{"id":618,"date":"2026-02-27T14:38:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T09:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmseducation.org\/international-childrens-film-festival\/?page_id=618"},"modified":"2026-03-06T16:00:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T10:30:16","slug":"message-from-the-festival-director","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cmseducation.org\/international-childrens-film-festival\/message-from-the-festival-director\/","title":{"rendered":"Message from the Festival Director"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"618\" class=\"elementor elementor-618\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c599395 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c599395\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f4c0075\" data-id=\"f4c0075\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-ff07b86 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ff07b86\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-86195b0\" data-id=\"86195b0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1924b4c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1924b4c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Message from the Festival Director<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7ded12e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7ded12e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4de0ae0\" data-id=\"4de0ae0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-6b5c133 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6b5c133\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-f6ce303\" data-id=\"f6ce303\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-306440c elementor-position-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"306440c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"527\" height=\"655\" src=\"https:\/\/cmseducation.org\/international-childrens-film-festival\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2026\/02\/Ahmed-Hameed-Shaikh-Festival-Director.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-626\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmseducation.org\/international-childrens-film-festival\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2026\/02\/Ahmed-Hameed-Shaikh-Festival-Director.webp 527w, https:\/\/cmseducation.org\/international-childrens-film-festival\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2026\/02\/Ahmed-Hameed-Shaikh-Festival-Director-241x300.webp 241w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 527px) 100vw, 527px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><h3 class=\"elementor-image-box-title\">Ahmad Hameed Sheikh<\/h3><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\">Festival Director<br>\nCMS Lucknow International Children\u2019s Film Festival\n<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-03ddc7a\" data-id=\"03ddc7a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e5cd1bd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e5cd1bd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Education must contribute to the protection and security of the world. This requires an approach that goes beyond examination results and academic attainment. At City Montessori School, Lucknow, we view education as a balanced process that develops intellectual ability, moral responsibility and global awareness in equal measure.<\/p><p>The CMS Lucknow International Children\u2019s Film Festival reflects this commitment. It is an international, jury-based children\u2019s film festival organised by a school, with a clear educational purpose. Through carefully selected, multicultural cinema, the festival encourages children to think critically, understand different perspectives and engage with the world with empathy and discernment.<\/p><p>The 15<sup>th<\/sup> edition presents a curated selection of feature films, short films, feature animations and short animations from across the world. Each film is evaluated not only for artistic merit, but for its relevance, integrity and educational value. In a media-saturated environment, it is essential that young people learn to watch with awareness and judgement. CMS Lucknow ICFF provides that framework.<\/p><p><strong>Key Features of CMS Lucknow ICFF<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><strong>Holistic learning through cinema<\/strong> \u2013 Films used as a structured educational medium alongside classroom learning.<\/li><li><strong>Theme: World Unity &amp; World Peace<\/strong> \u2013 Promoting harmony, tolerance and responsible global citizenship.<\/li><li><strong>International jury-based competition<\/strong> \u2013 Maintaining credibility and global standards.<\/li><li><strong>Awards worth INR 7 lakh<\/strong> \u2013 Encouraging meaningful children\u2019s filmmaking worldwide.<\/li><li><strong>Scale and participation<\/strong> \u2013 Nearly one lakh students attend annually.<\/li><li><strong>Inclusive access<\/strong> \u2013 Participation from mainstream schools, government schools and special schools.<\/li><li><strong>Industry engagement<\/strong> \u2013 Interaction with film professionals.<\/li><li><strong>Career exposure<\/strong> \u2013 Introducing filmmaking as a responsible creative pathway.<\/li><\/ul><p>We invite schools, educators, filmmakers and students to participate in this collective effort to use cinema with purpose. Together, we can guide young minds towards thoughtful viewing, ethical reflection and constructive action.<\/p><p>Let us work towards a more peaceful and united world.<\/p><p><strong>Jai Jagat<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c4f8af5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c4f8af5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c4297fa\" data-id=\"c4297fa\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Message from the Festival Director Ahmad Hameed Sheikh Festival Director CMS Lucknow International Children\u2019s Film Festival Education must contribute to 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