UngRIFF, a film festival for children and youth, opened today for the second time at Smárabíó. The President of Iceland, Halla Tomasdottir, held the festival and presented awards for important contributions to children's culture, in the presence of hundreds of young people who provided tremendous support. The awards went to Syria Studio for their outstanding pioneering work in the field of dubbing and their extensive expertise in that field over many years. They were welcomed by Sveinn Kjartansson, Managing Director of Studio Sýrlands.
UngRIFF is held in conjunction with the Reykjavík International Film Festival, RIFF, which begins at Háskólabíó tomorrow, Thursday, September 26. A number of children's and youth films are being screened at UngRIFF this year, with the opening films coming from Finland, Hnerri and Skvetti and the search for the lost holes which is intended for children in grades 1 to 6, but for older elementary school students was the Norwegian film Lars is LOL for exhibition. Sneeze and Splash was shown under the play's reading by Þórunn Erna Clausen, but Lars is LOL was subtitled. The films are also shown in Skjaldborgarbíó in Patreksfjörður and in Herðubíó in Seyðisfjörður.
“UngRIFF is a knowledge center for young film enthusiasts in Iceland and its goal is to be a leader in education through films and filmmaking,” says Hrönn Marinósdóttir, director of RIFF. Presenters at the festival in Smárabíói came from RIFF Youth Council which consists of Ísadóra Ísfeld Finnsdóttir, Ótla Líf Drífu-Louisdóttir Kotze, Matthías Páll Atlason, Sóra Mist Sigurðardóttir and Þorkatl Þorr Thorlacius Þrastarson. Elementary school students from all over the capital area were invited to Smárabíó for the opening of UngRIFF – and children who live closest to Smáralindinn came to the venue on foot.
UngRIFF runs until October 6th and is a reason to encourage elementary school students in the capital area and their parents to learn about particularly interesting The festival program is here at riff.is and ungriff.is.