The Universal Kids Film Festival in Istanbul Turkey (UKFF), is an annual event that is slowly but surely making an indelible mark among Turkish kids not because of its size or great fanfares, but for its tenacity in advocating peace. Accordingly, films which are appropriate for children and youth are chosen and all corollary activities are planned within this advocacy
One very unique feature of the festival is the ‘Peace Carpet’ which is spread out every year to drum up awareness and involvement of everyone in the advocacy for Peace. The Peace Carpet is composed of two long strips of cloth, one white and the other black. These are usually spread out at the entrance of the festival’s main venue. Visitors are encouraged to sign on the white cloth to affirm their support for Peace and walk on the black cloth to protest against war.
Contrary to the usual red carpet that welcomes luminaries and dignitaries to film festivals, the UKFF welcomes its visitors with its black and white carpets that engages everyone in an interactive performance for Peace. The founder of the festival, Rowena Martinez Ulayan, a Filipino artist based in Turkey who strongly advocates Peace says: We create to inspire, we inspire to create Peace for an inspired society will never create war. With this guiding principle, the festival brings a torchlight of hope to an otherwise war-torn region.

Children and Youth Film Awards for:
Best Full-Length Feature Film
Best Full-Length Documentary Film
Best Short Film
Best Short Documentary Film
Best Student Film

The Universal Kids Film Festival invites all filmmakers, Producers and Distribution Companies to submit their films for our festival within the Rules and Regulations.
Films may be submitted in the following categories:
a. Feature-length films (animation and Live Action)
b. Feature Length Documentary
c. Short animation and live-action
d. Short Documentary Film
e. Student Film
Films with dialogues, which are not in English should be subtitled in English.
DCP format

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • We were so excited when our client MOUNTAIN BOY got selected here, a children's focused festival who knows how to put together a programme for their audience. We salute the work you're doing!

    November 2024
  • Daud Nugraha

    It's an awesome festival! The hospitality is top-notch. Not only we could meet fellow filmmakers from all over the world, but we were greeted with the warm and delightful Turkish hospitality. Hopefully the festival will keep on going and improving every year, so that even more children will also be able to watch the wonderful international children films!

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Daud,
    It has been a pleasure to have you in our midst. Your film was really unique and thank you for coming over and sharing with us the precious Indonesian art of puppetry through your film. We hope that next time we will be able to give a workshop or master class for our children and youth.

  • Participating in UKFF was an extraordinary experience! I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with filmmakers from across the globe. A heartfelt thank you to the UKFF team and Rowena Martines for their gracious hospitality and the inviting ambiance they cultivated for this enchanting children's film festival.

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Erfan,
    Everyone appreciated your great personality and positive energy. Your film was beautiful and really well appreciated. Congratulations. We hope to have you again in our next editions and I hope to see you in the other international film festivals run by our friends all over the world.

  • The festival, it`s atmosphere and hospitality were awersome! Thanks to Rowena and her team. Greetings for all the filmmakers from different countries and cultures, that we met there! It was an incredible expirience.

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Elina. We are very happy to host you and your mother. We are grateful for the chance to show your film to our young audience like yourself. I wish you good luck especially with your filmmaking projects.

  • YUKO NOBE

    It was such a joy to take part in this film festival! I'll always treasure the chance to get to know Turkey and its wonderful people and children. It made me so happy that people enjoyed the film I directed. Thank you also for the award. This film festival is such a wonderful, peaceful event. I really hope it continues forever!
    Kousuke Sakoda

    September 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Kousuke san,
    Thank you for sharing with us your film and your time. Your film was very inspiring and we hope that it will be shown all over the world especially to young people and the young at heart. We will always look forward to having you again with us. Doumou Arigatou Gozaimashita.