Festival Data:

• Established: 1987
• Genre: Children (click to see)
• Accreditations: CIFEJ

• Competitive

Festival Website:

Festival Description:

Castellinaria.International film festival for youth is a cinematographic event dedicated to highlighting films that deal with subjects of relevance to young people. It is held every year in Bellinzona, capital city of the Canton Ticino (Switzerland). The festival is subsidized by the cinema section of the Federal Office of Cultural Affairs, by the Ticino Government, the city of Bellinzona, the Ticino Tourism Office and the Bellinzona Tourism Office. Castellinaria also involves the Swiss Italian Television (RTSI), Swiss and North Italian newspapers. The Festival venue,Espocentro, is a comfortable theatre with seating for 700 people where young people not only view, but also evaluate fiction films in competition. Two official juries evaluate two official competitions. The first one, composed of pupils of 14 and 15 years old, watch all the films in 6-15 Competition and the second one composed of pupils coming from local high schools and from different Swiss regions watch all the films in 16-20 Competition. The two juries have had special training. In a third competition, MiniCastellinaria, a very young audience chooses a film from the 6 - 15 Competition and assigns a prize. The two official juries assign three awards (Golden, Silver and Bronze Castles) as well as the ASPI prize (offered by the Swiss Association for the Protection of Childhood) for the first selection, and the Three Castles Award for the second selection. A section, called Piccola Rassegna, was created especially for the very young audience. Castellinaria also presents an international short films competition. Awards are:

6–15 COMPETITION:

CASTELLO (gold, silver, bronze) to the three best films in competition, worth respectively

SFR. 3’000 for gold, 2’000 for silver and 1’000 for bronze, intended to the filmmakers.

2) ASPI (Italian Swiss Foundation for the Support and Protection of Children) for the film that best

embodies children’s right to respect. An autonomous jury, constituted of students coming from French area of Switzerland, awards a mention to a film of the 6–15 Competition.

16–20 COMPETITION:

TRE CASTELLI to the best film in competition, worth SFR. 3’000, intended to filmmaker.

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH: QUALITY OF LIFE to the film that best handles environmental and

quality of life issues, worth SFR. 1’000, intended to filmmaker. UTOPIA to the film that best spreads utopia’s fascination, newness, inner search, dream, courage, togetherness, justice, beauty. The winner is offered a creative week stay at Fondazione Monte Verità in Ascona.

CASTELLINCORTO COMPETITION: The jury awards a prize of SFR 300 to the best short film in competition.

**THERE IS NO FEE TO SUBMIT TO THIS FESTIVAL**

Film Submissions:

• Call for Entry: http:/ / www.castellinaria.ch/ node/ 25