"Yarche Cinema Fest" Film Festival for Children and Youth

About

The All-Russian Open Youth Film Festival "Yarche Cinema Fest" is a unique cultural and educational initiative, launched by school students themselves. The festival brings together children and teenagers aged 7 to 18 from across Russia, giving them the opportunity to speak about the past, present, and future through the language of cinema.

The main theme of the 2nd season is “From Past to Future: Cinema about Heroism”, dedicated to the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland and the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The festival program includes:
🎬 A film competition (short fiction, documentaries, animation, social videos, VR/AR projects);
🎬 Educational activities — master classes, script labs, and online discussions;
🎬 The “Festival Echo” program — screenings and discussions hosted by official festival venues across Russia.

The festival is organized by the Digital Education Center InfiniTI and Secondary School No. 268 of St. Petersburg’s Nevsky District, with the support of the Nevsky District Administration and the Committee on Education of St. Petersburg. Partners include Lenfilm Studio and the Academy of Media Industry.

"Brighter Cinema Fest" is more than a contest. It is an educational practice that helps young people explore values, build intergenerational dialogue, and discover pathways to future careers in cinema and media.

Awards

🇬🇧 Awards of the “Brighter Cinema Fest”

Every participant contributes to this major cultural event, and the best works receive well-deserved recognition.

Main Awards:

• 🏆 Grand Prix of the Festival — for the best film of the year

• 🏆 Best Fiction Film

• 🏆 Best Documentary Film

• 🏆 Best Animated Film

• 🏆 Best Social Video

• 🏆 Best Directing

• 🏆 Best Cinematography

• 🏆 Best Screenplay

• 🏆 Best Editing

• 🌟 Festival Discovery (debut)

• 👥 Audience Choice Award

Special Awards:

• Partner awards from Lenfilm Studio, the Academy of Media Industry, the Academy of Digital Technologies, and other institutions.

• Diplomas and letters of appreciation for mentors, teachers, and official festival venues.

All shortlisted participants receive diplomas and certificates.

The Festival values not only technical excellence but also sincerity, emotional depth, and the personal voice of the author.

Rules

🇬🇧 Rules for Participation in the All-Russian Film Festival “Yarche Cinema Fest”

1. Who Can Participate

• Children and teenagers aged 7–18.

• Participation may be individual or in teams (up to 10 people).

• Works may be submitted on behalf of schools, studios, clubs, associations, or via Official Festival Venues.

2. Mentors

• Participants may be supported by teachers, media educators, or technical specialists.

3. Number of Submissions

• Each participant or group may submit multiple works if they meet the requirements.

4. Festival Themes (2025)

• “Memory and Heroism”

• “Time of Choice”

• “Digital Tomorrow”

• “The Hero Next Door”

5. Accepted Formats

• Fiction short film

• Documentary film / TV report

• Animation

• Social video / video sketch

• Film essay / video letter

• VR-/AR project or 3D visualization

• Film hackathon project

6. Nominations

• Grand Prix of the Festival

• Best Fiction Film

• Best Documentary Film

• Best Animated Film

• Best Social Video

• Best Directing

• Best Cinematography

• Best Screenplay

• Best Editing

• Festival Discovery (debut)

• Audience Choice Award

• Special Partner Prizes

7. Technical Requirements

• Formats: mp4 (recommended), mov, avi.

• Resolution: at least HD (1280×720), preferably Full HD (1920×1080).

• Duration:

  • films — up to 15 minutes,

  • videos — up to 3 minutes,

  • VR/AR projects — by agreement with the Organizing Committee.

• File size: no more than 1.5 GB.

• Language: Russian (other languages allowed with mandatory Russian subtitles).

8. Participation Terms

• Participation is free of charge.

• By submitting an application, participants consent to personal data processing and public presentation of their work.

• For participants under 14, parental/legal guardian consent is required.

• Works must be original and respect copyright law.

Premiere Requirements

No premiere requirement

Jury and Organizers

🇬🇧 Jury of the “Brighter Cinema Fest”

The participants’ works are evaluated by an expert jury, which includes:

• professional directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, actors;

• representatives of film studios, the Academy of Media Industry, and the Academy of Digital Technologies;

• teachers and media educators;

• representatives of cultural and educational institutions.

A unique feature of the Festival is the Children’s and Youth Jury.
School students — young filmmakers themselves — join the evaluation process and, together with established professionals, determine the winners.

This makes the evaluation process truly special: the voice of youth is heard alongside the voice of the film industry experts.