Successful Children's Film Festival Looks to the Future
by Shelly Schoeneshoefer

The Hamburg Children’s Film Festival is a wonderful way for children to see other cultures and life style around the world. The films often cover family dynamics, political situations or cultural differences seen through the eye of children.

This year was the first year where Israeli Documentary were included and were well received. It brought up lots of topics and questions from the students from certain schools that attended it.  There were ten films presented and the winning film was from Holland called Don. A story about a boy who is a good soccer player but is expelled from his school. His next school is full of immigrants and he is now an outsider. He then uses his skills in soccer to build a winning team and to make friends. The film festival had also two workshops were people could participate in as well.

Next year the Hamburg Children Film festival would like to integrate the schools more into their program. They would like the students to introduce films talk about the films and even introduce the stars that will becoming to represent their films. So for all you teachers or parents with children who love film making and would like to get involve please contact: www.filmfesthamburg.de. Contact personnel Susanne Steube and Sabine Kaulitzki before next summer 2007. Now that’s thinking ahead!