New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS): Ahead of the fourth edition of Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY), the Smile Foundation NGO has collaborated with the European Childrens Film Association (ECFA) and the Student Academy Awards to add a new dimension to the festival.

In collaboration with ECFA, SIFFCY has introduced ECFA Award category at its 2018 edition. The Award was launched in 2011 and was first presented during the International Film festival Berlin - Berlinale.

Also, with SIFFCY being a member of ECFA now, it has got the voting rights to nominate a film for 'Best European Children's Film of the Year'.

Lawrence David Foldes, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the United States and a member of the Executive Committee of the Student Academy Award will be present at the film festival to represent the Student Academy Awards here.

Foldes will also mentor SIFFCY's children in various workshops and the selected students will get an opportunity to be present for the upcoming Oscars.

Excited about EFCA's association with SIFFCY, Felix Vanginderhuysen, General Secretary, ECFA said in a statement: "It's the first time but very important because SIFFCY is the only festival outside Europe that participates in this award; therefore we hope that it will be the start of a long tradition."

The festival will also present films which will talk about social issues like gender equality and education. And more than 150 award-winning films from all over the world will be screened in six different categories -- International Competition, Yellow Carpet, 70MM Smile, Next Gen, Take One and Country Focus.

SIFFCY will take place at the Siri Fort Auditorium from December 10-16 here.