On October 13, the doors of the CineStar in the Galerie Roter Turm in Chemnitz will open for the 19th edition of the International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLINGEL. For one week, 132 films from 50 countries will be presented in various auditoriums of the CineStar. Apart from a large number of international productions (amongst others from Iran, Canada, Morocco and South Korea), the visitors can also look forward to outstanding national films, of which two of them celebrate their world premiere at the festival. In addition, 25 international films will be German or European premiers.
Numerous actors, directors and producers of competition films will visit the festival in Chemnitz. They are happy to present their films to the audience and to discuss them right after the screenings. More information about the films and filmmaking will be given during SCHLINGEL Talk, which takes place daily on a separate area on the second floor of the Galerie Roter Turm.

The festival opens with the German premiere of the Benelux co-production SECRETS OF WAR by director Dennis Bots. 1943, a village in the German-occupied Netherlands: Tuur and Lambert, two twelve-year-old boys, are inseparable friends. Even the horrors of war with the regular air attacks cannot separate the two friends. However, this changes when nice Maartje joins their class and tells only Tuur a secret. The situation is heated up when Lambert’s family collaborate with the Germans, while Tuur discovers that his father is an active member in a resistance group – there friendship is gradually put to the test. For the premiere of SECRETS OF WAR the film team will attend the festival.

About 900 productions from 77 countries, of which almost half were short features and short animations, were viewed by the eight-member programme committee, who selected the best films for the festival, which will now be shown in the competition categories Children Film, Junior Film, Youth Film, Short and Animation Film as well as Focus Germany. In total, 98 films compete for the desired SCHLINGEL trophies. This year’s country focus is on the Baltic States. Other movies run in the non-competitive sections Panorama and Homage. Since 2006, SCHLINGEL honors outstanding cinematic achievements in the children’s and youth film sector. 2014 the Ehrenschlingel will be contributed to the German director, producer and screenwriter Arend Agthe.

During the festival week, ten professional, children and youth juries are spoiled for choice, to determine the winner in each category and award 13 prizes with a total value of 35,000 euros. A special feature is the European Children's Jury. 16 children from eight nationalities agree not only on the best children's film, but they also decide for the most convincing performance of child actor. This year, the jury children come from Budapest, Copenhagen, Leipzig, Ljubljana, Prague, Saint Quentin, Stockholm and Vienna.

In addition to the actual film screenings there is a comprehensive media education programme for kindergartens, schools and nurseries. In workshops, children and young people can learn more about film theory. In practical tasks, they further gain an insight into film production and deal with profound film contents. SCHLINGEL not only provides additional events for its younger guests, but it also attracts film experts and educators. In conferences and seminars, which are specially designed for them, professionals and teachers discuss the current trends and developments in the film industry. In 2014, the SCHLINGEL-team organizes a seminar titled Successful stories reloaded or new stories created? A discussion on sequels, remakes and originality in international children’s films. The seminar looks at sequels, remakes and original materials in the international children's film. A symposium for teachers will discuss the use and importance of films in the classroom.
Also this year, visitors to the cinema will be welcomed by our SCHLINGEL mascot. This year and for the first time it is ten-year-old Sven Leuoth from Chemnitz. He visits the 5th grade of the Lower Luis High School. He loves his guitar, football and table tennis as well as pizza in all variations. His responsibilities include amongst others the festival opening, the moderation of children’s films and to be present at the official award ceremony.
Overall, the festival expects around 15,000 visitors, including about 250 national and international expert guests. Patron of the festival is the Prime Minister of Saxony, Stanislaw Tillich. SCHLINGEL film festival is co-hosted by the Sächsische Landesanstalt für privaten Rundfunk und neue Medien SLM.

International Film Festival SCHLINGEL this year also in Leipzig

For the first time in the festival’s history, the audience in Leipzig has the opportunity to see selected SCHLINGEL. From 14 to 16 October 2014, the Passage Kinos Leipzig will screen class and cutting-edge international films which are also suitable for use in the classrooms. Some of the films are shown in their native language and thus train the foreign language skills of the audience. Moreover, all films are accompanied by media educational materials. Just as for the festival edition in Chemnitz, there is also the chance to discuss the films after each screening and to make contact with directors and actors, for example from China, India or Canada.