International Children’s Film Festival India (ICFFI) also popularly known as The Golden Elephant is a biennial festival that strives to bring the most delightful and imaginative national and international children’s cinema to young audiences in India. Outstanding features, shorts, live action and animation films are screened over seven days of festive celebrations, attended bymore than one hundred thousand children and hundreds of film professionals from across the world.
ICFFI is organized by Children’s Film Society India (CFSI) – a national government body committed to nurturing a dynamic children’s film culture in the country. Since its inception in 1955, CFSI has been producing, exhibiting and distributing exclusive, entertaining and enriching content for children.
Every two years, the festival begins on 14th November, the birth date of Jawaharlal Nehru – India’s first Prime Minister – also fondly referred to as Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru), because of his love for children. Nehru established CFSI soon after India’s independence with the hope that indigenous and exclusive cinema for children would stimulate their creativity, compassion and critical thinking. It is this vision of Jawaharlal Nehru that guides ICFFI.
In a world that is cluttered with consumerist & often violent content for children, ICFFI is committed to promoting cinema that is humane and non-violent, and yet delightful and fun! Special care is taken to program films that cultivate an understanding of other cultures, lives and experiences and encourage children to reflect on the world around. Workshops and open forums at the festival aim towards stimulating critical appreciation and creative pursuit of cinematic arts amongst young people. The festival also supports the work of children’s filmmakers by rewarding them for their dedication and talent.
ICFFI is one of the largest and most colourful children’s film festivals in the world. A unique feature of the festival is its audience: more than a hundred thousand children travel from little villages and towns from across India to view high quality international children’s cinema that they would never be exposed to otherwise. Here they rub shoulders with other kids, eminent guests and directors from different parts of the world.

ICFFI is dedicated to these little delegates and to those imaginative film-makers who attempt to make films for the toughest audience of all – children!