"The club shows that there is a very lively and well working network of children’s film festivals around the globe. In smaller and larger (online) meetings the members will discuss the film program of SCHLINGEL and at the end they will award a special film in each of the three SCHLINGEL age categories (children, junior and youth film)."

Josep Arbiol is President of the International Festival Union for Children, Youth and Teachers MICE (Mostra Internacional de Cinema Educatiu), which includes screening places in Valencia and Madrid (Spain), Havana (Cuba) and Western Sahara. Furthermore, Josep Arbiol is also Festival Co-director of MICE Havana. Born in Estivella (Valencia) and educated at the University of Valencia, the teacher and producer has a long audiovisual career in media and has mentored in educational films with children. His job is to provide more channels for young people’s creativity. Additionally, he is a member of the ECFA and of the board of directors of CIFEJ.

Jo-Anne Blouin leads the International Film Festival für Kinder FIFEM (Festival International du film pour enfants de Montréal), which she has created. At the age of 16, in her native Quebec, she began working in theatre for children embarked in the heady world of creating collective works. Later on, she moved to film for children and created the FIFEM. She believes children should have access to films from many cultures. In 2018, she received the Honorary Award from SCHLINGEL Festival.

Ekaterina Bordacheva graduated from the Russian Film Institute VGIK in 2006. Her career in the film industry started in 2003 as an assistant film producer in the production company for children and youth films “Rakurs”. Since 2008, she has been heading several film, cinema and festival activities in public and private distribution companies, for instance the direction of the regional cinema network “Mosoblkino”, the children’s film programme “Your Movie” of the Siberian Film Festival “Spirit of Fire” and the Russian Film Market Moscow.

Liset Cotera is founder and director of the International Children’s Film Festival "La Matatena”. She graduated from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Unidad Xochimilco in Mexico City with a degree in Social Communication and works as a film producer and promoter for children in Mexico. She specializes in the design and creation of methodologies to impart and introduce children to cinematic arts.

Jaroslav Hynštová has been working as a film programmer at Zlín Film Festival – International Film Festival for Children and Youth since 2005. She studied at the Palacky University in Olomouc film and English philology. She is journalist, screenwriter and director of an amateur theatre group, where she also writes plays. Jaroslava Hynštová was regional correspondent for the biggest Czech newspaper.

Julia Jarl has been working at BUFF – International Film Festival for Children and Young People since 2007. She is festival director since December 2012. She received a Bachelor of Science in Media and Communication and has worked as Head of “Education at Film” in Skåne and project manager at “Film Stockholm”.

Kim Sang-hwa is Festival Executive Director of BIKY, Busan International Kids & Youth Film Festival and Executive Committee Member of BIFF, Busan International Film Festival, which both are held annually in South Korea. Since being retired from his position as a professor of the animation department at a university a few years ago, Kim Sang-hwa has been a co-representative of the company “Playingman” which plans and organizes various cultural events. He is also producing films and giving lectures about the subjects of film reading.

Aska Kishi has been a member of Kineko International Children’s Film Festival since 2016. She worked as a PR staff for one of Japan’s biggest security companies and is currently working as an executive manager and chief programming director.

Nóra Lakos is the founder of “Cinemira” – International Children’s Film Festival and also a film director, that she named after her daughter Mira. She graduated as a film director from the University of Theatre and Film, Budapest, and also took courses in film directing at London Film School and at INSAS (Brussels Film Academy). Recently she has finished her feature debut “Cream”. Cinemira, the first International Children’s Film Festival in Hungary, Nóra Lakos founded in 2018. Her goal is to revive the children’s film and family film genre in Hungary.

Betty Li Yan is programmer of China International Children’s Film Festival (CIFF). In 2011, she started as a volunteer for the festival and later became the international coordinator for both the festival and China Children’s Film Association. Actually, she is a producer for co-productions and holds a bachelor’s degree of Architecture from Zhengjiang University and a master’s degree of Film Art from Beijing Film Academy.

Elisabeth Lichtkoppler has been one of the organizers of the international Children’s Film Festival Vienna for more than 25 years. Since 1991, she is the Managing Director of the Children’s and Youth Cinema cinemagic, which is owned by the company WIENXTRA and helps to organize many innovative children’s and youth activities.

Daniel Lundquist is the Head of Programming at BUFF – International Film Festival for Children and Young People since 2012. He started working at BUFF in 2009, after he graduated in Arts Administration and worked in various positions of the Swedish Film Institute and the City of Malmö Department.

Stina Ask Mikkelsen has an educational background in Visual Culture and Film Science, and Arts Management. Since 2007, she has been actively engaged with the film industry; having taken on diverse roles such as coordinator, organizer, festival producer, and marketing manager. Stina Ask Mikkelsen now assumes the position as Head of Programme at Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival (KICFF), Norway’s largest film festival for children and youth.

Jitendra Mishra is one of the few Indian film producers & promoters who have been able to create a benchmark in “Alternative methods of Film Production, Distribution & Promotion” at international level. He had designed & is the festival director of the “Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth” (SIFFCY). Jitendra Mishra is a member of many credible international associations & forums like CIFEJ.

Jerzy Moszkowicz is the director of the International Young Audience Film Festival “Ale Kino!” and of the Children Art’s Centre in Poznań. He works as an arts manager and stage director, author of theatre performances, TV films and programmes for children and young adults. In the past he was the president of CIFEJ and board member of ECFA. He served for several times as an expert of Ministry of Culture, Polish Film Institute and other organisations.

Pantelis Panteloglou studied Social Anthropology in Athens and has a Master’s degree in Social Exclusion and Minorities. Since 2011, he has been working for the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People and meanwhile he is deputy artistic director. He got his expertise from working in various creative and technical posts for film festivals, television and theatre.

Markéta Pášmová comes from Moravian Zlín from a traditional film family. She graduated from the Philosophical Faculty of the Masaryk University in Brno. In 1999 she began working as a programme organiser at Zlín Film Festival, then as the head of the program department. Since 2013, she has been working as the Artistic Director of the festival. As the head organiser of the festival she develops and is active in the field of educational programs for children and youth.

Ann Vikstrom is the Director of the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival. This season, at 263 films and TV episodes from 52 countries, it is the largest in the world for youth media. Ann Vikstrom is the Director of the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, which is the largest festival for youth media in the world. Prior to 2008, she worked in TV and radio, following a long career in the recording industry.

Alejandra Fritis Zapata is foundress and director of “Ojo de Pescado” (The Fish Eye) International Film Festival of Children and Youth from Valparaíso. She is a producer, documentary filmmaker, specialist in children and young audiences’ cinema contents, and teacher of audiovisual literacy. She teaches filmmaking for children, youth and divers communities.