Fireflies is a program of the Maine International Film Festival which aims to bring high quality children's films to young people in Central Maine and beyond. These include wonderful films made for children by adult artists as well as films made by children and young people. A secondary goal is to encourage interest in and skills for filmmaking among Maine children and teens.

Groundwork for this program was laid by Youth Friendly Programming starting in 2005 and the Maine Student Film and Video Festival, which has been associated with MIFF since the festival's first year in 1998. Fireflies was introduced into MIFF in 2006.

Children's Film Task Force

The Fireflies program is supported and promoted by the Children's Film Task Force. Inspired by children's films previewed from around the world - and by other festivals that build future audiences for film by focusing on young people - this group screens, selects, and books films for MIFF that are creative and entertaining while offering a breadth and depth of perspective so often lacking in mainstream media.

The Children's Film Task Force welcomes new members! For more information or if you are interested in joining, contact Roger Phelps and Miranda Ring Phelps, Co-Chairs, at (207) 873-0689 or mirandar@adelphia.net.

* Incorporated high quality children's programming, as well as related music events, into the MIFF 2006 festival.
* Offered morning screenings free of charge to area summer programs. These were attended by more than 400 children.
* Co-sponsored a highly successful claymation workshop with Freshwater Arts, Downtown Waterville's community based arts education center.
* With generous community support, raised enough funds to cover all costs.

* Fireflies will include a larger number of films as part of MIFF in 2007.
* We will expand the morning offerings during MIFF to reach an even greater number of children.
* A winter Saturday program - MIFF in the Morning for Kids - as well as film offerings for schools in the greater Waterville area will begin in 2008.
* We will continue to collaborate with arts programs and children's museums to offer creative, film-related educational programs.

Download the Fireflies 2007 brochure (PDF).