The German children's media festival GOLDEN SPARROW is the only festival of this kind in the Federal Republic, and since its foundation in 1979 it has developed into an event attracting considerable attention.

Taking place every year in Gera & Erfurt/Thuringia, it is aimed at both the public and specialists, who consider it a traditional, important meeting place within the field of children's film and television. The special feature of our festival is a jury of 20 children, the members of which come from all parts of the Federal Republic, Austria, Switzerland an South Tyrol. After a week of the festival - meaning a week of critical discussion concerning the films - these children choose their favourites in 6 categories, awarding the festival's main prizes.

Taken as a whole, the festival offers a comprehensive view of outstanding quality Germanlanguage or coproduced films and television programmes for children and young people made during the previous two years. Generally, the children are given an opportunity to come into direct contact with filmmakers and actors and are thus able to voice their opinions and questions. A diverse programme of discussions, debates and workshops on current themes within the world of children's film production offers a further opportunity for exchange. In addition, the festival offers young filmmakers from the film academies the chance to present their work alongside that of professional production firms and television stations.

The sponsor of the festival, and at the same time its organiser, is the GOLDEN SPARROW Foundation. TLM (the state media institution of Thuringia), MDM (the regional media funding institution), private and public television stations such as RTL, MDR and ZDF, the city of Gera and the city of Erfurt - as the founding body - all work together within this foundation. The aim of the foundation, and thus of the festival as well, is to support and present awards to productions of high quality.
The films submitted, and there were 256 in 2005, are viewed by a selection committee which is newly appointed every two years. Films selected for the competition are professionally produced and come up to high aesthetic standards. In addition, these films should recognise and encourage children's independent personalities and stimulate their imagination. The themes are to be taken directly from the world of children and be realised in suitable way; we also expect them to demonstrate possibilities or perspectives for the solution of conflicts.

The GOLDEN SPARROWS are awarded in 6 categories by the 20 children of the jury: these range from fiction (long and short) to animation, minis (films up to 3 minutes), information programmes and entertainment programmes. They also make an award to the best actor and to the best presenter. Further prizes, independent of categories, are awarded by a specialist jury composed of media in education experts and academics, journalists, editors and directors. The competition is supplemented by a parallel information programme showing further film series such as retrospectives, youth films, award winning films and studio reports about film productions which will be coming to the cinemas in the near future.
Alongside the festival, there is an additional film market PRO JUNIOR informing producers, buyers and other interested customers about international children's film and television productions.
Since the GOLDEN SPARROW is also interested in the new media, a second children's jury composed of children aged 9 to 13 is since 2001 appointed to award the Sparrows to the best Internet page for children and best online game.

The next festival will take place from May 24th – 30th 2009.