Свет миру (Light Of The World) (16)

Festival start: 12 September 2026      Festival end: 16 September 2026

The International Youth Film Festival “Light to the World”, founded by the Rybinsk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, began its history in 2011. Since 2025, it has been held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

Today, in terms of its geography and the number of participants, “Light to the World” is one of the largest youth film festivals in Russia.

The winners of the festival receive original prizes.

Films are rated on a 5-point system (from 0 to 5). Films that have received an average score of 3.5 to 5 points become laureates of the festival and are awarded diplomas of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd degrees. The rest of the finalists receive incentive diplomas.

Special prizes of the festival: jury members and sponsors can award films they like for acting, directing or cinematography, for an idea, etc.

The best films are determined and awarded according to the version of the children's and youth jury.

Criteria for evaluating films: compliance of the work with the goals of the festival; originality of the script;
the relevance of the topic touched upon in the work; the originality of the idea (director's decision);
the artistic level of the solution; camerawork; acting skills; sound solution; the level of technical implementation of the idea (the quality of film editing).

REGULATIONS

of the XVI International Youth Film Festival “Light to the World”
dedicated to Admiral F.F. Ushakov
(September 12–16, 2026, Yaroslavl Region)

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12)

1. Purpose

To promote the spiritual, moral, patriotic, and artistic-aesthetic education of modern youth.

2. Objectives

To create an environment of healthy creative communication between young filmmakers and adults who produce films for children.

To provide methodological and practical assistance to specialists working in the field of children’s and youth cinema, video creativity, as well as education and upbringing of children and young people.

To identify and support young filmmakers and adults making films for children, promoting traditional spiritual and moral values, patriotism, and a healthy lifestyle.

3. Organizers of the Competition

The co-organizer of the Festival is the Rybinsk Diocese of the Yaroslavl Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Festival is held with the support of the Administration of the Yaroslavl Region and its subdivisions, governmental, commercial, and public organizations, as well as the mass media.
Supported by: the Orthodox Information Agency “Russian Chronicle” (Yaroslavl); the Young Talents Center (Rybinsk); the Gallery of Contemporary Orthodox Art and Painting “Under the Gracious Protection” (Uglich).

4. Festival Organizing Committee

Bishop of Rybinsk and Romanovo-Borisoglebsk Veniamin (Likhomanov Nikolai Ivanovich), Chair.

Archpriest Evgeny Glazunov, Deputy Chair of the Organizing Committee, Festival Director.

Alla Nikolaevna Kotova, director, teacher, Festival Program Director.

Elena Fedorovna Dvoretskaya, director, jury member, member of the Organizing Committee.

Irina Nikolaevna Dyadchenko, teacher-religious scholar, producer of documentary and feature films, author of the educational project “Bereza”, jury member, member of the Organizing Committee.

Anastasia Nikolaevna Belyaeva, teacher, Festival Curator in Uglich.

5. Competition Participants

5.1 “Youth” Category
Young filmmakers, youth groups, and individual authors.
A film may qualify if at least one of the following conditions is met:

Age of the main director — 18 to 35 years (at the time of film creation).

Age of the main cinematographer — 18 to 35 years.

Age of the majority of actors (or hosts for TV programs and documentaries) — 18 to 35 years.

Age of the majority of creators of an animated film (production designer, animator) — 18 to 35 years.

5.2 “Adults” Category
5.2.1. Groups and individual authors, without age restrictions, making films for children where the main characters are children.
5.2.2. Groups and individual authors, without age restrictions, presenting an Orthodox film (“Light to the World” nomination).
5.2.3. Groups and individual authors, without age restrictions, presenting a patriotic film (“Patriotic Film” nomination).

6. Dates and Venue

6.1 Applications accepted: October 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026 via the official website: http://kinofest-svetmiru.ru/

6.2 Selection stage: May 1 – June 30, 2026.
6.3 Finalists list published no later than June 30, 2026 on the official website and the Festival’s VKontakte page.
6.4 Festival Finals: September 12–16, 2026. Locations: Yaroslavl, Rybinsk, Uglich, Tutayev (subject to change). Screenings may also take place in other cities of the Yaroslavl Region.
Program includes finalist screenings, discussions, excursions, concerts, and creative meetings with cultural figures.

7. Competition Rules

Applications and films must be received by March 31, 2026. Later submissions roll over to the XVII Festival.

Eligible films: created no earlier than January 2024. Working language: Russian. Foreign-language films must have Russian subtitles or voice-over; in exceptional cases, English subtitles may be accepted.

Formats: AVCHD, MOV, or MPEG-4. HD quality encouraged. Links must remain valid until the end of the Festival.

One film per author per nomination (exceptions apply for studios with different directors).

Works promoting totalitarian, occult, satanic, or destructive sects, psychics, sorcerers, healers, etc. are not accepted.

The Festival has two stages: remote selection and finals. A Selection Committee reviews films for quality and compliance; Jury evaluates finalists.

Films scored on a 0–5 scale. Laureates receive 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree diplomas; other finalists receive commendation diplomas. Special awards may be given by jurors or sponsors. Separate prizes are awarded by children’s and youth juries.

8. Nominations and Running Time

Light to the World (Orthodox films/programs)

Patriotic Film

Feature Film (full-length)

Feature Film (short)

Children’s Films (with child protagonists; submitted by children’s studios)

Documentary Film

Animated Film

Social Video

Music Video (clip)

TV Program (reportage)

No strict time limits, but preference to works up to 30 minutes (except feature films).

9. Financial Terms

Participation is free. Travel to/from Festival is at participants’ expense. Accommodation, meals, and cultural program covered by organizers (if funding allows).

One participant per studio is invited free of charge; in special cases, two may be invited.

If a finalist declines to attend in person, they receive an electronic diploma only.

Additional team members may attend at their own expense (details provided by the Organizing Committee via VKontakte).

10. Contacts

Festival “Light to the World”:
Website: http://kinofest-svetmiru.ru/

Email: kinofest-svetmiru@yandex.ru

VK group: https://vk.com/club187644198

Postal address: 152901, Yaroslavl Region, Rybinsk, Krestovaya St., 3/5
Tel.: +7 903 821 37 16 (Archpriest Evgeny Glazunov)

Approved: September 28, 2025

International Children and Youth Film Festival “Light to the World. Children”
VK group: http://vk.com/svetmiru2013

Tel.: +7 905 636 93 12 (Oleg Svobodin)