The eight-day festival was inaugurated by child actor Harsh Mayar, who lighted a lamp with actress Juhi Chawla and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by his side.
Speaking on the occasion, Banerjee said that children's films were not only lessons for kids, but "give lessons to us too".
Referring to Harsh, she said, "This boy comes of a middle class family and touched hearts of the people. He derives inspiration from former President A P J Abdul Kalam."
Banerjee said that the state government received support from different quarters, including some embassies, for the film festival.
Juhi said that she met Banerjee at the last IPL tournament in the city "when I told her that I can be of help to her in promoting cause of the children".
"This festival gives an opportunity to exhibit films of children of all ages," she said.
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State's Information and cultural affairs secretary Nandini Chakraborty said that 135 national and international films would be screened in the festival.
The festival, whose focal theme is Russia, was organised by the state department of information and cultural affairs and Sishu Kishore Academy.
The festival will also pay homage to the father-son duo of Upendra Kishore Ray and Sukumar Ray on their 150th and 125th birth anniversary respectively.
A documentary made by Satyajit Ray on his father Sukumar Ray will also be shown at the festival.
The organisers have also planned to screen the national award winning children movies of the last decade.
Awards will also be given to the selected short movies made by children aged between 6 to 15 with digital and mobile camera, president of Sishu Kishore Academy Arpita Ghosh said.
The festival will show biographical movies collected from the national film archive.