of difference, acceptance, and identity. We believe that children's cinema should not only entertain but also stimulate thought, encourage curiosity, and open opportunities for dialogue on values ​​and experiences that are important to talk about from a young age."

Opening Ceremony: will be hosted by TikTok stars Liraz and Idan Shalva. During it, there will be a meeting with the voice actors of "SpongeBob", which will include songs, behind-the-scenes clips, and a screening of the new film "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run".

International Film Competition: will feature films from India, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and more, dealing with diverse childhood experiences - such as the Hungarian film "I Accidentally Wrote a Book" about a girl writing a book to cope with the entry of her father's new partner into her life, through "Strange Bird" about an albino girl in India, to "Tomorrow I'll Be Brave" about a German boy dealing with first love and more.

Pre-Premieres of Children's Films: new dubbed films that have not yet been released in cinemas such as: "Fox and Hare Save the Forest", "Breaking the Spell", "Tapity: An Adventure in the Desert", "Gracie and Pedro and the Jungle Rhythm" 2, "How I Drove the Robbers Crazy" and "Trouble at Summer Camp".

Children Judge: Also this year, the festival jury will include children judges. Children who want to take part in the judging process will be trained by the Tel Aviv Cinematheque in a special course for children to judge films. The course allows young participants to discover the behind-the-scenes of the film world and be part of the judging experience at the festival. Graduates of the workshop will become expert judges in the international film competition. Children who want to take part as judges in the competition can register in advance at the link on the Tel Aviv Cinematheque website, receive a judging kit and be part of the festival's young jury team.

Israeli Short Cinema for Youth: A new framework that brings to the Children's Festival a special screening program for older teenagers. Collections of short films from leading film schools in Israel and from film majors in selected high schools from all over the country.

In memory of Albert Cohen: In addition, a tribute event will be held in memory of Albert Cohen, and will deal with the world of dubbing. The meeting will be attended by Sharon Cohen, a dubbing director and Albert's son, and Leni Cohen, a voice actress and Albert's granddaughter. They will reveal the work process on dubbing animated films and will accompany the meeting with a viewing of the film "Inside Out", in which Cohen dubbed the character of 'Anger'.

The festival will hold studio meetings for acting: Meetings with actors from the world of cinema and television, including Neta Roth, Lir Issa and others, who will come to the halls for a conversation with the audience about their personal journey into the world of acting. Participants will be exposed to what happens behind the scenes: how to prepare for a new role, what happens in an audition, how to build a credible and exciting character, and what are the challenges and surprises of working as an actor. Each meeting will be interwoven with acting clips from series and films of the actor. The events will take place in an intimate and inviting atmosphere hosted by a film critic, with the opportunity to ask questions and share thoughts.

"Cat in a Bag" Event: As part of the event, artists and opinion leaders will choose the children's films that influenced them in their childhood, but the identity of the film will only be revealed when the hall lights go out.

"Family in a Film" Competition: will invite families from all over the country to participate in a challenge to create a short film in 48 hours, which will be screened on the big screen during the festival.

Kan Hinuchit Launches: An opportunity to be the first to see all the new series of Kan Hinuchit, Young Sushered, Caramel 5 See Me, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Amatzia Studio, Summer Camp of Life, Serial Neighborhood and more.

Sensitive Screenings and Accessible Activities: During the festival days, sensitive screenings and accessible activities for children with special needs will be held daily. The hall will not be completely dark, the volume will be adjusted, and noise-canceling headphones will be provided. It will be possible to exit and enter during the screening, and a list of potential triggers for films will be published on the website. Also, a special space will be allocated at the festival for a quiet room where children can find rest time in case of sensory overload.

Children's Plays: Children's plays by the best children's theaters in Israel will be presented at the festival - the Carrousel Theater, the Mediatec, Almina, Orna Porat, Itit Ensemble, and Tremolo.

Experiential Workshops: In addition, experiential workshops will be held for children and youth, including a green screen workshop, a sound in cinema workshop, stop motion, smartphone photography, animation, miniatures, stitch pillows, and acting in front of the camera.

The 21st International Children's Film Festival will take place between December 16–20, 2025 at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.

Prices: Film - 43 ₪ | Workshops – 45 ₪ | Plays and Performances – 62 ₪

Benefits for members of the WhatsApp group – Cinematkids. To join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/HszmwQcme7bKUdjU59X69i

To view the full program and purchase tickets: Tel Aviv Cinematheque Website Link

(Photo: Courtesy of Woltlenuel Film)