Tonje Hardersen

Dear participants,

Seeing films is a great way to explore new worlds and to stimulate our fantasy. It is always a great joy to see children in theaters meeting foreign cultures and people, and discover films they never knew existed! One of the best and most important arenas for this is a children's film festival, and the Ale Kino! Festival has always done a great job with bringing quality films to its young audience. At a time where we see that European children's films struggle to get distribution and an audience outside its country of origin, the work of children's film festivals is more important than ever. They provide both a most needed supplement to the theater's ordinary repertoire and also meeting places for the professional industry. I wish you exciting and fun film experiences during the 26th Ale Kino! Film Festival!

Tonje Hardersen
President of the European Children's Film Association (ECFA)