Every year during September in Frankfurt am Main the International Children’s Film Festival LUCAS presents current quality films for children between the ages of four and 12. In the contest of this Germany-wide traditional children’s film festival top-class long and short films compete for the two renowned LUCAS Festival Awards. World, European and German premieres are screened with film professionals as guests.
The neutrally selected productions – frequently also beyond the commercial mainstream – incorporate the perspectives of children, highlight demanding topics and transport children into captivating worlds.
The topical long and short films compete for a total of four prizes. The LUCAS Jury awards the prizes for the best long film (euro 7500) and the best short film (euro 3000). In the course of the Festival the international jury of the Film Club Corporation and the Centre International du Film pour la Jeunesse (CIFEJ) awards two further prizes.
The 10-member LUCAS Jury is unique. Since 1985 five adults and five children vote on an equal footing on the award of the main prizes. This ensures that selection takes place not only from the viewpoint of adults, but also of children – a circumstance that is specially respected by the film world.
Each year a special series on a featured theme complements the competition. This year the focus is on the animation film. The interactive, educational programme in the LUCAS AKTIV area, such as workshops, games and daily film discussions with film professionals as guests takes place daily from 10 to 18 hrs. The AKTIV area is located on the groundfloor of Deutsche Filmmuseum. Children can shoot their own film with the TrickBOXX of KI.KA – familiar from television –or make their own flipbook at no cost and without advance booking.
In the accompanying Symposium film-makers and professional visitors look at the animation film on the basis of diverse workshop reports. Expected as guests are Krzysztof Brzozovski (“Peter und der Wolf”), Stephan Schomerus (“Sperrholzpiraten) and Sinem Sakaoglu (“Der Sandmann und der verlorene Traumstrand”). Documentary film maker Leslie Iwerks presents "The Pixar Story" in an exclusive screening and holds a film discussion afterwards. Both events will be held in the English language and a festival accreditation is necessary for participation.
The Filmmarkt, with all competition entries and productions specially invited for the Market Place, gives accredited professional visitors a unique overview of the worldwide production of films for children and youngsters.
All films at LUCAS are screened in their original version and dubbed live in German in the cinema. Showings are in the cinema of Deutsche Filmmuseum and in CineStar Metropolis. The opening and the award of prizes take place in Deutsche Filmmuseum.
Since 2008 LUCAS has held the multi-part accredited further education series FILMSEHEN – FILMVERSTEHEN (seeing and understanding films) with credit points for preparing teaching staff on the film and festival programme.
LUCAS enjoys an outstanding national and international reputation among film-makers, media and professional circles and regionally with schools, families and film aficionados. Both inside and outside the cinema the Festival’s programme adheres to the programmatic keynote of the German Film Institute: Communicating film culture and media competence to children and youngsters. Inaugurated in 1974, the Festival is a flagship of the film state of Hessen and its international films and guests enrich the cultural programme of the City of Frankfurt.
Organizers are the German Film Institute – DIF/Deutsche Filmmuseum, Frankfurt am Main. Co-organizer is the “Hessen State Organization for Private Radio and New Media (LPR, Hessen)”, Kassel.
Deutsches Filminstitut – DIF e.V.
LUCAS Internationales Kinderfilmfestival
Schaumainkai 41
60596 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: +49-69-96 12 20 670
Fax: +49-69-96 12 20 669
info@lucasfilmfestival.de