In addition, the Festival sought to empower children by involving them directly in the jurying process.
From its inception, the Festival has had independent juries of children and adult media professionals awarding prizes in multiple categories.
[citation needed] The Festival is held every October at various theatrical venues around Chicago, Illinois.
Facets Children's Programs feature year-round screenings for parents and groups, presenting unique multicultural short films for children as catalysts for improving fundamental skills such as literacy, writing, critical thinking and inference.
Students from underserved communities participate in all aspects of video production: writing and storyboarding, drawing, art making, and camerawork.