YOUTHRIFF
25. September - 6. October 2024
YOUTHRIFF
25. September - 6. October 2024
Since its inception, one of RIFF's main objectives has been to provide young people with opportunities to express their identities through filmmaking. In recent years, the children's festival YouthRIFF has grown and flourished, becoming a prestigious festival for the youth of the country. By offering a diverse and ambitious program of films for children and teenagers, organizing workshops, and numerous educational projects, we hope to ignite an interest that will follow these young people into adulthood. We aspire to see many future filmmakers emerge from this group.
UngRIFF offers children and young people a diverse film program from all over the world, with films that are not usually shown in Icelandic cinemas. Films that deal with social, environmental and youth issues often provoke discussions after screenings. Our goal is to encourage young people to be solution-oriented when facing challenges and increase democratic participation.
UngRIFF has worked in collaboration with preschools and elementary schools across the country since its inception. The selection of films consists of short films and full-length films, which are specially selected for age groups. All screenings are accompanied by teaching materials to make it easier for teachers to educate students.
UngRIFF wants filmmaking to be both a fun and educational experience. Our goal is also to increase children's film literacy. The projects are diverse and generally emphasize teamwork, dialogue, and critical thinking.
By focusing on filmmaking for young audiences, RIFF has created a platform where children and youth can experience the power of film and find their own voice in the world of filmmaking.
Since its inception, one of RIFF's main objectives has been to provide young people with opportunities to express their identities through filmmaking. In recent years, the children's festival YouthRIFF has grown and flourished, becoming a prestigious festival for the youth of the country. By offering a diverse and ambitious program of films for children and teenagers, organizing workshops, and numerous educational projects, we hope to ignite an interest that will follow these young people into adulthood. We aspire to see many future filmmakers emerge from this group.
UngRIFF offers children and young people a diverse film program from all over the world, with films that are not usually shown in Icelandic cinemas. Films that deal with social, environmental and youth issues often provoke discussions after screenings. Our goal is to encourage young people to be solution-oriented when facing challenges and increase democratic participation.
UngRIFF has worked in collaboration with preschools and elementary schools across the country since its inception. The selection of films consists of short films and full-length films, which are specially selected for age groups. All screenings are accompanied by teaching materials to make it easier for teachers to educate students.
UngRIFF wants filmmaking to be both a fun and educational experience. Our goal is also to increase children's film literacy. The projects are diverse and generally emphasize teamwork, dialogue, and critical thinking.
By focusing on filmmaking for young audiences, RIFF has created a platform where children and youth can experience the power of film and find their own voice in the world of filmmaking.
YOUTH COUNCIL
The key theme of UngRIFF is co-production and co-creation. Children and young people lead the creation and production of projects and events under guidance. With this idea as a guiding principle, the RIFF Youth Council was established. The aim of the Youth Council is to increase the democratic participation of young people and give them the opportunity to influence the shaping and implementation of the festival. The council consists of five young people aged 12-16 from all over the country who meet once a month, or more often if necessary, to plan and prepare the festival together with the festival project manager.
YOUTH COUNCIL
The key theme of UngRIFF is co-production and co-creation. Children and young people lead the creation and production of projects and events under guidance. With this idea as a guiding principle, the RIFF Youth Council was established. The aim of the Youth Council is to increase the democratic participation of young people and give them the opportunity to influence the shaping and implementation of the festival. The council consists of five young people aged 12-16 from all over the country who meet once a month, or more often if necessary, to plan and prepare the festival together with the festival project manager.
UNGRIFF 2024
UNGRIFF 2024
UngRIFF 2023 was held for the first time from September 27 to October 8. The festival featured a variety of events for children and young people.
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, President of Iceland, inaugurated the festival with a ceremony in Smárabíó, where over 1,000 children attended special school screenings of the Australian animated film "Scarygirl" and the Danish film "The Fall".
UngRIFF organized school exhibitions around the country, including for elementary school children in Patreksfjörður, Bíldudalur and Seyðisfjörður, where exhibitions took place in Skjaldborg and Herðubíó.
President Guðni awarded Ern Árnason the first UngRIFF Honorary Award for his contribution to children's content in film and television. Örn has worked in children's content for about 40 years, and is especially memorable to many adults when he woke up with the children on Saturday mornings as Grandpa.
UngRIFF featured 8 full-length films as well as 40 short films that children could see in the Nordic House and Slippbíó. Primary and kindergarten schools were invited to attend short film screenings in the Nordic House and at the Akureyri County Library during the festival.
Swedish director Malin Ingdrid Johannson screened her film "Madden" at the Óðal Community Center in Borgarnes, where young people in grades 8 to 10 were invited to participate in a special workshop after the screening.
An improvisation workshop was held in collaboration with the City Theatre's Drama School, where kids taught other kids how to improvise. Two workshops were held and they were well attended.
A family cave cinema was held, where families gathered in Raufarhólshelli to watch the film "Race in the bowels of the earth." The screening was a great success for both children and adults.
QUOTES
It's great to get this cool material, to be able to choose from what suits—or what the teacher thinks fits in at any given time. The project increases the possibilities for teachers to talk about movies as an art form in schools and increases the photo and film literacy of students.
Gudny Runarsdottir
Drangsnes Elementary School
It is very nice to receive such fun material on a silver platter into the kindergarten. We had a lot of fun and so did the kids.
Hjordis Olafsdottir
Kids' nature school
Great program and good organization, good to have reviews of each film and that it was possible to choose films suitable for each age group. It was also fun for students of foreign origin to be able to show films that were in their language and a great experience for other students, especially to hear the languages spoken and to have the foreign students translate along the way. Great initiative.
Regina J. Gudlaugsdottir
Klébergsskóli
Very nice films, great spice to life and it resulted in good discussions.
Valdis Vera Einarsdottir
Old School
UngRIFF 2023 was held for the first time from September 27 to October 8. The festival featured a variety of events for children and young people.
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, President of Iceland, inaugurated the festival with a ceremony in Smárabíó, where over 1,000 children attended special school screenings of the Australian animated film "Scarygirl" and the Danish film "The Fall".
UngRIFF organized school exhibitions around the country, including for elementary school children in Patreksfjörður, Bíldudalur and Seyðisfjörður, where exhibitions took place in Skjaldborg and Herðubíó.
President Guðni awarded Ern Árnason the first UngRIFF Honorary Award for his contribution to children's content in film and television. Örn has worked in children's content for about 40 years, and is especially memorable to many adults when he woke up with the children on Saturday mornings as Grandpa.
UngRIFF featured 8 full-length films as well as 40 short films that children could see in the Nordic House and Slippbíó. Primary and kindergarten schools were invited to attend short film screenings in the Nordic House and at the Akureyri County Library during the festival.
Swedish director Malin Ingdrid Johannson screened her film "Madden" at the Óðal Community Center in Borgarnes, where young people in grades 8 to 10 were invited to participate in a special workshop after the screening.
An improvisation workshop was held in collaboration with the City Theatre's Drama School, where kids taught other kids how to improvise. Two workshops were held and they were well attended.
A family cave cinema was held, where families gathered in Raufarhólshelli to watch the film "Race in the bowels of the earth." The screening was a great success for both children and adults.
QUOTES
It's great to get this cool material, to be able to choose from what suits—or what the teacher thinks fits in at any given time. The project increases the possibilities for teachers to talk about movies as an art form in schools and increases the photo and film literacy of students.
Gudny Runarsdottir
Drangsnes Elementary School
It is very nice to receive such fun material on a silver platter into the kindergarten. We had a lot of fun and so did the kids.
Hjordis Olafsdottir
Kids' nature school
Great program and good organization, good to have reviews of each film and that it was possible to choose films suitable for each age group. It was also fun for students of foreign origin to be able to show films that were in their language and a great experience for other students, especially to hear the languages spoken and to have the foreign students translate along the way. Great initiative.
Regina J. Gudlaugsdottir
Klébergsskóli
Very nice films, great spice to life and it resulted in good discussions.
Valdis Vera Einarsdottir
Old School
Partners UngRIFF 2024
![EU flag-Crea EU + MEDIA [B&W] IS](https://riff.is/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/EU-flag-Crea-EU-MEDIA-BW-IS-1-qrkycibg4rpm8e92wj4depztjwhs6ux6esbowf15a8.png "EU flag-Crea EU + MEDIA [B&W] IS")
This year we are proud to launch the Young Voices Nordic Think Tank. We will invite young individuals from the Nordic countries, as well as the Faroe Islands and Greenland, ages 18-25, to participate in a dynamic one-day seminar moderated by industry experts. This seminar is designed to reimagine and reshape our film industry.
Our goal is to create a safe and significant space where the voices of young people—the future leaders of the film industry—are heard, respected, and acted upon. Participants will engage in meaningful discussions and share their creative insights, aiming to transform the cinematic landscape to better meet their needs and aspirations. This platform will nurture fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, essential for the evolution of the industry.
This initiative, made possible through the Nordic Culture Point Volt Programme, reflects RIFF’s sustainability policy. We aim to empower youth by amplifying their voices and encouraging their active participation in the democratic process. Our vision is to inspire and influence the cinematic landscape through the creativity and input of young people. We believe that by giving them a say in the film industry, we will foster a more sustainable and relatable future for cinema, one that resonates with and is shaped by the next generation.
For further information, please contact UngRIFF project management at skolar (with) riff.is
This year we are proud to launch the Young Voices Nordic Think Tank. We will invite young individuals from the Nordic countries, as well as the Faroe Islands and Greenland, ages 18-25, to participate in a dynamic one-day seminar moderated by industry experts. This seminar is designed to reimagine and reshape our film industry.
Our goal is to create a safe and significant space where the voices of young people—the future leaders of the film industry—are heard, respected, and acted upon. Participants will engage in meaningful discussions and share their creative insights, aiming to transform the cinematic landscape to better meet their needs and aspirations. This platform will nurture fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, essential for the evolution of the industry.
This initiative, made possible through the Nordic Culture Point Volt Programme, reflects RIFF’s sustainability policy. We aim to empower youth by amplifying their voices and encouraging their active participation in the democratic process. Our vision is to inspire and influence the cinematic landscape through the creativity and input of young people. We believe that by giving them a say in the film industry, we will foster a more sustainable and relatable future for cinema, one that resonates with and is shaped by the next generation.
For further information, please contact UngRIFF project management at skolar (with) riff.is
