(L-R): Neha Jain, Kaushal Oza, Hridansh Parekh, Shilpashree Muniswamappa at SCIFF 2025, Mumbai.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 29: The ongoing 8th edition of the School Cinema International Film Festival (SCIFF) 2025 organised a special screening in Mumbai as part of the world’s largest film festival for children. Held at Pragnya Bodhini High School, Goregaon, the screening continued the festival’s mission of fostering creativity, empathy and learning through cinema.
The feature film Little Thomas was showcased to an enthusiastic audience of over 900 students, in the presence of Kaushal Oza, Indian Screenwriter, Director and National Film Awardee; Hridansh Parekh, Child Actor and Lead in ‘Little Thomas’; Mathieu Béjot, Attaché for Audiovisual, Cinema & Digital Content, Embassy of France in India; Shilpashree Muniswamappa, Director – ESG & Communications, Colgate – Palmolive (India) Ltd; and several distinguished guests from the education and film community.
Additionally, more than 15,000 students across Mumbai are expected to participate in screenings scheduled until November 30 this year.
Adding to the learning experience, acclaimed actor Rasika Dugal conducted a special masterclass titled “The Magic of Acting”, offering students insight into performance, expression and character-building. Her engaging session encouraged young learners to discover the world of cinema beyond the screen.
Prominent global film festivals — including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France), AniMelaFestival (India), Giffoni Film Festival (Italy), and the ZERO PLUS International Film Festival (Russia) — have extended their support to SCIFF 2025. The initiative is also supported by France and Spain as country partners, Colgate Bright Smiles and Manipal Foundation.
Winner of seven National Film Awards from the President of India, Syed Sultan Ahmed, Festival Director, SCIFF & Founder & Chief Learner, LXL Ideas Pvt. Ltd., said, “SCIFF is more than just a film festival — it is a movement to bring the world’s finest stories directly into classrooms across India. Cinema has the power to ignite curiosity, nurture creativity and build empathy. This year, we are proud to engage students across 41,000 schools, making SCIFF 2025 a truly meaningful and transformative experience for young minds.”
Kaushal Oza, Indian Screenwriter, Director and National Film Awardee, added, “Films have a special way of touching young hearts. They help children see the world differently, understand new emotions and learn important values. I am very happy that my film Little Thomas was selected for a special screening at SCIFF 2025. It was wonderful meeting the students and hearing what the film meant to them.”
Running from November 14–30, 2025, SCIFF 2025 is set to engage students from over 40,000 government schools and 1,000 private schools across India, showcasing 100+ curated films from 25 countries, in 20+ Indian and international languages.
Through its “WATCH, LEARN, MAKE” framework, the festival brings cinema into classrooms as a tool for learning. Students watch age-appropriate films, participate in workshops and take part in a national-level filmmaking competition — nurturing creativity, storytelling and empathy among children up to Grade 10.
For more information on SCIFF 2025, please visit:
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About SCIFF
Launched in 2017, the School Cinema International Film Festival (SCIFF) is a pioneering film festival hosted by schools, in schools. Bringing the world of cinema into classrooms, SCIFF gives young minds the opportunity to watch, learn, and make films – inspiring creativity and a deeper appreciation for storytelling. With prestigious partnerships and global recognition, SCIFF offers students an immersive festival experience within their most comfortable environment.
An initiative of the LXL Foundation — a not-for-profit arm of LXL Ideas — SCIFF is part of a larger mission to create meaningful learning experiences through media, events, and research. LXL Foundation’s flagship programmes, including School Cinema, Mentor Magazine, and SCIFF, empower educators and students to learn beyond textbooks through storytelling and film pedagogy.
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