About Youth Film Festival Antwerp
At the Youth Film Festival Antwerp, stories are never far away. You will find them in wonderful films, experience them through crazy games or create them during cool workshops.
► A film festival for everyone between 1.5 and 18 years old.
► For and by children and young people.
On this page
The new and improved festival
Youth Festival Antwerp is the result of a total makeover of the JEF festival.
Youth Film Festival Antwerp is a magical place where stories are never far away. You watch them in beautiful films. You experience them through crazy games. You create them yourself during cool workshops. Which stories do you take home with you?
With this in mind, creative agency Lucy created a completely new visual identity and the campaign image for the 36th edition. The walking mascot returns every year. It takes home surprising experiences, ideas and impressions, just like the children and young people will.
Our programme presents children and young people aged 1.5 to 18 with the very best selection of stories. Those diverse stories can be found in our wide range of quality youth films, but also in our active workshops and the games and installations in the XL-Medialab. All carefully selected to stimulate creativity and open minds, and make the world comprehensible.
Festival locations
The beating heart of the festival is in Antwerp. With the support of the city of Antwerp, the festival expands every year. From the famous XL-Medialab in the Zuiderpershuis and the workshops ism. partner organisations, to the many cinema locations: the city becomes the ideal setting for a family outing during the crocus holidays.
In addition, families can also experience the festival outside Antwerp. Thus, they will enjoy the Youth Film Festival On tour with an extensive film programme in Bruges, Ghent, Kortrijk, Leuven, Hamme and Roeselare. Thanks to the City of Ghent, the City of Bruges and the many local partners.
What's in store at the festival?
► Films for everyone between 1.5 and 18:
From a cosy toddler cinema to groundbreaking films programmed by young people.
► Active experience of films
with crafts, dancing, events and interesting guests.
► Premières of films and games
to experience together.
► Plenty of amazement
in workshops and virtual reality.
Relevant and fun
Youth Film Festival Antwerp wants to be a bottom-up festival. We therefore involve our target audience and our festival partners in participation processes: together we work on a large and innovative festival that is socially relevant and above all enjoyable. Thanks to everyone who helps build our festival: our sponsors, festival partners, festival locations and the many indispensable children and young people who are part of the festival team.
Thanks to the JEF expertise
Youth Film Festival Antwerp is a project of JEF.
In addition to the festival:
► JEF brings quality children's and youth films to Flemish theatres and streaming platforms as a distributor.
► JEF develops lesson packs, educational material, workshops and training under the banner JEF with the class.
► JEF stimulates film and game literacy among children and young people with projects such as De FilmClub, Film in hospital, GAME ON, Ket & Doc and Focus French Film.
A diverse offer around youth film and games broadens the view of children and young people. JEF selects a quality offering based on its own methodology.
Read more about it here (in Dutch):
Film and game literacy: the JEF model
Blog: what kind of games does JEF choose?
A celebration for everyone
JEF makes it easy to find or offer quality youth films and games. To broaden the horizons of children and young people. To encourage experimentation and creation.