Michael Harbauer, director of the Chemnitz-based International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLINGEL, travels to Cuba today to attend the 1^st International Film Festival for Audiovisual Education in Havana.

It was founded on the initiative of various local ministries, networks and foundations. The main venue is Havana, while the festival is also taking place in other provinces of the island state. This had already been preceded by a conference in Havana in December 2018, where the SCHLINGEL director met with other festival organisers, filmmakers and scientists and exchanged ideas on international cooperation opportunities between children's and youth film festivals.

At the festival, Michael Harbauer presents the two German productions SUPA MODO and ROCCA CHANGES THE WORLD. The films have been screened in the SCHLINGEL programme for the last two years. SUPA MODO was awarded with the Children's and Youth Film Prize of the Gothe-Institut as the best German co-production. The Saxon State Chancellery, the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung MDM and the German Embassy in Havana support the trip. KiKA’s Programme Director, Dr. Astrid Plenk, which will speak about the offer of the public children and youth channel, is accompanying Michael Harbauer.

The festival programme is broadly diversified. In addition to the screenings of the two German and nine Spanish productions, there are also short film programmes. Films produced by children are represented as well as workshops for pupils and teachers. An exhibition, concerts as well as lectures and conferences round off the programme. More than 20 professors from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Mexico and Spain are expected to attend.