Свет миру (Light Of The World) (15)

Festival start: 12 September 2025      Festival end: 16 September 2025

The International Youth Film Festival "Light to the World", jointly organized by the Rybinsk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Presidential Grants Fund, began its history in 2011.

Today, by geography and 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).

Professionals and film lovers are invited to participate by category:

International Festival of Children's and Youth Cinema "Light to the World. Children": children's groups and individual authors. Full information about the festival on the page https://kinofest-svetmiru.ru/en/home-page/

A film can be included in the category only if at least one of the following conditions is met:

The age of the main director is not older than 17 years (at the time of the creation of the film);

The age of the main operator is not older than 17 years (at the time of the film's creation);

The age of most actors (or presenters of TV programs and documentaries) is not older than 17 years (at the time of the creation of the film);

The age of the creators of all animated images (drawings, three-dimensional figures and objects, computer images, etc.) is not older than 17 years (at the time of the creation of the film).

Category "Light to the world": youth groups and individual authors.

A film can be included in the category only if at least one of the following conditions is met:

The age of the main director is from 18 to 35 years (at the time of the film's creation);

The age of the main operator is from 18 to 35 years (at the time of the film's creation);

The age of most actors (or presenters of TV programs and documentaries) is from 18 to 35 years (at the time of making the film).;

The age of the creators of all animated images (drawings, three-dimensional figures and objects, computer images, etc.) is from 18 to 35 years (at the time of making the film).

Nomination "Light to the world. Films for children": collectives and individual authors, without age restrictions, making films for children, the main characters in which are children who are not included in the category "Light to the World. Children" and "Light to the World".

The final of the festival: September 12-16, 2024. Participants will visit Yaroslavl, Rybinsk, Uglich, Tutaev (subject to change).

Screenings of competitive films will also be held in other cities of the Yaroslavl region.

The program of the final includes viewing of finalist films, discussion of works, excursions. Concerts and creative meetings with famous cultural figures will be held within the framework of the festival.

Films and programs created no earlier than January 2022 are accepted for participation in the competition program of the festival. The working language of the festival is Russian.

Programs (films) created in a foreign language must have subtitles in Russian or simultaneous translation. As an exception, the organizing committee may accept a film with subtitles in english for participation in the competition.

Films from one author are accepted in the nomination only one at a time – one clip, one short film, etc. (except in cases when different directors within the same studio present their works in the same nomination), several works can be accepted from one studio if they have different directors.

The International Youth Film Festival "Light to the World" takes place in two stages: the selection of the best video works (in absentia) and the final. A selection committee is created to transfer the works to the final part of the competition. The selection committee conducts a preliminary selection, as a result of which films of a high technical and artistic level that meet the goals and objectives of the festival are passed to the final. The films that have reached the final are evaluated by the jury of the film festival.

The nomination is opened if there is a sufficient number of submitted applications.

If the film corresponds to the mission of the festival, but the author does not fit the age category "youth", and the film is not for children, then the film is shown out of competition.

Competition of films
"Light to the world" (films and programs about Orthodoxy);

Feature film (short and full-length)
A film in which children play (the authors are the heads of children's studios)
Non - fiction film
Animated film
Social Video
Music film (clip)
Experimental film
TV program (report)

The deadline for submission of competitive works is not limited, but during the selection preference is given to films and programs lasting up to 30 minutes. In case of selection of a film with a duration of more than 30 minutes in the competition program, during the festival the film may not be included in the viewing program if the authors do not provide a short version (does not apply to a full-length film).

Participation in the festival-competition is free of charge. The travel of the participants of the final to the venue of the festival and back is carried out at the expense of the participants of the festival. Accommodation, meals and cultural and excursion program are paid by the organizers of the festival (if there is sufficient funding).

The organizing Committee invites one participant from the studio to the final of the festival (except in cases when different directors within the same studio present their works in the same nomination)
, the distribution of invitations begins with the participants who scored the maximum score, in case of their refusal - after a five-day period - the place goes to the next (in accordance with the evaluation system) finalist.

In case of refusal of the finalist from full-time participation in the festival, he receives an electronic diploma. The prize and the original diploma will not be sent.