KIDS FIRST! Film Festival
"It's Like Cannes, But For Kids!"
New this year is a relationship with the Cherokee Rose Montessori Foundation, which is coordinating festival with Montessori schools throughout the US. For details on how to co-host a KIDS FIRST! Film Festival at your Montessori School, go here:
We welcome you to collaborate with the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival to showcase a collection of films curated by our KIDS FIRST! juror team of adults and youth. Since 2000, the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival has partnered with established film festivals, publishers, youth advocacy organizations, film societies and others screening films made for and by children from independent and student filmmakers worldwide as well as a select group of studio films.
A. Criteria: All films in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival curated collection meet the KIDS FIRST! criteria including:
- NO gratuitous violence or abuse;
- NO inappropriate sexual behavior;
- NO bias in terms of race, gender, culture or religion;
- NO condescension toward children;
- NO replicable unsafe behavior.
Additionally, the films selected must have an uplifting message and be appropriate for a youth and family audience, between the ages of 2 and 18. KIDS FIRST! identifies the appropriate age category for each film, based on 4 groups: ages 2 to 5, 5 to 8, 8 to 12 and 12 to 18. If a film is suitable for more than one age category, we'll combine them. All selected films have been screened and evaluated by the KIDS FIRST! adult and youth jurors, who also determine the age recommendation.
B. Programming. All of the films available to you may be screened on the KIDS FIRST! password protected film programmer’s website.
All the films are either in English or have English subtitles. Each selection will include the recommended audience age, the film’s synopsis, and a summary of our jurors’ comments. We also have grouped the films in categories such as: Feature, Art, Films for and about the Black Community, Bullying, Documentary, Student Films, Music Videos, Environment, Animation, Foreign Films, and more.
For a sample of the programming available, contact us.
C. Selection:
Many programmers enjoy the process of selecting films for their festival or special event. However, if you want help in programming your event, we offer our curatorial services on a fee basis. We are very familiar with all of the films currently available and can help you determine the best ones to fit your needs.
Things to know:
- All the films in our collection may be screened at live screenings. Some are limited to live screenings only.
- Those that may be played at virtual or events will be designated as such in their description.
- Please be sure you do not screen films at virtual events that we do not have the rights for.
- Your screenings or festival should be co-branded with your event's name together with the words: KIDS FIRST! Film Festival.
- You may select to host a live event, an online event, or a hybrid event. Many of our affiliates that host live festivals have found that by adding virtual screenings afterwards doubles their audience numbers.
D. Ordering Process:
Once you make your selection of films from our KIDS FIRST! programmers’ site, notify us of your selections and the times & dates of your screenings. We will compile them in a folder on the programmers’ site so you can play them directly from there for your festival.
- Send your notification to [email protected]
- To insure the best service we ask that you provide you list at least 6 weeks before your first event.
- For assistance in programming, please contact us at [email protected]
- Once your programming selection is complete, KIDS FIRST! will provide you with contact information for the filmmaker of each film, so you can contact them about additional assets, attending your festival, participating in interviews and similar.
E. Responsibilities for Your Organization
- Notify KIDS FIRST! of your selected films from the KIDS FIRST! curated collection no later than 6 weeks prior to your first event.
- Provide an appropriate venue and technical equipment for quality projection at live screenings. This must be a "big screen" - you are not allowed to screen the films on a classroom type screen.
- Co-brand your event with KIDS FIRST! Film Festival by name or logo on all promotional materials. Note: Whenever you use our name, KIDS FIRST! must always be in all caps, two words, and an exclamation point at the end.
- Publicize your event to your members and community.
- When you promote your event on social media, tag KIDS FIRST! and we will repost. Note: Links to our social media are all on the KIDS FIRST! homepage, www.kidsfirst.org.
- You agree to not duplicate, edit or modify any of the films provided by KIDS FIRST!
- All live screenings must take place at the address listed in this agreement or KIDS FIRST! must be notified in writing of any venue changes. If you wish to add additional venues, you must receive written permission from KIDS FIRST!
- Provide an accounting from all screenings, live or virtual, with the number of attendees, press clippings, links to online publicity and similar.
F. Responsibilities of KIDS FIRST!
- Provide Organization access to the KIDS FIRST! film programmer’s site for film selection.
- Place all films that you select for your event at least one week prior to your first event.
- Provide access information to the filmmaker of every film selected by the Organization so they can secure promotional images in the exact format needed by Organization.
- Publicize festival to the KIDS FIRST! national audience via social media, the KIDS FIRST! website, newsletter, YouTube Chanel and publishing partners.
- Other duties, as designated in above.
G. Fees. Contact us for Fee Schedule
Contact Us
Please contact our office for more information. Call 505-989-8076 or email us at [email protected].
