Children Vie For A Chance To Become a Film Critic

KIDS FIRST!  announced (earlier this month) the annual KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Search Competition, open to all U.S. children ages 7 to 14. Twelve lucky winners will have the opportunity to review all the newest family-friendly blockbuster films, interview celebrities and appear on the #1 rated Voice America radio show, KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions

To enter, children must submit a written and videotaped review of the Official Competition Films and get friends, family and the local community to vote online at the  KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Search website. The Official Competition Films include:  E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Princess Bride, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, Big Top Scooby-Doo!  and Disney’s Santa Paws 2: Santa Pups – available on Blu-ray and DVD at retailers and on Amazon.com.

Public voting ends at midnight, December 31, 2012 which will determine the finalists; and celebrity judges will select the twelve winners who will be announced on January 15, 2013. Judges for this year include: Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theaters, HDNet Movies and Magnolia Pictures; Ben Lyons, film critic for the internationally syndicated show, EXTRA and frequent contributor to ‘Good Morning America;’ Thelma Adams, Yahoo! Contributing Editor and columnist on AMC Filmcritic.com; George Pennacchio, entertainment reporter for ABC7 Eyewitness News team in Los Angeles.

As for past winners, parents describe their participation best. Talia Rashba’s parents commented,”Written and oral communications are two of the best assets one can develop, and being a kid’s film critic is a fantastic way to achieve this! With KIDS FIRST! thorough training, Talia now has real tools to help her formulate her opinions, communicate her thoughts and inspire others to evaluate what they are being offered in the media.”

The KIDS FIRST! Film Critics have made a name for themselves in Hollywood, interviewing talent on the red carpet and off and videotaping more than 400 reviews in 2012. KIDS FIRST! reviews reach  more than 27 million people every month through partners such as HDNet Movies kidScene, AOL Kids, WorkingMother.com and GrandMagazine.com.

KIDS FIRST! is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media, a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children’s media.

KIDS FIRST! is supported by Amazon.com, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros and Walt Disney Studios. Campaign support comes from the National Education Association and the National Council of Women’s Organizations with a combined membership of over 17 million.

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