Cinekid for Professionals Booklet 2023

CINEKID FOR PROFESSIONALS 2023

Table of Contents Foreword Team Cinekid for Professionals Funders & Partners CfP Programme CfP Success Stories Script LAB Directors LAB Junior Co-production Market Projects

page 4 6 7 10 12 14 18 20 23

FILMS Big Bang Parade Hanneke & Fiet Nico Finds a Treasure One Brother Too Many The Dream Master The Rules of Three The Secret Floor The Secret of The Dragon Fellowship

24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40

SERIES Children of Water Firsts Mia Moké Monsterberry Jam Old Adventures of Ninja and Bibby ORF Tata

42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56

WORKS IN PROGRESS Block 5 Fox and Hare Save the Forest Sam and Julia

58 60 62 64

Producers LINK Industry Forum Credits

68 78 80

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Dear friends and colleagues, I will start off by saying that writing this piece was very difficult this time and I will immediately blame our Cinekid for Professionals team for that. The programme that is currently in front of you was selected, curated, produced and will be executed with so much inspiration and care, it’s hard to diminish it to a mere page. But let’s try!

In the second half of October, we will be rolling out the 37th edition of Cinekid Festival. Some 23 years ago, Cinekid presented an international conference on children’s content, which later grew into what Cinekid for Professionals is today, the leading industry event for children’s media. In the second week of October, we will also be hosting over 300 industry professionals that will meet in Amsterdam Noord, focused on shaping the trajectory of children’s media.

Our central theme, “Is it Real?”, strikes at the heart of the transformation children’s lives are undergoing due to technology.

The boundaries between online and offline

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experiences are vanishing, prompting us to scrutinize whether the digital realm is any less ‘real’ for our young generation. At the Industry Forum, we are not only here to address these concerns but also to harness technology as a catalyst for creativity and improved communication—a testament to the power of children’s unique perspectives. We are also there to be inspired and challenged – through roundtable sessions, under the guidance of industry experts, we will delve into fresh perspectives on themes ranging from navigating the digital playgrounds, crafting real-life narratives in children’s media and inclusive language practices in kids’ content to preserving and presenting artistic legacies, challenging dominant narratives in kids’ entertainment and promoting creativity, interaction and self-expression through kids’ digital engagement. lest but not least, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of of the biggest digital playground for children in the world; Cinekid’s MediaLab.

Foreword More celebrations are in order because this year marks the 10th anniversary of Cinekid’s international talent development programme for scriptwriters with a film or series for children in development, Script LAB. This year’s incredibly talent group will work on their 12 projects, which will bring the total number of productions developed through the LAB to 110. Writers that have participated in the LAB in the past 10 years have made a substantial impact on the world of children’s content, but also on each other.

What we nurture at the LAB is the importance of peer-to-peer feedback and support, and every year we leave another group behind, emotional about their leaving but proud and impressed by everything they’ve achieved in the past six months. We go through the same rollercoaster of emotions with our group of emerging producers following our talent development trajectory Producers LINK. This year we’ve reduced the group size so we can offer more guidance and focus, but also to create a brave space for them to exchange and explore. Coming back from their first residency in Warsaw during Young Horizons Industry, I’m touched by

their open minds and curiosity, and can’t wait to see them shine in Amsterdam.

Thankfully as usual, none of these programmes would be possible without the ongoing support of our long-standing partners, Creative Europe, Netherlands Film Fund and CFAP amongst, but not limited to them.

As we dive into this event, it’s essential to recognize that we’re not just passive participants. Each one of us plays a role in driving change within the children’s media sector.

Together, we can explore the intriguing notion of ‘reality’ and its significance while actively contributing to the evolution of children’s content.

Get intertwined within a dynamic platform where innovation and creativity know no limits and the future of children’s media evolves with every conversation, idea exchange, and collaboration. Welcome to Cinekid for Professionals 2023!

Sara Juricic Head of Cinekid for Professionals

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Team Cinekid for Professionals Sara Juricic Head of Cinekid for Professionals Esther van Driesum Head of Studies Cinekid LABs Jessica Cohen Coordinator Cinekid for Professionals Rowan Stol Industry Forum Programmer Laura Quarto Coordinator Junior Co-production Market & Producers LINK Giacomo Della Marina Coordinator Hospitality Johanna Fuhler Executive Producer Cinekid for Professionals Laura Lozano Hospitality Assistant Maja Schwarz Cinekid for Professionals Trainee

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Funders & Partners Cinekid for Professionals 2023 is funded by

Junior Co-production Market awards are supported by

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Partners of Cinekid for Professionals 2023

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Funders & Partners

CfP Programme What is CfP?

With its laser focus on children’s media, Cinekid for Professionals (CfP) is the essential international industry event for producers, directors, broadcasters, distributors, academics, institutes, funding bodies, journalists, researchers and artists, all working within the children’s sector. It takes place during Cinekid festival, the world’s leading media festival for children, and every year over 550 industry professionals involved in film, television, cross-media, digital arts, and media literacy attend the event.

CfP organises six programmes year-round:

Junior Co-production Market

An integrated co-production market that enables financiers, broadcasters and producers to assess new and innovative children’s projects across the film and television sectors. The market starts with a public pitch of all the projects followed by one-to-one meetings.

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Producers LINK

This programme is designed to stimulate the production of top-quality children’s content and pan-European co-productions and will provide crucial follow-up both during and after the two leading kids events in October. Producers LINK is a collaboration between Young Horizons Industry and Cinekid for Professionals.

Industry Forum

An international conference for everyone interested in children’s media. Participants will discuss issues of burning relevance and debate the future of the industry with experts in the field. In rapidly alternating sessions experts will tell you all about the development of their projects, the pitfalls and the roads to success from their own practices.

Cinekid Script LAB

A six-month script-training programme for writers with a children’s film- or series-project in development. The training starts during Cinekid for Professionals in October and runs until the Berlinale the following February.

Cinekid Directors LAB

A vital coaching programme for directors with a dynamic children’s film- or series-project in advanced development, with a tailor-made and hands-on approach that takes place every spring in Amsterdam.

Screening Club

The ScreeningClub showcases all the latest and best productions for young audiences to our Cinekid for Professionals attendees. Works will be showcased to a wide and diverse audience, including international buyers, sales agents, programmers, and distributors.

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CfP Success Stories Sea Sparkle Director Domien Huyghe Writer Wendy Huyghe, Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem Producer Dries Phlypo, Stephen Vandingenen Production Company A Private View, Viking Film CfP History Script LAB 2018-19, Directors LAB 2021 Premiere 2023 Berlinale Generation

Watch the trailer!

Kiddo Director Zara Dwinger Writer Zara Dwinger, Nena van Driel Producer Layla Meijman, Maarten van der Ven Production Company Studio Ruba CfP History Script LAB 2020-21, Directors LAB 2022, JCM 2022

Watch the trailer!

Snot and Splash Director Teemu Nikki Writer Teemu Nikki, Ilja Rautsi Producer Jani Pösö, Ari Matikainen Production Company It’s Alive Films CfP History Script LAB 2018-19, JCM 2019 Premiere Locarno Kids 2023

Watch the trailer!

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Jippie No More!

Director Margien Rogaar Writer Fiona van Heemstra Producer Iris Otten , Sander van Meurs Production Company Juliet at Pupkin CfP History Script LAB 2018-19 Premiere Cinekid 2023

Mavka, The Forest Song Director Oleh Malamuzh, Oleksandra Ruban Writer Yaroslav Voytseshek Producer Iryna Kostyuk, Аnna Eliseyeva (Koval), Egor Olesov Production Company ANIMAGRAD STUDIO (FILM.UA GROUP) CfP History JCM 2022

Watch the trailer!

Mini-Zlatan and Uncle Darling Director Christian Lo Writer Ella Lemhagen, Janne Vierth Producer Petter Lindblad Production Company Snowcloud Films AB CfP History JCM 2021 Premiere BUFF 2022

Watch the trailer!

Script LAB Cinekid Script LAB is a six-month training programme for scriptwriters with a children’s film or series project in development. Writers work on their treatment or script under the personal guidance of their coach, following a tailor-made trajectory.

For the tenth edition, Cinekid is proud to present 12 new projects and 16 writers from 10 countries who will be attending residencies during Cinekid for Professionals (Amsterdam, October 2023) and the Berlinale (Berlin, February 2024).

The projects selected for the 2023-2024 edition of Script LAB are: 3,5% (film/live action)

Atlas of the Universe (film/live action)

Bizarre (film/live action)

Brie and the Olm Cave (film/live action)

Participating writer Malin Marmgren Nominated by Swedish Film Institute

Participating writer Eva Keuris, Jelle Nesna Produced by Rinkel Film (The Netherlands) Nominated by Netherlands Film Fund

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Participating writer Paul Negoescu Produced by deFilm (Romania)

Participating writer Astrid Bode Produced by Lunanime (Belgium) Nominated by Flanders Audiovisual Fund

Cherry & Zucchini (series/live action)

Dead Disa (film/live action)

Mama Said... (series/live action)

Stairway to Heaven (film/live action)

The Kicksled Choir (film/live action)

Sylphs (film/live action)

Thelma and Rafaël (film/live action)

Wacky Tales (series/live action)

Participating writer Alexandros Rellos Produced by Rourou (Greece) Nominated by Athens International Children’s Film Festival

Participating writer Annick de Wolf Produced by Fiction Valley (The Netherlands)

Participating writers Julia Andersen, Torfinn Iversen Produced by Fjordic Film (Norway)

Participating writers Martine Decroos, Dominique van Malder Produced by De Wereldvrede (Belgium)

Participating writer Gunnar Theodór Eggertsson Produced by Go To Sheep (Iceland) Nominated by Icelandic Film Centre

Participating writers Martha Antonette Solli, Trond Morten Venaasen Produced by Fabelaktiv AS (Norway) Nominated by Norwegian Film Institute

Participating writers Rositsa Dobreva, Lachezar Velinov Produced by Zographic Films (Bulgaria)

Participating writer Raphaëlle Tinland Produced by Ikki Films (France)

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10 years of Script LAB Over the last 10 years, 139 writers have developed 110 projects (102 feature films, eight series), representing 31 different countries of production.

Cinekid Script LAB is a tailor-made programme bringing together an international group of writers with different levels of experience. Over six months, writers develop the script of a feature or series for children, receiving feedback from their fellow participants and renowned script consultants.

Each project is assigned a script coach and a peer writer or writing duo. The LAB is formed of two immersive workshop weeks and two online meetings.

The residencies are scheduled to coincide with two world-leading festivals in the children’s media sector: Cinekid and the Berlinale. As a result, participants actively engage with both the workshop curriculum and the programmes and networking opportunities available at the festivals.

tos for Click on pho on video! testimonials

Saša Eržen

Script LAB participant 2018/19 2022/23

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At the first residency during Cinekid, partici­ pants work on their treatment or script with their coach and peer in the Story Sessions, attend case studies, masterclasses, and network at the social events of the CfP programme. They also present their project to an audience of their target age group and receive valuable feedback during our Ask Your Audience sessions.

Reuniting during the Berlinale Generation programme, the participants meet with their coaches again, attend screenings and masterclasses, and partake in the Scripts in Action workshop. In this session, participants utilise actors to bring their scripts to life under the guidance of coach. During both workshop weeks, participants have one-on-one conversations with our Head of Studies where they can discuss their goals for the LAB and receive valuable advice on their writing processes.

Testimonials

Janne Vierth

Script LAB participant 2017/18 Script LAB coach 2019/20, 2020/21

Frederike Migom

Script LAB participant 2016/17 2021/22

Completed Script LAB projects AN AMAZING FAMILY ADVENTURE muziek

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NICE DRAMA PRESENTS ALONE IN SPACE ELLA RAE RAPPAPORT DANTE FLEISCHANDERL HENRIK STÅHL MADELEINE BARWÉN TROLLVIK HÅKAN BENGTSSON ALIETTE OPHEIM RICHARD SSERUWAGI

SUPERVISING SOUND TECHNICIAN ROBIN SVENSK SOUND DESIGNERS & RE-RECORDING MIXERS MIKAEL BRODIN CARL OSCAR AHLSVED GABRIELLE WIKHEDE CASTING DIRECTORS CATRIN WIDERYD MAGGIE WIDSTRAND COMPOSER JOEL DANELL SPECIAL MAKE-UP DESIGNERS NIKLAS HERMANSSON

Titus De Voogdt

Imad Borji

Savannah Vandendriessche

OSKAR WALLROTH COSTUME DESIGNERS MIMMI MÄENPÄÄ NICOLAS OLIVER RICHARD VFX SUPERVISORS EVELINA ÅSTRÖM FREDRIK NORD PRODUCTION DESIGNER CHRISTIAN OLANDER EDITOR HANNA LEJONQVIST SFK DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY PETRUS SJÖVIK FSF EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS STEFAN BARON MIKAEL WALLEN PRODUCERS ANNA KNOCHENHAUER SONJA HERMELE MANUSCRIPT TED KJELLSSON HENRIK STÅHL DIRECTOR TED KJELLSSON

Ruth Beeckmans

BASED ON THE STAGE PLAY VIAL BY HENRIK STÅHL PRODUCED BY NICE DRAMA IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH FILMPOOL NORD CHIMNEY DAGSLJUS FILMEQUIPMENT AB LJUDBANG RÄVETOFTA FILMINDUSTRIER INGRID ELAM KENNETH HERMELE KNOCHENPOWER KIRINAJA

SCENARIO MICHAEL DE COCK REGIE DOROTHÉE VAN DEN BERGHE CINEMATOGRAFIE JAN VANCAILLIE, SBC DECOR GERT STAS KOSTUUMONTWERP JOËLLE MEERBERGEN HAAR & MAKE-UP DORIEN VAN POUCKE, LIESBET FIJALKA LINE PRODUCER BRAM STERCKX EERSTE REGIE-ASSISTENT MARTINE TEMMERMAN, VINCENT HERMANS

Rosie & Moussa

WITH SUPPORT FROM THE SWEDISH FILM INSTITUTE NORDIC FILM & TV FUND FILM I VÄSTERBOTTEN WITH DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FROM THE EU-PROGRAMME CREATIVE EUROPE KULTURBRYGGAN

BINTI

My dad is a sausage

Kids Cup

Jippie No More!

Snot and Splash

Beanie

Buladó

Forever

Bigman

Sea Sparkle

Abbababb

Kiddo

MONTAGE MARIE-HÉLÈNE DOZO MOTION GRAPHICS SOFIE FAVERE GRAPHICS JUDITH VANISTENDAEL, DOROTHÉE VAN DEN BERGHE GELUID CHRISTIAN MONHEIM SOUND DESIGN GERT JANSSEN MUZIEK LE MOTEL PRODUCENT BO DE GROUP, HELENA VLOGAERT CO-PRODUCENT OLIVIER RAUSIN

MET STEUN VAN HET VLAAMS AUDIOVISUEEL FONDS (VAF), SCREEN FLANDERS, CENTRE DU CINÉMA ET DE L’AUDIOVISUEL DE LA FÉDÉRATION WALLONIE-BRUXELLES, DE BELGISCHE TAX SHELTER MAATREGEL EN HET CREATIVE EUROPE MEDIA PROGRAMMA VAN DE EUROPESE UNIE MET DE SAMENWERKING VAN JEF

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2014/15

Stela

2017/18

2018/19

2018/19

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Alone in Space

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2015/16

2018/19

2018/19

2018/19

2018-08-24 08:59

2016/17

2018/19

2018/19

2020/21

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

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Directors LAB During Cinekid Directors LAB, an international group of acclaimed directors focus on the final steps before the pre-production phase, along with the specific skills required for working with child actors. Above all, the program offers hands-on tailor-made coaching by experienced industry mentors.

The third edition of Directors LAB took place in April 2023 and included five projects from four European countries.

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The projects selected for the 2023 edition of Directors LAB are: Adventureland, The Arrow

(Ævintýraskógurinn, Örin - Iceland)

Director Thorunn Larusdottir Producer Guðný Guðjónsdóttir Production company Ursus Parvus Co-production companies Projects Ehfm, A Whole Lotta Love Nominated by Icelandic Film Centre

Boom! (Bum! - Latvia))

Directors Marta Selecka, Andra Doršs Producers Elīna Jozauska, Uģis Riekstiņš Production company Picture House

King Of The Wanderers

(Koning van de Zwervers, The Netherlands)

Director Janne Schmidt Producers Luc Schinkel, Robert Schinkel, Barend Van Balen Production company The Media Brothers Co-production company Barramedia Nominated by Netherlands Film Fund

One Brother Too Many (En Bror For Mye, Norway)

Director Tove Undheim Producers Bendik Heggen Strønstad, Hedda Hansson Rudi Production company Miso Film

Uncle Egg - Searching For A Dad

Onkel Egg - Jakten På En Pappa, Norway)

Director Torfinn Iversen Producer Julia Andersen Production Company Fjordic Film Co-production company Lieblingsfilm Gmbh Nominated by Norwegian Film Institute

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Junior Co-production Market About JCM The Junior Co-production Market brings financiers, producers, and broadcasters into contact with a selection of new and innovative films and series for children from established and emerging industry professionals. Over three days, the projects will be presented to the international children’s media industry and participate in one-onone meetings with interested professionals. Projects can also participate in the Ask Your Audience event, which allows creators to present their work to their target audience kids - and receive valuable feedback.

Two prizes will be awarded to projects from the selection: The Eurimages Co-production Development Award and the Filmmore Post-production Award.

The Eurimages Co-production Development Award

The amount of €20,000 will be awarded to the best feature film project selected for the Junior Co-production Market. Eligible projects must target theatrical release and must be designed as a European co-production between at least two Eurimages Fund member states for other than purely financial reasons.

The award is intended to both support collaboration on international co-productions as well as promote and stimulate European films for young people.

The Filmmore Post-production Award

The award is designed in collaboration with Amsterdam-based Filmmore, a leading full-service, post-production, editing and visual effects facility.

Live-action projects selected within the Junior Co-production Award are eligible to compete for it. The award bestows €5,000 in services and is an invitation to embark upon a long and fruitful collaboration with Filmmore.

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Cinekid for Professionals 2023

SEE-NL.COM

PROJECTS

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FILMS

Big Bang Parade In the animation film Big Bang Parade, two kids open a secret treasure chest, containing nothing but a bag of marbles. Each marble contains a tiny, growing world, inhabited by surprising and colourful creatures and displaying its own graphic style.

Director Britt Raes, Hermien Verstraeten, Nienke Deutz, Imge Özbilge, Sine Özbilge, Karolien Raeymaekers, Martyna Koleniec Screenwriter Ilka De Bisschop Production companies Lunanime BV Production country Belgium Co-production company Momakin, Flinck Film Language Dutch, English, Turkish Original story Target audience 3+ Duration 65’ Genre Adventure Type Animation

Total budget €2.862.787 Financing in place Total: €925.000 • Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds • Creative Europe • Tax Shelter • Best Friends Forever • Lumière • Young Horizons

Synopsis

Big Bang Parade is an animation anthology film spanning six short films by six different directors.

All shorts are embedded in a frame story (directed by a seventh director) and intertwined through playful connections. The frame story and each short display their own graphic style, showcasing the talent of each director.

When their mother doesn’t show up in time, two young children, Freya (5) and Lars (7), are left in school. Their kind but mysterious teacher, Laila, invites them to explore the forgotten treasures in the school attic. The attic is crammed with old and wondrous things. Freya and Lars set out to discover them all. But there is one box they should not open. So, of course, that is exactly what they do, setting in motion six different adventures in six different universes. Big Bang Parade is more than the sum of different short movies, it forms a unified whole that aims to offer the youngest among us a first cinema experience.

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Director’s statement

With Big Bang Parade, we embarked on a big and exciting challenge. To develop a full-fledged feature film for the very youngest audience. We realise that we must be very creative with how we approach this, as the attention span of toddlers is very short. But this challenge makes us extremely enthusiastic at the same time, and we want to make a virtue of these ‘difficulties’ precisely by being creative with the rules of film.

We work with several directors who each take care of their own part, creating their own universe within the film. At the same time, all the storylines are nicely interwoven. For instance, characters from one part appear in or influence another part. And of course, all the stories are connected by one frame story. Because it is very important for our young audience to keep connection with the world they know, we tell this frame story through two children who go explo­ ring in the school attic among the old rubbish.

Piece by piece, a brother and sister discover a whole multiverse unfolding in the attic rooms.

Since everything is connected, they too have an impact on the different worlds and stories taking place there. They even set the whole spectacle in motion.

With our six different worlds and a frame story, screenwriter Ilka de Bisschop wrote a script that incorporates all our wishes and ideas. Ilka has a lot of experience in writing for children and we are extremely happy with the result.

Director’s biography

• Britt Raes is a director creating independent and commissioned work. Her short films Catherine and Luce and the Rock travelled to over 200 international festivals and won over 50 awards.

• Imge Özbilge makes animated movies and experiments. Her award-winning film Camouflage has been in the official selection of Cannes in 2017. Her film Mosaic (2020) is currently circulating festivals worldwide.

• Karolien Raeymaekers is head of animation at production studio Lunanime, as well as an illustrator of children’s books.

• Nienke Deutz is a director and animator.

Her debut film Bloeistraat 11 won over 30 international awards.

• Sine Özbilge is a multidisciplinary artist with a strong focus on animation and mixed media. Her debut film #21xoxo has been selected and awarded at international festivals.

• Hermien Verstraeten has worked on several Oscar nominated animated feature films, commercials, TV idents, music videos and illustrations for several magazines.

• Ilka De Bisschop is a journalist and editor, author and scriptwriter. She co-wrote the TV series Vos en Haas and Knofje. She also developed the series Buzz Buzz.

• Martyna Koleniec is an animation director, animator, and character designer. She worked as a stop motion animator on the award-winning short film The Kite by Martin Smatana and Living Large by Kristina Dufkova.

Company profile

Lunanime is a production company based in Ghent which focuses on fiction and animation projects. The company was founded in 2008 as part of the Lumière group. Animation projects are produced in-house in our animation studio called Studio Lumière.

Goals at JCM

We aim to meet distributors, programmers, broadcasters and streamers. Further, we look forward to presenting the project to film funds and other funding opportunities. We are excited to explore the market and get valuable feedback from industry professionals and have a first impression of the target audience’s reaction to this film.

Representatives at JCM Nienke Deutz, director Annemie Degryse, producer

Contact details

Annemie Degryse annemie@lumiere.be +32 475839971

Hanneke & Fiet

When the six-year-old Jewish Hanneke is sent on a ‘sleepover’ in 1942, she goes from one hiding address to another until she finds a home with Fiet’s family. Here she never wants to leave...

Director Mischa Kamp Screenwriter Tamara Bos Production companies NL Film and TV Production country The Netherlands, Israel Co-production company Endemol Shine Israel Language Dutch, Hebrew Based on the book Hanneke and Fiet by Ran Cohen Harounoff Target audience 9+ Duration 90’ Genre Family, war, drama Type Live action

Total budget €4.000.000 Financing in place • The Netherlands Film Fund – development €90.000 • Israeli Film Fund €300.000 • Public Channel Israel €75.000 • Lottery council €30.000

Synopsis

Tel Aviv 2024. Hanneke is preparing her 88th birthday party – quite a miracle. In 1942, her parents sent her on a sleepover, but in truth, she had to go in hiding. After having stayed at several addresses, with different families, which all proved to be unsafe, Hanneke ends up staying at the home of Fiet (8) and her parents, Wim and Sophie.

Fiet, an only child who’s always dreamt of having a sister, immediately wants to be best friends – sisters – with Hanneke, but it takes some time for the ice to break, as Hanneke is wary. Both Hanneke and Fiet struggle, yet slowly but surely their bond starts to grow. Months later, Hanneke has warmed up to her new family, feels at home, and even starts calling Wim and Sophie mum and dad. Aunt Sophie, however, makes it clear that she’s not Hanneke’s mother. She has her own parents, who will come back for her once the war is over. Hanneke is shocked. She tries to imagine her parents – but she can’t remember what they looked like!

On the day Amsterdam is liberated, Hanneke’s parents arrive at Wim and Sophie’s doorstep, to take their daughter home. But Hanneke doesn’t recognize them, these people are strangers to her; she doesn’t want to leave Fiet’s side. Only when Fiet suggests staying with Hanneke and her parents for a while, Hanneke relents. This marks the beginning of a special friendship, culminating with Fiet’s arrival at Hanneke’s birthday party in Tel Aviv in 2024.

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Director’s statement

This is a film about two girls from different backgrounds, coming together during World War II. This is the real story of two girls becoming sisters and of two families - a special one helping another that temporarily falls apart.

My aim is to make a subtle film with truthful characters. The presence of war will not be emphasized through harsh realism, but rather tangentially from a child’s point of view; an intensely personal, subjective picture. The story is not all about misery: children have tremendous resilience, so the screenplay shows the interplay between hope and sorrow, between trust and distrust, between light and darkness, between silence and noise and between attraction and repulsion.

The film’s ending is beautiful, hopeful, but also painful: a father who wants nothing more than to hold his daughter in his arms; while the daughter sees nothing but a stranger standing in front of her and runs away. Fiet helps little Hanneke by staying with her new found family for a while, until Hanneke is used to her own parents again.

This friendship formed during the war is one that persists for life.

What Tamara Bos and I love about this story besides the incredible resilience and will to live of a child like Hanneke - is the admirable courage of Fiet’s parents; truly an example to us all.

Director’s biography

Company profile

Amsterdam-based production company NL Film specializes in producing high-end dramas for all platforms. Quality and diversity of both genres and topics lie at the heart of everything they create. Stories that grip viewers, stories they can’t look away from and that allow them to escape the everyday grind. Examples include productions such as multi-award-winning titles The Body Collector (Golden Calf for Best TV Drama, Banff Rockie Award) and youth series Floor Rules (International Emmy Kids Award).

With titles as The Golden Hour (Banff Rockie Award) and Anonymous as well as feature films such as Penoza: the Final Chapter and Love over Distance, NL Film is among the most active, high-profile Dutch film producers active today.

Goals at JCM

Tamara Bos wrote a beautiful second draft and we aim to find potential co-production partners for the project, next to our partner Endemol Shine Israel. We strongly believe we need to join forces to create and finance the project. Also, we aim to present the project to potential sales agents and distributors, since we believe the project Hanneke and Fiet, but also Mischa and Tamara as a creative award-winning duo in this genre, have great international potential.

Representatives at JCM Mischa Kamp, director Tamara Bos, screenwriter Dennis Cornelisse, producer

Mischa Kamp studied directing at the Dutch Film Academy. In 2005 the family film Winky’s Horse and the sequel Where is Winky’s horse? written by Tamara Bos were awarded the Golden Film (more than 350,000 visitors) in the Netherlands.

The psychological thriller De Fuik (2008) received a Golden Calf nomination for Best Television Film.

For Boys (2014) she won prizes at Cinekid and CICFF and she received a Golden Calf nomination for best director and the 1st prize of KNF award. In 2020 Romy’s Salon (screenplay Tamara Bos) won many international awards, Cinekid and also 4 Golden Calfs including that of best directing.

Contact details

Dennis Cornelisse Dennis.cornelisse@nlfilm.tv +31 205747626

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Nico Finds a Treasure 11-year-old Nico is sent to spend the summer on a remote Greek island to overcome his video game addiction.

Director Konstantinos Frangopoulos Screenwriter Alexandra Dyranis Maounis Production companies Anemon Production country Greece, The Netherlands, Germany Co-production company Asterisk, Bind, Lieblingsfilm Language Greek, English Based on Ali Mitgutsch Target audience 7+ Duration 85’ Genre Family Type Live action

Total budget €1.176.080 Financing in place • Creative Europe €89.640 • Greek Film Centre €19.500 • EKOME Tax rebate €299.800 • Anemon & Asterisk €30.000 • Asterisk postproduction €25.000

Synopsis

Nico (11) is a timid, only child living in New York. At school he is bullied and at home he’s lonely; both his parents are so dedicated to their work that they don’t realize that they spend so little time with him. His only escape is the beautiful island he has created in an online video game and his only friends are the digital avatars of the kids helping him build it. To help him become a ‘normal child’, his parents send him to stay with a family friend on a remote fishing island in Greece.

On the island, Nico is socially and physically challenged. He is reluctant to make new friends and to step out of his comfort zone. Christina (12) initially sees him as a nuisance. He speaks broken Greek, he’s shy, and he doesn’t even know how to swim properly. But she soon discovers that he’s also funny, creative and surprisingly good at solving riddles. She and her best friend, Andreas (13), decide to help him survive the challenges of living on the island, if he helps them find the island’s long-lost treasure in return. In the process, Nico will discover his own treasure in the new friendships he makes in the real world and the dives into the deep blue sea…

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Director’s statement

Company profile

While Greece has undergone significant transformations over the past decades, life on the island continues to evoke memories of a time when children played all day in the sea, helping fishermen bring in their catch. Into this world, the film weaves the contemporary issue of internet addiction.

In parallel, it has steadily invested in building an audience for documentaries and films for children in Greece. In 2010, it founded CineDoc, a film distribution network that organizes monthly event screenings in cinemas and collaborates with schools to encourage the creation of school cinema clubs. In 2022-23, CineDoc curated the documentary selection and educational material for Cinedu, the Greek Film Centre platform offering access to schools across the country.

When I read Ali Mitgutsch’s story, I found myself captivated by the notion of crafting a cinematic experience that both delves into the protagonist’s inner world, and transports viewers to the magical world of a remote Aegean Island.

Today, where the boundaries between physical and digital realities are increasingly blurred, Nico’s escapades in a ‘pre-digital’ era can serve as a reminder of the joy of outdoor adventures and human connection, echoing Twain’s Tom Sawyer. Furthermore, by showcasing the beauty of the Aegean Sea, the film aims to inspire a passion to preserve it.

By utilising wide-angle lense cinematography, we intend to capture the raw essence of Nico’s exploration and his sense of wonder and discovery.

This approach enables us to intimately immerse the audience in the underwater world and Nico’s evolving relationship with nature. We aim to seamlessly blend this approach with handheld camera to capture the youthful and emotionally charged energy of the children’s quest. This fusion of cinematic styles aims to create a unique and compelling viewing experience that not only transports the audience into Nico’s world but also resonates with their emotions, making the film a unique cinematic journey.

Based in Athens, Anemon produces films and cross media projects for the international market and is dedicated to creating projects that draw attention to the environment and intercultural understanding.

Goals at JCM

Our goal is to meet film professionals interested in the film, including sales agents, broadcasters and distributors. We also aim to connect with production and outreach partners. We are especially interested in receiving feedback from professionals from different parts of the world, about how this story can cross borders and resonate with children.

Representatives at JCM

Konstantinos Frangopoulos, director Rea Apostolides, producer Philipp Budweg, co-producer

Director’s biography

Konstantinos Frangopoulos is a National Film and Television School fiction directing graduate.

His first narrative feature, Nocturne, was developed

by Film4 and produced by Bonafide Films UK starring Owen Teale (GoT). It premiered in Galway IFF. Previously he directed a documentary feature and eight short films that travelled internationally.

Revolution, an original drama series co-written with BAFTA nominated writer Tom Basden is under option with Moonage Pictures UK. He is currently developing the fourth season of his documentary TV-series Mega Stories, for the leading Greek channel Mega TV.

Contact details Rea Apostolides rea@anemon.gr +30 6944767300

One Brother Too Many En Bror For Mye

Sara (9) has her comfortable family life turned upside-down when the 5 year old orphan Steinar moves into her home - and worse - her bedroom.

In the blink of an eye Sara must make room for a demanding brother, and is forced to make an extreme change to accept it.

Director Tove Undheim Screenwriter Tove Undheim Production companies Miso Film Production country Norway Language Norwegian Based on the novel En bror for mye by Linde Hageru Target audience 5+ Duration 80’ Genre Drama, family Type Live action

Total budget €1.350.000 Financing in place • Norwegian Film Institute €38.000 • Miso Film €142.000 • Scandinavian Film Distribution €130.000

Synopsis

Sara (9) lives with her mom, dad, and sister Emilie (14). Sara’s best friend is Helene, and she is more than enough. One day when Sara comes home from school, she notices that something is... off. Mom’s best friend has passed. And if that isn’t bad enough, it’s going to get worse: not long after, her son Steinar, who is a whiny, spoiled five-year-old, must move into their house. Sara can barely stand breathing the same air as him. In her eyes, Steinar is nothing but demanding, and she wishes that he would disappear, but instead she must share her own bedroom with him.

Sara handles the new circumstances poorly. He’s always there, ruining everything she used to enjoy.

Sara can’t stay like this, and she gets a brilliant idea that shifts her entire perspective: if she can’t handle being a big sister, perhaps being a big brother is easier? Sara steps into the role as ‘Alfred’ to help herself: she cuts off her long hair and starts dressing and acting differently - how she imagines Alfred would do it.

Most importantly: Alfred can be kind to Steinar. Alfred makes him sandwiches and plays with him, can tolerate his loud chewing, drooling, and snoring. Sara balances her role as Alfred and Sara well, but when things soon get out of hand, she fears she will never really get to be Sara ever again.

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Director’s statement

As a director, I find it incredibly exciting to explore the children’s world by addressing universal themes. Subjects like life, death and love might not be innovative in themselves, but they can be a great way of exploring a child’s perspective. Small details that adults might not notice, can be hugely important to a child. This film describes how family dynamics change, how hard it is for our main character Sara to be a kind older sister and share her life with someone she doesn’t want at all. But the story takes an unexpected turn when she steps out of the victim role and introduces her surprising solution: Her alter-ego Alfred. Sara’s journey, her way of dealing with life, and her development as a person, is hugely important to this film.

The audience will experience this film from Sara’s perspective. Things that are important to Sara must feel important to us as an audience. Her experiences of a difficult situation are to be taken seriously in this film, with the imagination, playfulness and naivety that it entails. This will be a riveting story, a heart-warming drama about themes such as grief, identity and jealousy, while balancing comedy and charm with melancholy and seriousness. You should be able to both wipe away a tear and laugh, without it ever feeling unnatural.

I want to make a film of importance to the children.

Bringing warmth and humour to the difficult, and beauty to the glaring that every upbringing and every life offers.

Director’s biography

Company profile

Miso Film was founded in 2004 by the Danish producer duo Jonas Allen and Peter Bose. In 2019, the company was acquired by Fremantle, one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of TV programmes. Miso Film aims to create stories that will attract, inspire, surprise and entertain a global audience with talent from the world of TV series and feature films.

With offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, Miso Film is behind several successful TV series and feature films across the Nordics.

Having produced over 200+ hours of entertainment, the company has become a Scandinavian powerhouse.

Goals at JCM

As a team we are excited to be presenting our film project to an international market, with the aim to meet and discuss the film and future partnerships with international distributors and sales agents, as well as potential co-producers that may share our vision.

Previous work in ScreeningClub Not so Easy (2013), short film, Tove Undheim (writer & director)

Representatives at JCM Tove Undheim, director Hedda Hansson Rudi, producer

Tove Undheim (1981) is a Norwegian writer and director, educated from the Oslo National Academy of The Arts (KHIO) and The Norwegian Film School.

She made her feature film debut with Twigson & The Sea Monster in 2020 and has also written and directed several critically acclaimed short films and documentaries.

She was a children’s director on Eva Sørhaug’s feature film 90 Minutes (2012) and was an assistant director and casting director for Eskil Vogt’s Blind (2014), as well as a second unit director on Vogt’s The Innocents, which had its world premiere at Cannes in 2021.

Contact details

Hedda Hansson Rudi hedda@misofilm.no +47 41689125

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The Dream Master Den Særlige Mester

Sometimes imagination is the best way to understand reality.

Director Kristian Nordentoft Screenwriter Jesper Fink Production companies Copenhagen Bombay Production Production country Denmark Language Danish Original story Target audience 5+ Duration 90’ Genre Adventure, musical Type Animation

Synopsis

Total budget €2.139.808 Financing in place • The Danish Film Institute €63.087 • Bombay Sales Aps, MG €147.651 • Scandinavian Film Distribution €6.711

Catherine (9) is used to setting aside her own needs when taking care of her younger sister Sophie who has multiple impairments. One day, Catherine suddenly finds herself in an undersea dreamworld where Sophie is a giant pink unicorn called The Dream Master. Together, they set out on an enchanting adventure where they meet all sorts of magical creatures: talking toys, rapping mermaids, and much more.

The many hardships bring the sisters closer together. Outside, in the real world, they can’t communicate, but through imagination Catherine discovers a way to communicate with her sister.

And for the first time she feels that she finally got the little sister she always wished for.

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Director’s statement

The Dream Master is about Catherine (9) who has a younger sister, Sophie, who suffers from severe disabilities. They can’t play nor talk together and the two of them will never be even. Sophie gets all the attention from the parents, and Catherine learns from a young age to put aside her own needs and to suppress negative feelings as a way of minimizing the problems in the family. Catherine has become a ‘pleaser’ and grown up too fast.

One day, Catherine accidentally travels into a world that she imagines to be Sophie’s inner world - a magical dream world that is not subject to the logic and laws of nature. Here she meets Sophie in the shape of a speaking unicorn-butterfly-mermaid.

And if she can rediscover her imagination and playfulness, she can create a relationship with her sister.

The film focuses on the ‘forbidden’ feelings that can arise between siblings, here pushed to an extreme with a relationship that involves multi-disability.

The film dwells on the human ability to use our fantasy and imagination to create meaning in a difficult life. With The Dream Master it is my mission to develop a fantastic and alluring universe rooted in a social realistic and relevant reality. I am making this film to create awareness and debunk disability among children.

It is a story that addresses serious themes in an unpretentious, humorous and entertaining way and at the same time allowing kids to get wiser about aspects of life.

Director’s biography

Kristian Nordentoft graduated from The National Film School of Denmark as an animation director in 2014.

Company profile

Copenhagen Bombay was founded in 2006 and is owned by film producer and CEO Sarita Christensen.

Copenhagen Bombay is a diverse and talentoriented company that develops and produces a broad range of projects across platforms. Our key activities are to develop and produce entertainment for children and youth, for all media platforms.

All productions aim to create original content, with a strong focus on creativity, while suppor­ ting curiosity, initiative and innovation among the viewers/users.

Goals at JCM

We are looking for financial co-producers, broadcasters and distributors.

Previous work in ScreeningClub

The Seekers: Thrill Night (2021), feature film, Sarita Christensen and Mette Valbjørn Skøtt (producers), Copenhagen Bombay (production company) Do You Know Her (2022), short film & tv series, Sarita Christensen and Mette Valbjørn Skøtt (producers), Copenhagen Bombay (production company)

Representatives at JCM Kristian Nordentoft, director Mette Valbjørn Skøtte, producer

Kristian has worked as illustrator and writer on several books such as Thorleif & Påvny (2006).

Besides that, he has created indoor as well as outdoor exhibitions and decorations and worked as a musician and graphic artist in his own band, BliGlad (2005-2012).

Subsequently, Kristian has worked with animation and computer games. In 2019 he won the award for best web-series and best director at the CPH WEB FEST for the documentary series Jørgen Singing his Life.

Contact details

Mette Valbjørn Skøtt mette.skott@copenhagenbombay.com +45 61677179

The Rules of Three De regels van drie

Jón (14) travels to Iceland with his twin sister and mother to visit his headstrong and free-spirited Opi Kas. Confronted with his unruly grandfather and the Icelandic nature, Jón has to find his own strength and capabilities.

Director Margien Rogaar Screenwriter Evianne Lamme, Fiona van Heemstra Production companies BIND Production country The Netherlands, Iceland Co-production company Ursus Parvus Language Dutch, Icelandic Based on the novel De regels van drie by Marjolijn Hof Target audience 8+ Duration 80’ Genre Family film, drama, adventure Type Live action

Total budget €3.100.000 Financing in place • Netherlands Film Fund €81.481 • Creative Europe €40.000 • Investment BIND €50.000

Synopsis

With an ice pick and an old mountain flag stashed in his bag, Jón sets off for Iceland with his mother and twin sister to visit his wayward opi Kas, who lives at the foot of Iceland’s highest mountain peak, the Hvannadalshnúkur. Jón’s ambitious goal is to conquer this imposing mountain alongside his grandfather, a seasoned mountaineer, to plant his father’s flag, who tragically lost his life while climbing Anapurna just before the twins were born. Like his grandfather and father, Jón wants to feel what it is like to be ‘on top of the world’.

Once they arrive at opi Kas’ house, Jón notices that something is going on with his grandfather. He sometimes drags his leg and falls asleep at the table out of the blue. But opi Kas ignores any concerns about his condition and avoids Jón’s question about whether they can climb the Hvannadalshnúkur together.

Therefore, Jón tries a solo climb up the mountain, wearing his dad’s old climbing boots. It’s a pretty crazy idea, and he almost freezes out there. Luckily, opi Kas rescues him just in time and Jón has to promise he won’t try that ever again- going up the mountain alone and unprepared.

Even though Jón studies all the glacier maps and gets much closer to his grandpa, he still can’t convince him to go up Hvannadalshnúkur. Jón starts to lose hope of ever standing on the mountaintop. That is until opi Kas discovers that Jón’s mother is arranging placement for him in a retirement home. He’s furious about the idea of ending up there, so he finally agrees to take Jón up the mountain. For one last time. This journey becomes a transformative experience for Jón, as he learns from opi Kas that climbing is not solely about conquering the mountain but most importantly about surrendering to nature.

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Director’s statement

The Rules of Three is a vibrant and emotive film in which children, their parents and grandparents will recognise themselves and be encouraged to think about life and death. A story that takes place in the grand and compelling setting of Iceland and that deals with equally grand and compelling life questions. We follow Jón who faces a major personal challenge. His development is central. But at the same time, it is a film with plenty of vitality and humour. The reality in which this takes place is a reality that resembles life itself, but slightly elevated out of the ordinary and condensed in time. A film in which people do not say what they mean, but then do say it very awkwardly at the wrong time.

As in my earlier work, recognisability plays an important role. Now again we interweave the different storylines and their perspectives in a natural way and we alternate between the light and the heavy.

I want everyone to remain involved in the story, so that the moments when the film touches on heavier themes remain manageable for young and older viewers.

The Icelandic setting is one of the most important aspects of the film. It emphasizes the theme of connectedness in the film in a beautiful way. Just as Jón and his grandfather largely share the same DNA, the smallest grain of sand at the foot of the mountain is made of the same material as the great rock at its summit. The landscape makes you keenly aware of your uniqueness and vulnerability, but also that you are part of a larger world. I find that a comforting thought.

Company profile

BIND’s objective is to tell striking, unique stories that move and inspire, that open eyes and take root. BIND develops and produces genuine, provocative films about real people and the quest for their identity. Films that have proven to be a powerful way to portray contemporary topics in an intriguing or surprising manner. Our aim is to create an effective connection between engaged filmmakers and their audience.

Goals at JCM

The script has been developed with the support of the Netherlands Film Fund and Creative Europe. We are in late development of the script and aim to shoot the film summer 2025. We have an Icelandic co-producer but are also looking for a possible third co-producer at Cinekid. We also want to present the project to sales agents, broadcasters and festival programmers.

Representatives at JCM

Fiona van Heemstra, screenwriter Maaike Neve, producer Joram Willink, producer

Director’s biography

Margien Rogaar is a Dutch film director. Her work focuses on the theme of growing up and getting wiser. Although many of her actors are children and teenagers, her audience is also grownups. Her short film Breath was shown at Cannes. After that Rogaar directed the features Maybe Sweden (2006), Bon Voyage and Bouwdorp.

Contact details Maaike Neve maaike@bindfilm.nl +31 (0)203640030

Margien completed three television series for children. Nobody’s Boy: Remi (2016) was nominated for an Emmy Award. In 2023 Lampje premiered on Dutch television. Her latest feature Jippie No More! will be opening film of Cinekid 2023.

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The Secret Floor Das geheime Stockwerk

Karli (11) discovers that he can travel in time in his parents’ hotel, to a secret floor in 1938. He befriends the Jewish girl Hannah and the shoeshine boy Georg. Together they solve an exciting criminal case and Karli realizes, that a shadow lies over the world of his new friends.

Director Norbert Lechner Screenwriter Antonia Rothe Liermann, Katrin Milhahn Production companies KEVIN LEE Film Filmgesellschaft mbH Production country Germany, Austria, Luxembourg Language German Original story Target audience 8+ Duration 95’ Genre Fantasy, historical Type Live action

Synopsis

Karli (11) moves to the Alps, where his parents have fulfilled their dream of owning their own hotel. But the renovation of the former grand hotel drags on through the whole of the summer holidays.

Karli finds himself helping his parents scrape off all the old wallpaper.

Whilst prowling the hotel he discovers that he can make one of the old lifts stop at a strange floor. Here the hotel operations are in full swing and it is full of life ... but it is also the year 1938! Karli is invisible on this secret floor and can move around. But wait - he is not invisible to everyone! The children on the secret floor can definitely see him. Karli befriends the bright Hannah, a little Jewish girl on holiday in the hotel, and Georg, the little shoeshine boy. The three of them form a gang. But Karli doesn’t dare tell his friends what he has learned in 2023 about what happened in 1938, and why it is vital that Hannah doesn’t return to Berlin.

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Total budget €5.500.000 Financing in place • Film Fund Luxemburg €1.380.000 • Austrian Film Institute €1.597.000 • Austrian national public broadcaster €85.000 • Filmfonds Salzburg €50.000 • Filmförderung Niederösterreich €80.000 • MG Distributor Austria Polyfilm €3.000 • Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung €100.000 • Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien €500.000 • Magic Media €250.000,00 • World Sales Playmaker €50.000 • MG Distributor Germany Farbfilm €10.000 • MG Frijus €10.000 • TV Coproduction ARD €400.000 • Equities €101.000

When Georg is wrongly accused of theft and sacked, his new friends decide to help him by finding the real crook. And so, the three find that strange things are happening within the walls of the hotel. Is the handsome gigolo Bruno a jewellery thief? And is Hannah’s father in cahoots with him? The children decide to solve the puzzle and discover that behind the hotel’s facade there is a secret being hidden.

Director’s statement

As we lose the last contemporary witnesses, the Third Reich is turning from a shared living memory into history. And it is certainly no coincidence that radical right-wing currents are suddenly gaining popularity again throughout Europe as they haven’t for a long time. As the horrors fade away, right-wing ideas suddenly become acceptable again.

This makes it all the more important to teach today’s children to confront the National Socialist era and to address tolerance and acceptance of other cultures, ethnicities and lifestyles at an early age. But how do we educate our children about this terrible time in Europe and at the same time protect them from inhumane details?

Our idea was simple: we place a child from today into the time of National Socialism. And we quickly realised that this approach enables more than just empathy: Karli is invisible to all adults in 1938, he gets up to mischief and discovers secrets. He makes friends and solves an exciting detective case. He fights for his new friends and his convictions and soon also looks at his own life in 2023 with different eyes.

Karli acts as a kind of probe in our story. With him, we dive into a foreign world and uncover its secrets piece by piece. In this way, we can discuss a relevant topic in a film without ever leaving the child’s perspective.

Director’s biography

Company profile

KEVIN LEE Filmgesellschaft mbH develops and produces feature films for children and young people. Producer and director Norbert Lechner founded KEVIN LEE Film in 1990. The productions of KEVIN LEE Film were presented at festivals worldwide, such as Berlinale, Festival Giffoni and Fifem Montreal and won multiple awards, such as Gilde Film Award Best Children’s Film, Film Critique Award - Best Children’s Film for Tom und Hacke and Audience Award at Fifem Montreal and Children’s Media Award Der weiße Elefant for Ente Gut!.

Founded in Luxembourg in 1995 and in Vienna in 2001, Amour Fou Luxembourg and Amour Fou Vienna, realise artistically exceptional features, documentaries and short films for the international market with international and, most frequently, European partners. Throughout the process Amour Fou stands for vision and pushing the envelope, whether regarding aesthetics, production or distribution strategies. The focus is on European independent auteur cinema and the distinctive ‘handwriting’ of the directors who work with Amour Fou. The associate partners of Amour Fou Vienna and Amour Fou Luxembourg are Bady Minck and Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu.

Goals at JCM

Finding co-production/co-financing partners.

Previous work in ScreeningClub

Tom Sawyer and His Friends (2012), feature film, Norbert Lechner (director & producer) Fortune Favours the Brave (2016), feature film, Norbert Lechner (director & producer)

Representatives at JCM Norbert Lechner, director André Fetzer, co-producer

Norbert Lechner (1961) is screenwriter, director and producer. He graduated in German, philosophy and art history. During his studies he founded the production company KEVIN LEE Film. In 1985 he directed his first short film Bauchwunde. In 1991 he directed and produced his first feature film Wounded Faces. He worked as a screenwriter for radio and TV and directed/produced the documentary Seduction (1996).

His children’s feature films Toni Goldwascher (2007), Tom und Hacke (2012) and Ente Gut! (2016) won many awards. In 2019 he shot the award-winning feature film Zwischen Uns Die Mauer.

Contact details

Norbert Lechner bert.lechner@kevinlee.de +49 8972669880

The Secret of The Dragon Fellowship Tajna zmajeve družine

Setting off into a mysterious treasure hunt devised by a wise antiquarian, a group of children recover an ancient artifact. During their adventure the children learn the value of solidarity, friendship, and heritage.

Director Vanja Hovan Screenwriter Milan V. Puzic, Uros Petrovic, Vanja Hovan Production companies Biberche productions Production country Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Belgium, Slovakia, The Netherlands Co-production company Palchica productions, Maxima Film, Bela Film, Kwassa Films Language Serbian, English Original story Target audience 7+ Duration 80’ Genre Adventure, family Type Live action

Synopsis

Munja, Ana and Luka make up the children’s team participating in summer games until they get a call from Sveta - the owner of an antiques shop. This marks the beginning of the greatest adventure of their life.

Given that he has no children of his own and that he believes that his end is near, Sveta summons his next of kin - his niece Antonija and his nephew Lazar (a.k.a. Kralj), as well as Munja, a boy without parents and his protégé for many years. Sveta ingeniously organizes a search for a mysterious and priceless object. The first to unravel all the clues and solve all the riddles is to inherit both the antique shop and the mystifying object - the Golden Medallion of the Order of the Knights of the Dragon - the greatest legend among historians in this part of the world.

Total budget €1.155.017 Financing in place • Creative Europe €45.000 • Film Centre Serbia €2.542 • Film Centre Serbia €177.966 • Municipality of Novi Sad €25.424 • Group M, Motion Content Group €100.000 • Vision team €100.00 • VFX & CGI in kind €100.000 • Cinesseum, SVOD €10.000 • Taramount films €25.000

Three teams pursue the same goal, each from their own perspective and for their own motives. Munja and his friends Ana and Luka face the adventure candidly and childishly - completely unaware of any dark forces. Antonija is consciously motivated by her future, whilst Lazar seeks shortcuts - determined to be triumphant at any cost. Laughter, suspense and discoveries entwined with searching for clues and solving riddles in mysterious places introduce us to yet another force - crucial to leading the chosen one to victory. Why yes... Love!

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Director’s statement

Due to the increasingly faster paced lives of their parents, and the increasingly open and accessible media space, today’s children and young people are directed towards the loudest, but not necessarily the highest-quality role models. Since in educational contexts, this social group tends to embrace moving images rather than written content, the objective of the film The Secret of the Dragon Fellowship is to divert their attention from electronic games to a summer road movie adventure that will draw them into adventures beyond the room and the PC - or even better, in conjunction with them and into a ‘real life’ type of entertainment that enriches their life. This way, the audience is left entertained and can take home both emotions and some new knowledge related to history, geography, or cultural heritage.

Through a series of ‘outdoor’ adventures (solving puzzles given to them by the antiquarian Sveta and by collecting clues in different locations), the young heroes will introduce the audience (and remind their parents) of the European heritage and cultural content that surrounds them. Most of all the film should remind us that towering above all earthly things are togetherness, friendship, and of course – love.

Company profile

Biberche is a production company based in Belgrade, Serbia (2008), founded by Nikolina Vucetic-Zecevic, producer and Dejan Zecevic, director. The company is committed to an international cinema, working with experienced directors and emerging talents, defending a strong collaboration between the producers and the directors. Our films are present in festivals such as Cannes, Venice, San Sebastian, Busan, Karlovy Vary, Sarajevo... Our filmography includes award-wining titles: Carbide directed

by Josip Zuvan, 2022 (San Sebastian); After the Winter directed by Ivan Bakrac, 2021 (Karlovi Vary); In The Dusk directed by Sharunas Bartas, 2019 (Cannes, San Sebastian); The Enemy directed by Dejan Zecevic, 2011 (Montreal, Busan).

Goals at JCM

We are looking for co-producers, world sales, as well as broadcasting representatives.

Representatives at JCM

Vanja Hovan, director Nikolina Vucetetic-Zecevic, producer

The Secret of the Dragon’s Fellowship refers to Hollywood children’s films (The Goonies - for the atmosphere and genre, ET the Extra Terrestrial - for the emotionality of the characters, Thrashin’ and BMX Bandits - for action and excitement).

Director’s biography

Vanja Hovan completed bachelor’s and master’s studies at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, at the Department of Directing. Vanja graduated from the School of Education and Communication (Jonkoping University) in Leadership and Developmental Youth Work in 2005. He was employed at RTV Vojvodina as a director, with emphasis on children’s programs.

Since then, he has directed over 600 television shows, of which about 450 are for children.

Contact details

Nikolina Vucetic-Zecevic nikolina@biberche.com +38 1698700007

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SERIES

Children of Water Los Niños del agua (season 2)

Kids from all over the world discover and share knowledge from ancient civilizations to protect the most important treasure left to them: water.

Director Joy Penroz Screenwriter Joy Penroz, Sylvain Grain Production companies Raki Films Production country Chile, Colombia Co-production company RTVC Señal Colombia Language Spanish Original story Target audience 11+ Duration 6 x 27’ Genre Education, ecology Type Documentary, animation

Total budget €350.000 Financing in place • Distributor MG €35.000

Synopsis

Heritage can bring solutions to a more sustainable future. According to the UN, at least one in four people are likely to live in a country affected by freshwater shortages by 2050. In Children of Water, kids from all over the world share precious knowledge to protect the most important treasure left to them by their ancestors: water. Each episode is taking place in a different country, focusing on a specific water conservation tradition and featuring one kid who invites us to discover how to revive the ancient connection between humans and water.

The episodes of the first season led us to the jungle of Yucatan in Mexico, in the mountains of Cusco in Peru, at the heart of Colombian paramos, from the foot of volcanoes in Chile, in the Sine-Saloum delta in Senegal and in the oasis of Tafilalet in Morocco. In the second season, we will explore the mythical island of Rapa Nui, the Roman water heritage in Italy, the rice terraces of the Hani people in China and the first nations of Canada among other destinations to be confirmed.

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Director’s statement

I come from the mountains of southern Chile where water is both abundant and endangered, the subject of a constant struggle in which conservation and profit intersect. I have been involved for many years in local associations that fight to defend water, their territory and their natural heritage against private interests and hydroelectric dam projects, which unfortunately we see growing too much in Latin America, at the expense of the local population.

I grew up in contact with the Mapuche indigenous communities of Araucanía and had the opportunity to get to know other native cultures around the world through my work. These experiences allowed me to discover a common awareness of nature as well as a keen sense of the value of water and the importance of protecting this vital resource.

I chose to tell Children of Water through the eyes and stories of children around the world because I believe that children have the power to create a new awareness among human beings, about nature and the resources of our planet. In my opinion, a child can convince all kinds of audiences more than anyone else, setting an example through action for a better society.

My aim is to promote the care of water through a positive and hopeful message, rescuing the knowledge of ancestral cultures regarding the management of this vital resource.

Director’s biography

Joy Penroz is a Chilean filmmaker from the Araucania region who studied at the Universidad de las Artes de Yucatán in Mexico and the Center for Cinematographic Studies of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain, where she majored in Film Direction. After working as an editor for television, production manager and director of audio-visual projects in Mexico, Spain and Chile, she directed her own short films, Happy Easter (2011), and El Salto de la Princesa (2012). Co-founder of Raki Films, she is the co-creator and director of Raki’s first documentary series Children of Water, and is currently developing her feature debut, Blue Mountain.

Company profile

Raki Films is a production company from southern Chile that develops and produces projects for cinema, television and new media, focusing on environmental issues and native cultures.

Goals at JCM

Our goal is to learn more about the market, trends and players of children’s content and meeting with potential partners, both for season 2 of our series and for future productions currently in development. After a first season taking place in Latin America and Africa, we are looking for financing and production partners from North America, Europe and Asia as the second season will focus on these territories.

Whether it be in this project or our new series and feature projects to come, we aim to tell the world stories from South America, which are inspired by native culture and appeal to international audiences.

Previous work in Screening Club

Children of Water - Episode 4 Chile, Araucania, (2023), series, Joy Penroz (director), Raki Films (production company) Princess Falls (2012), short film, Joy Penroz (director), Raki Films (production company)

Representatives at JCM Sylvain Grain, producer

Contact details

Sylvain Grain sylvain.grain@gmail.com +33 673822322

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Firsts Primeras

Firsts is an animated series which depicts the lives of 13 women from around the world. They are passionate and brave, and in trying to achieve their dreams, become pioneers in areas previously reserved for men, such as sports, science and the arts.

Director Paloma Mora, Bambú Orellana Screenwriter Elena Gobernado, María Mínguez, Noelia Martínez, Guadalupe Sáez, Catalina Fontecilla, Javier Risco, Michelle Redón, Bárbara Salinas, Bambú Orellana Production companies TV ON Producciones Production country Spain, Chile Co-production company Admirable Films, TYPPO Creative Lab Language Spanish Based on real events Target audience 9+ Duration 13 x 11’ Genre Mockumentary Type Animation

Total budget €1.600.000 Financing in place €800.000

Synopsis

Firsts is a series of 13 self-conclusive 11-minute episodes. Each episode tells the story of a woman, from a different time and country. These women pursued their dreams and achieved being ‘the firsts’ to find success in an area, such as the arts, science, culture, sport or social movements, which until then were restricted to only men. Even though there will be coherence in the selection criteria that are applied when choosing each of these women, each episode is different since it will explore a different culture, time, country and challenge. Firsts is an anthology animated series for children 9+ and their families. The series tells us the stories of girls and women pioneering different fields that until then were occupied exclusively by men.

Each episode is about a different woman, from a different country, time and with a different dream.

These stories are based on true events, but are fictionalized to be entertaining, subtle and dynamic.

We also use documentary conventions, such as on-camera interviews with the main and secondary characters. This is to deepen the social struggles of these girls or women and their internal struggles, their insecurities, their determinations and above all their hopes.

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Director’s statement

Company profile

The series will be co-directed by a woman (Paloma Mora, Spain) and a man (Bambú Orellana, Chile) in the first season, with a double vision and concept.

The series will be co-produced by Spain and Chile.

The first season will feature a carefully selected group of women from all co-producing countries.

The first 13 protagonists were chosen to bring them closer to the youngest generation. The protagonists of the following seasons will be selected with shared criteria. The directors have a responsibility in selecting the women chosen as protagonists and in the production style, aiming to be faithful to the vital reality of these women who lived and faced obstacles and difficulties. The series aims to do justice to those women who were forgotten and silenced, but who are responsible for opening the way for new generations of women throughout history.

Goals at JCM

Firsts is a 2D animated series consisting of 13 episodes of 11 minutes that aims to value women who overcame the rules of their society. The series explores the history of women from various fields, such as science, sports, culture, medicine, and social movements, and highlights the constant change in society. The series uses the mockumentary genre in animation to create an attractive narrative and visually appealing show that highlights the contributions of women from all over the world to society. Firsts is an excellent educational resource for children to learn about history and see themselves represented in funny, dreamy, and determined characters.

Director’s biography

Paloma Mora is a member of the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain, Member of the Academy of Television and Audiovisual Arts and Sciences and Member of ACE Leadership Special.

CEO and producer at TV ON Producciones (2000) she began to produce feature films such as En temporada baja, Brava, El Amor no es lo que era, Un suave olor a canela, Comida para gatos, The Other Shoe, Batega, #Indestructible, Valentes, Tierra Quemada, Tierra sin mal. Since 2017, she has produced and directed animated series: Sex Symbols, Trazo Crítico and El Diario de Bita y Cora and shorts such as El Criptozoólogo and Proceso de Selección. She is currently developing feature length fiction projects such as L’Aguait and Nena, fiction series such as Favàritx and El Descubrimiento de Europa and animated series such as Firsts.

TV ON Producciones is an audio-visual production company located in Spain. It was founded in 2000, with the producer Paloma Mora as the CEO and Producer, alongside a professional team with a long trajectory in the audio-visual field.

For two decades we have produced content for both cinema and TV: feature films, fiction and animation TV Series, entertainment shows, animated and fiction short films some of which are co-produced both in Spain and internatio­nally and distributed worldwide. We develop and produce our own IPs and we offer international production services to produce in Spain.

Our goals are international pre-sales of our TV series and the search for partners for international co-production to further advance the series.

Previous work in ScreeningClub

Critical Line (2023), series, Paloma Mora (director), TV ON Producciones (production company) Sex Symbols (2023), series, Paloma Mora (director), TV ON Producciones (production company)

Representatives at JCM Paloma Mora, director Victoria Pérez, producer

Contact details

Victoria Pérez de la Cruz admirablefilmsproduccion@gmail.com +34 648270930

Mia Moké

Somewhere in an African village, a witty little girl and her friends fight against secret traffic linked to a relocated factory to try and protect their local environment.

Director Jérémie Becquer, Julien Becquer, Karim Gadjigo Screenwriter Karim Gadjigo, Louise Dubois Production companies Special Touch Studios Production country France, Senegal, Cameroon, Luxembourg Co-production company African Touch Studios, Ozemnia, Paul Thiltges Distributions Language French, Wolof Original story Target audience 6+ Duration 52 x 13’ Genre Adventure Type Animation

Synopsis

The adventures of Mia Moké, a little girl with a strong character, who with the help of her friends, Kouko and Diko, has taken on the mission of protecting the nature that surrounds them.

Especially since the construction of the brick factory next to the village threatens the environment. The factory director and Kalis, his henchman, have to be careful!

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Total budget €1.170.500 Financing in place • Fonds de la jeune creation Francophone (Production) €72.000 • Fonds de la jeune creation Francophone (Development) €10.000 • Pictanovo €15.000 • Procirep Angoa €16.500 • Region Sud €7.000

Director’s statement

In today’s African villages, the clash between modernity and tradition is undeniable, a central narrative that cannot be ignored. Medieval-style carts, brimming with straw, led by chatty carters, all the while engrossed in animated conversations on smartphones with colleagues from far-away counties... Hidden in the village depths, there are these improbable playrooms where scores of energetic children engage in console-hacked football tournaments, their voices echoing in delight. Then there’s the effervescent surrounding cell phones and phone credit, mercilessly depleting housewives’ wallets, yet offering a precious link to distant families and friends who’ve migrated to the capital. The disturbance sown by these tiny windows open to mass consumption in impoverished villages is palpable, luring inhabitants with its brilliant bait.

This is the essence of African villages today, where modern tools collide with precarious lives, dictated by the elements and dwindling environmental resources. This contrast serves as fertile ground for storytelling, giving rise to humour, laughter, emotion, suspense, and profound reflection on our own circumstances. Love, friendship, human connections, generational gaps, and life itself takes on deeper significance in this backdrop.

Enter Mia Moké, a narrative that plunges us into the heart of this clash, where the environment bears the brunt of modernity’s relentless pursuit, often at nature’s expense. Our young protagonist observes with a discerning and enlightened eye.

She endeavours to educate her community and village residents, and indeed, children worldwide, in her quest for balance and respect for life’s intricacies, all through stories that mirror her own experiences.

Director’s biography

For 25 years, Karim Gadjigo has worked in advertising as a creative developer, offering expertise in communication strategies, brand creation, image strategies, and graphic design.

He has conducted impactful training for executives at African multinationals. Karim is the creator behind Mia Moké, a transmedia universe, and brand. This innovative program spans an African edutainment app on IOS and Android, an animated series, and upcoming offerings promoting environmental awareness and sustainable development for children aged five to ten. His ambition is to foster African projects, harnessing diverse resources to nurture new heroes and drive economic growth through these compelling characters.

Company profile

Special Touch Studios is a production company with an ambition to renew the imagination by proposing other views on the world.

An editorial line focused on Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, urban cultures and the emergence of talents carrying strong stories with a universal dimension.

Goals at JCM

We are looking for all types of partners.

Representatives at JCM

Karim Gadjigo, director & screenwriter Marion Boffelli, producer

Contact details

Anthony Assaf aassaf@specialtouchstudio.com +33 671505180

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Monsterberry Jam Школа для Малих Чудовиськ

What if all heroes and monstrosities from the legends and myths were real and were your neighbours?

Director Roman Kepkalo Screenwriter Roman Kepkalo Production companies Yarki Production country Ukraine Language Ukrainian, English Original story Target audience 5+ Duration 26 x 11’ Genre Comedy, fantasy Type Animation

Total budget €3.000.000 Financing in place • Ukrainian State Film Agency €800.000

Synopsis

The boy Matthew was forced to move with his mum to the small town “Monsterberry”. Matt is depressed by these changes. It seems to be terribly boring here in Monsterberry, there’s nothing to do.

But the first day at school surprised and impressed him. He found out that all the students actually are real monsters of mystical legends. Monster-children learn here how to live in a modern world and how to look and behave like normal people.

Matt decided to stay in Monsterberry and explore the magical creatures. He wants fame and a million followers. First, he sees monsters as a tool to achieve his goal, but after all he eventually finds his real friends here.

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Director’s statement

We want to create an original product which stays on the following bases: Firstly, emotions and fears have an incredible power in kids’ relationships, so they are like real magic.

In Monsterberry, feelings, fears and emotions lead to magical transformations. Here you can see and interact with them as with living creatures.

Secondly, the characters of Slavic myths and legends are used as heroes that the viewer encounters every day. During the project preparation we researched more than two hundred myths and legends. We selected 12 creatures that cover the 12 most common archetypes the best.

Third, even if each character has a different goal, different tempo, unique strong features, and their own weaknesses, all this difference does not separate the heroes, but on the contrary, interacting harmoniously, they can strengthen each other and make it more fun.

And finally, the main character does not have any supernatural abilities, but solves magical and supernatural problems with his intellect, humour, friendly and brave behaviour. The most powerful weapon for him are extraordinary human qualities!

Company profile

Yarki is a Ukrainian company making game art and animation. We create appealing, kind, educational and developing content for children - animated TV series, games and interactive stories. Our team has years of experience, passion for cartoons and a love for entertainment.

Goals at JCM

We aim to pitch our project and share our inspiration about it; to gather feedback (as we’re in development phase), find co-development and co-producing partners; to network with producers and get to know about their brand development strategies.

Previous work in ScreeningClub Purple Pin (2019), series, Roman Kepkalo (director), Yana Palamarenko (producer), Yarki Kids/Studio (production company)

Representatives at JCM Roman Kepkalo, director Yana Palamarenko, producer

Director’s biography

Roman Kepkalo works as a film director, art-director, artist and script writer. He graduated from Lund University, (Sweden) in 2008 with a master’s in Industrial Design, and from the Light Film School (USA) film directing scholarship in 2017.

Since 2012 Roman is a co-founder and Creative Director at Yarki Studio – creative production studio of animated and game content.

Roman is the Director and Art Director of the following TV series and short films: • Purple Pin - 3D animated TV series • Summer Kingdom - 2D animated series • The Trap - 2D short animation • Monsterberry Jam (formerly School for Little Monsters) - animated series, in development

Contact details

Yana Palamarenko yana.palamarenko@yarkistudio.com +38 0681067867

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Odd Adventures of Ninja and Bibby Niezwykłe przygody Ninjy i Bubiś

Two pug sisters and companions of a good witch go on a mission to save the day in a world of sword & sorcery!

Director Piotr Różycki Production companies Laniakea Pictures Production country Poland Language English, Polish Based on an original idea by Konrad K. Mrozik Target audience 7+ Duration 52 x 11’ Genre Adventure, comedy Type Animation

Total budget €5.000.000 Financing in place • Polish Film Institute Development grant €132.060

Synopsis

Ninja and Bibby are pug sisters and the familiars of Yga, a witch-veterinarian with a heart for helping animals. With the aid of Yga’s magical powers and arcane knowledge, these two embark on thrilling missions to procure unique ingredients for magical elixirs. Each quest transports them to a world of legends come alive, where they encounter mysterious artifacts and are often surprised by unexpected consequences. But the road to success is not without danger. In addition to facing terrifying monsters, the pugs must also outsmart their feline nemesis, Balthazar. This Persian cat and embodiment of all flaws is obsessed with getting his paws on the Book of All Spells, the most precious magical item owned by the pug sisters.

Throughout their trials and triumphs, Ninja and Bibby will navigate a world brimming with danger and enchantment. They unveil the secrets of the mystical realm and gain a profound appreciation for animals, all while learning the value of kindness…And with themes of sisterly love and friendship woven throughout, this series will capture the hearts of kids!

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Director’s statement

One of the key elements that sets our series apart is the genre-driven richness of the visual side.

Through meticulous attention to detail in the art direction, we will create a visually stunning world that seamlessly blends magical landscapes, mystical creatures, and epic adventures. The world of the series invites the viewer to discover the vibrant and enchanting realm.

In addition to the captivating visuals, Odd Adventures of Ninja and Bibby embraces the humour and comedy. The series will be filled with hilarious and unexpected moments, featuring cleverly timed physical humour and absurd situations. By incorporating slapstick gags, I will aim to elicit laughter, creating a light-hearted and enjoyable atmosphere that will resonate with viewers of all ages.

To bring this comedic vision to life, the animation will be snappy, vibrant, and full of energy. The characters’ movements will be exaggerated, their expressions will be larger than life, and the action sequences will be dynamic and fast-paced.

Company profile

Laniakea Pictures is a production company specialized in developing smart entertainment projects that tell compelling, thought-provoking stories that evoke a range of emotions in our viewers. Our commitment lies in creating fresh, immersive worlds inhabited by intriguing characters capable of seamlessly crossing into various media platforms.

Goals at JCM

Participating in the Junior Coproduction Market will offer the project an opportunity to be presented to the industry professionals specialized in children’s content. We will access diverse creative perspectives and potential partnerships.

We also look forward to networking opportunities with industry professionals, facilitating co-production deals and accessing distributors and broadcasters.

As the director’s main aim is to craft a series that combines the allure of sword and sorcery with the timeless appeal of a character-centred story about the mighty power of sisterhood. I aim to create an animated series that is visually stunning, funny, and highly entertaining. It is my sincere hope that viewers will be enchanted by the world we have created and find themselves laughing and cheering as they follow the adventures of our lovable pug sisters.

Representatives at JCM

Director’s biography

Contact details

Piotr Różycki is an experienced animation director, graphic designer, storyboard and animation artist.

He also develops his artistic skills through architecture, carpentry, craftsmanship, creating sets and creating stories that can captivate the viewer.

Fascinated by the technique of puppet animation, he began a journey through the world of animation, creating his own short films and video installations.

He was one of the directors on a 52-episode series Hug me and the pilot episode of The Town Called Mamoko that is now in development.

Zofia Jaroszuk, producer Konrad K. Mrozik, creator

Zofia Jaroszuk zofia@laniakea.pictures +48 509326587

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ORF

Take your best toy and enter the forbidden plain.

Director Jan Cechl Screenwriter Eva Prchalová Production companies Kuli Film Production country Czech Republic, Portugal, France Language Czech, Polish, French Original story Target audience 8+ Duration 13 x 13’ Genre Fantasy Type Animation

Synopsis

Total budget €6.149.000 Financing in place • Czech Film Fund €40.000 • Studio Anima €5.000 • Kuli Film €10.000 • Have a Nice Day €10.000 • One to One Films €10.000

The boy Orf lives with his pulling wooden duck, Professor, in the town of Glaucous. The city is full of grey gnomes who follow strict rules. Orf tries not to stand out, but he is simply different. Beyond the city is an area called the Dreaded Plain, where entry is forbidden. When he meets the ethereal girl, Lina, he feels intense excitement and embarks on a journey into the unknown. This is a puppet series about an initiation journey of a little boy. A story full of imagination and a celebration of freedom, which also has the highest educational qualities.

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Director’s statement

Orf was originally born from the need to see a children’s series, which is not limited by the logic of adults, but is based on a child’s imagination.

Children do not distinguish between what really exists and what does not, because they make their own rules. As children, we played with various toys, combining a chewed-up plastic doll with a teddy bear and acting out a spectacular story on the level of the sinking of the Titanic. And that is exactly the way the world of Orf should be viewed.

Fun must not be lost to too much wisdom.

Orf ’s world has its own logic, which is close to a child’s game, but is not burdened by the rules of reality. Orf is a curious child and his adventures in the forbidden world beyond the school awaken the imagination. In that world, no distinction is made between fairy-tale characters, people, toys or animals. Orf’s alter ego is a pragmatic wooden duck - the Professor. The toy that everyone knows from childhood turns here into an opponent, a bodyguard and a friend who discourages him from dangerous adventures. Orf is unknowingly running away from the run-of-the-mill, limited and myopic world of civilization’s “pen”.

Little by little, one realises that things are not black and white and that there is not a recipe for every situation. Individual freedom, the pursuit of the chimera, responsibility, true friendship, our imperfection, the right to be wrong .

Company profile

Film and television producer Radim Procházka founded Kuli Film in 2019 as a new professional background for his mostly arthouse documentary, fiction, and animated films. In the new company, he continues his successful more than 15 yearlong activity under the Produkce Radim Procházka brand, which released 20 feature films and received many Czech and international awards. A big part of our track record is films for children and youth as well as animations, such as Charlie The Snowman’s Christmas Wedding, awarded the Audience Award at Biennale of Animation in Bratislava and released

by KMBC in French cinemas.

Goals at JCM

We are looking for feedback from the target audience and experts. Further we would like to position ourselves on the European market and connect with foreign co-producers representing/ financing talents. We are also looking for market money to cover financing of sales company, MG and pre-sales.

Representatives at JCM Jan Cechl, director Radim Procházka, producer

Director’s biography

Jan Cechl was born into a family of academic painters dedicated to restoration. At Prague’s film school FAMU, he studied animation direction in the workshop of Břetislav Pojar and Pavel Koutský.

Thanks to the controversial puppet film Bloody Merry Christmas, he earned the post of a punk of the fallen genres. In addition to author’s works, in the past he made a living as a self-promo producer editing and directing trailers for Czech commercial televisions. With the Portuguese, he is now finishing the short puppet animated doc Lawrence of Moravia. In Studio Anima he is animating the feature film Babu in the Night City and developing the children’s animated series Orf.

Contact details

Radim Procházka radim@radimprochazka.com +42 0603862161

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Tata

A turtle, a stick insect and a rhinoceros beetle set out every day on new adventures to explore the outdoors and learn about the nature that surrounds them.

Director Celia Catunda, Kiko Mistrorigo Screenwriter Rita Catunda Production companies Pinguim Content Production country Brazil Language English Original story Target audience 3+ Duration 26 x 11’ Genre Adventure Type Animation

Synopsis

Tata’s beloved library is full of the most fascinating stories of exotic places and animals. But reading about them just isn’t enough so, together with her two best friends, Tata sets out every day on a new adventure.

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Total budget €2.100.000 Financing in place • K&C – Programação Visual €50.000 • Ministério da Cultura €60.000 • TV Cultura Brazil €100.000

Director’s statement

Tata is a series about adventure and the importance of facing challenges in search of the unknown. Tata doesn’t know how to read, but she has a fantastic imagination! Whatever she sees in her books gets her wondering and creating the most wonderful stories, and then she invites her best friends to join in the adventure. For example, one day, when they were looking for the Samurai Porcupine Tata had seen in her book, they actually ended up meeting a very nice porcupine, who was trying hard to make friends that wouldn’t run away from him. In their encounters, the new friends are quite different and will always surprise them in wonderful ways.

The moment Tata creates stories for the images in her books is an ode to imagination. Inspired by true animals, we will exaggerate some of their characteristics, thus providing a unique interpretation of reality and introducing fantastical elements.

At preschool age, children are learning to get out of their homes and spend longer periods away from their parents, facing the unknown at school and in the world. Tata will show our viewers that embracing the unknown and adapting to new situations can lead to personal growth and increase their strength.

Director’s biography

Celia and Kiko are founders of Pinguim Content.

Together, they created and directed more than 400 hours of animation for TV and theatres, including the feature film Tarsilinha and the award-winning series Fishtronaut and Earth to Luna!, with season 8 now in production.

Company profile

Pinguim Content is a leading animation studio and IP management company in Brazil, with expertise across development and production of quality content, distribution, product licensing and marketing. We have provided films and series for Discovery Kids, NBC, Tiny Pop, Cartoon Network, Disney, PTS, TVO, SVT, Iqiyi, Netflix, Al Jazeera Kids and Globo, among others. Our biggest hits to date are the Emmy nominated science show Earth to Luna! and the high-rating series Fishtronaut (104 x 12’).

Goals at JCM

Our goal is to find an international co-production partner who can add their expertise to the project in post-production and dubbing, as well as access to international funds. We are also looking at the European market (broadcasters, platforms and distributors) for pre-licensing opportunities, to complement what has already been secured in Brazil in terms of financing and exhibition.

Previous work in ScreeningClub

Tarsilinha in the World of Colors (2021), feature film, Celia Catunda, Kiko Mistrorigo (directors) The Charlie Shepherd Show (2019), series, Celia Catunda, Kiko Mistrorigo (directors)

Representatives at JCM Patrick Bruha, Producer

Contact details

Patrick Bruha patrick@tvpinguim.com +55 11986433100

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WORKS IN PROGRESS

Block 5 Blok 5

One person alone can’t change anything.

Director Klemen Dvornik Screenwriter Dora Šustić Production companies A Atalanta Production country Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Serbia Co-production company Antitalent, BFIlm, LivingPictures Language Slovenian, Croatian, Bosnian Original story Target audience 9+ Duration 80’ Genre Family Type Live action

Synopsis

Total budget €1.253.294 Financing in place • Slovenian Film Fund €551.200 • Czech Film Fund €86.314 • Film Center Serbia €34.379 • Croatian Avdiovisual Fund €75.000 • Media €30.000 • Eurimages €150.000 • RTV Slovenia €100.000

Alma (12) and her father, Filip, have relocated to a new apartment following the passing of Alma’s mother, a photojournalist and an environmental activist. Alma has issues with the local group of young skaters led by the short-tempered, feisty Luna (12) who bullies her and doesn’t give her a break. When Alma finds out that the construction company where Filip works as an engineer plan to demolish their playground and build a parking lot, she becomes interested in Luna and the group. The battle over the playground evolves into a conflict about unity and forgiveness.

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Director’s statement

Digital natives, our target audience, are the first generation that have been exposed to the internet, social networks and mobile phones from their earliest age. Nowadays when communication and life has moved to virtual reality, we feel that a film about outdoor play, analogue friendship and community is needed more than ever.

The demolition of a playground for the sake of construction is a modern-day allegorical parable on how, in the name of progress, we tend to forget what we are losing. As the pure and honest conscience of society, who embody community resistance, the children emplace a mirror to ultimately come up with a balanced solution that works for everyone.

Director’s biography

Klemen Dvornik (1977) is a film director from Slovenia. He holds a degree in Film and TV directing from the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT) in Ljubljana. He has directed music videos, commercials, live music concerts, entertainment shows and documentaries. He has directed five short films, five TV series and two full-length feature films. He has received numerous awards for his work. His latest work was TV series The Lake which premiered at Sarajevo Film Festival 2019.

In addition to directing, he is also an active member of the Directors Guild of Slovenia and was Chair Executive Committee of FERA. He is also the father of two sons.

Company profile

A Atalanta is an independent film production company based in Ljubljana. It is owned by Branislav Srdic. It focuses on the production of feature films. In addition to equipment rental, it also provides services for shootings in Slovenia and other Balkan countries. Over the last five years, it (co-)produced six shorts, as well as several features and TV series, in particular Paradise-A Second Life (2019) by Davide Del Degan, King Petar the First (2018), the feature and subsequent TV series of 10 episodes by Petar Ristovski and the short Sisters (2021) by Kukla which received a grand-prix at Clermont-Ferrand.

Goals at JCM

We are searching partners for post-production in field of visual effects, festivals, sales and broadcasters.

Representatives at JCM Klemen Dvornik, director

Contact details

Barbara Daljavec barbara@aatalanta.si +38 651338634

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Fox and Hare Save the Forest Vos en haas redden het bos

One day, Fox and Hare find that Owl has disappeared. They search the forest to find him, but instead they discover a big lake that wasn’t there before.

They must go and find Owl, who is somewhere out there on the rapidly rising water... It is the start of an exciting and fun adventure.

Director Mascha Halberstad Screenwriter Fabie Hulsebos Production companies Submarine, Walking The Dog, Doghouse Films Production country Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg Language English (dubbed in Dutch, Flemish and French) Based on the book Vos & Haas en de bosbaas written by Sylvia Vanden Heede and illustrated by The Tjong-Khing Target audience Family Duration 70’ Genre Adventure, comedy, preschool, family, children Type Animation

Synopsis

Total budget €6.000.000 Financing in place fully financed • Netherlands Film Fund • Film Fund Luxembourg • CoBO • KRO-NCRV • Abraham Tuschinski Fund • VAF • Screen Flanders • Eurimages • Tax shelter financing

In a large clearing in the forest, Beaver, a short furry animal with a large ego, inaugurates his masterwork: a dam. With the help of two Rats, he blocks the flow of a small river, causing the water to rise and flood the forest. In no time, a giant lake is created. Beaver is very proud of himself, but to his great disappointment, there is no one to admire his masterwork. Elsewhere in the forest, Fox and Hare have thrown a party with their friends Tusk, Ping Wing, Jack, Seal, Mermaid and Owl. After the party, Owl returns to his tree house to sit watch, as he does every night. When he discovers strange little streams of water flowing past his tree, he panics and flees into the forest, deeper and deeper... until he reaches a big lake that was not there before. He is so shocked that he passes out on the spot. The rising water lifts him up and he floats across the lake in his orange rubber ring until he reaches the dam and is welcomed by a strange creature he has never seen before: Beaver. Beaver is delighted to have Owl with him. Finally, someone to admire him!

The next day, Fox and Hare discover that Owl is missing. They set out with their friends to find him, but instead discover the strange lake. Where has all the water come from? They realise that Owl must be somewhere on that huge expanse of water. While they search for Owl, the water is rising, threatening their homes and the forest. Beaver needs to take down the dam in order to save the forest.

But is he willing to do that and for what price?

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Director’s statement

Company profile

The story has a clear theme which brings the different story lines in the script together very nicely: friendship. There is the friendship between Fox and Hare, the friendship between all the animals in the forest, and Beaver himself, who discovers the meaning of real friendship and learns that friends are not made by impressing them with gadgets, but by acting on your feelings and making sacrifices.

Submarine released: Richard Linklater’s latest film Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood on Netflix, the second season of Submarine’s acclaimed Amazon Prime Series Undone by Bojack Horseman creators Kate Purdy and Raphael Bob Waksberg and the animated bonus episode of Netflix’ Sandman series A Dream of a Thousand Cats.

The Fox and Hare books, the first books my son read all by himself, are iconic and the illustrations

by Thé Tjong-Khing, of whom I am a great fan, are unparalleled. How to translate all this into a film?

A film about a great community of friends living in the forest. A moving film that is also funny and full of adventure. A film that children, as well as their parents, will enjoy immensely. In a way, I have come to see Fox and Hare as family. I’ve been working on the creation of these characters for more than six years now.

To me, Beaver is a very contemporary character, someone who is preoccupied with the latest techniques, the finest gadgets, all the material things, but who doesn’t know how to relate to others.

Beaver is so pleased with himself that he expects everyone to feel the same and admire him. I really enjoyed working on the series and the wonderful little universe that Sylvia and Khing created, and I simply cannot stress enough how much I love making this film.

With headquarters in Amsterdam, London and Los Angeles, Submarine is an Emmy award-winning production company that develops and produces feature films, scripted series, documentaries, animation, and transmedia projects.

Submarine’s ability to not confine to just one look or technique but putting the needs of each individual project front-and-centre, creates memorable imagery for both the big and small screen with projects that are as varied in style as in their target audiences.

Goals at JCM

Our goal is find local distributors and TV stations who would like to acquire the film.

Representatives at JCM

Mascha Halberstad, director Janneke van de Kerkhof, producer Eric Goossens, producer

Director’s biography

Director Mascha Halberstad (1973) attended the ArtEZ Art Academy in Arnhem. In 2012 she directed the short animation film Goodbye Mister De Vries, a film made in collaboration with Fiona van Heemstra and Viking Film. in 2012 she made the 13-episode animation series Picknick with Cake adapted from Thé Tjong-Khing’s books, which was broadcast by the VPRO and awarded the Cinekid Kinderkast Fiction - Jury prize 2013. After that she co-directed the Fox and Hare series. Her recent feature Oinks Revenge opened the Generation program of the Berlinale and was a success in the Dutch cinemas and was sold all around the world.

Contact details

Janneke van de Kerkhof janneke@submarine.nl +31 619344673

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Sam and Julia

Sam and Julia is a comedy animation series for preschool kids. It tells the adventures of Julia, a mouse coming from a faraway island and Sam, her friend in the mansion she now lives in.

Director Régis Vidal Production companies Cielo Films and Superswiss Red in coproduction with ZDF, ZDF Studios, France télévisions, Caribara and Mark 13 Production country France, Germany Language French Based on The Mouse Mansion Book Series Target audience 3+ Duration 78 x 7’ Genre Junior, animation, comedy Type Animation

Financing in place fully financed

Synopsis

Coming from a distant island, Julia, a cute and speedy little she-mouse, has moved into a residential building (a.k.a “The Mouse Mansion”) where she feels a bit like a stranger. She gets to meet Sam who also lives there and is a welcoming and crafty little he-mouse. Julia has her mam for only family. Sam on the contrary has a large family with mam, dad and a sibling group of six. Despite their different characters, they soon get to very much like each other.

Sam helps his new little neighbor friend to get used to her new life. The funny entertaining adventures they experience in and around The Mouse Mansion allow Julia to become ever more integrated into this new different environment. Even though she sometimes feels nostalgic about the beautiful and warm island where she was born and misses, she feels more at home day after day, surrounded by her new neighbors and friends.

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Director’s statement

When I read the wonderful Sam and Julia albums to my children, I think I was even more amazed than they were by so much detail and poetry.

So when I was asked to bring these characters to the screen, I immediately accepted. Of course, it’s a big responsibility, and I feel I’m the custodian of Karine Schaapman’s work.

But after a great deal of research and 3D work, we came up with an absolutely magnificent result.

And I think children will want to live in the Mouse House just as much as I do!

Director’s biography

Régis Vidal is the director of Sam and Julia.

He is also a graphic designer and director of numerous animation series (Petz-Club, Will, Survival Kit, Zoé & Milo).

Company profile

The Mouse Mansion Company is the company behind The Mouse Mansion and Sam and Julia, creations of Karina Schaapman based on her extraordinary life story. 15 years ago, she began building this unique world with hundreds of structures filled with houses, shops, streets, and outdoor spaces on a mouse scale. Everything is handmade from recycled materials and vintage elements. Karina’s mission has taken shape through this: to create a community where children can safely embark on adventures and learn that it is always possible to make something out of nothing.

Goals at JCM

Present the trailer and first episodes to a professional audience. ZDF studios will start the international sale of the series at the upcoming MIPCOM. We would like to get potential buyers interested.

Representatives at JCM

Ian Schaapman, managing director Manita Schaapman, managing director

Contact details

Ian Schaapman ian.schaapman@hetmuizenhuis.nl

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PROUD PARTNER OF CINEKID

WWW.FILMMORE.EU

Producers LINK Young Horizons Industry and Cinekid for Professionals have joined forces through their Producers LINK, an established programme for emerging producers of children’s content. Young Horizons Industry (previously Kids Kino Industry) is a part of Young Horizons International Film Festival, and it offers initiatives to support the development and dissemination of quality kids’ content.

The programme kicks off in October in Warsaw with Young Horizons Industry and continues in October in Amsterdam with Cinekid for Professionals.

This programme will provide the industry with a platform to present and support projects and filmmakers and discover new trends in the children’s media sector through programmes such as the Junior Co-production Market and the Industry Forum.

Both events aim to stimulate the production of high-quality kids’ content through international talent labs, co-production markets, promotion, matchmaking and exchange of knowledge through their conference programmes. Both events have been vital places for emerging production companies and producers who want to take the step into children’s productions.

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Participants of Producers LINK 2023 are: Andrej Kolencik Slovakia

Andrej is a film director, producer, and visual artist. Currently he is working as a director and producer of feature, documentary, and animated films in his own company Admiral Films. In 2014, he was selected for the Berlinale Talents programme. The films he has directed have been selected for hundreds of international film festivals and have also won dozens of awards (e.g., the Golden Egg at the Kunstendorf Film Festival), as well as at home (‘Slovak Oscar’ Sun in the Net Award).

Admiral Films Admiral Films is a film production company based in Slovakia. Founded in 2015 by film director and producer Andrej Kolencik, the company’s main aim is to produce feature films, short films, music videos and documentaries. The company range also includes animation, design and illustration. The company’s philosophy is to produce films in a sustainable and as environmentally friendly way as possible. admiral@kolencik.org

Anna Zychowicz Poland

Creative producer of smart entertainment projects. She oversees the development process at Laniakea Pictures. Graduate from Wroclaw’s Economic University, National Film School in Lodz, and Wajda School’s Creative Development Course. Recognizing the niche in the realm of genuinely captivating projects that expand the horizons of audiences, she focuses on the viewer’s needs in her role as a producer.

Laniakea Pictures Laniakea Pictures specializes in developing smart entertainment projects that tell compelling stories, provoke thought, and evoke a range of emotions from our viewers. Our company is dedicated to producing new universes with captivating characters that can evolve into multiple cross media. anna@laniakea.pictures

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Balázs Lányi Hungary

Balázs is a seasoned TV professional with over 13 years of experience in prime-time television drama. He’s been the head writer of several successful Hungarian drama series and has recently finished his first young adult series as showrunner for UFA Magyarország where he’s currently overseeing all series development. Balázs believes in cooperation and the need for a diverse creative group.

UFA Magyarország One of the longest-standing production houses in Hungary, UFA Magyarország has produced the most successful daily drama on Hungarian TV for more than two decades as well as several other daily and weekly dramas.

lanyi.balazs@ufa.hu

Krisztina Holló Leleszi Hungary

Krisztina has been a production manager and line producer in the animation film industry since 1998 in animation studios. She has been involved in production of several festival awarded feature films, series, and commercials domestically and internationally. From 2011 to 2015, she worked at the MOME Animation Department as a production manager and festival manager for international university projects and diploma films. Since 2015 she has been a professor of production skills at the Budapest Metropolitan University Animation Department in BA and MA graduates and as a production manager of diploma films.

Budapest Metropolitan University Budapest Metropolitan University provides varied knowledge that is competitive in the domestic and international labour market as well. The education is based on continuously renewing methods that are supported by educators having international experiences and an inspiring, innovative training and research environment.

hlkrisztina@yahoo.com / khollo@metropolitan.hu

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Barbora Prikaska The Czech Republic

Barbora is a graduate of FAMU in Prague, and a producer of animated projects for young audiences.

She has worked as the programme curator at the International Student Festival, Fresh Film Fest, and at the International Festival of Animated Films, Anifilm. Since 2014, she has been working as a producer at the film and television company Bionaut, where she independently develops and produces animated projects (‘Hungry Bear Tales, ‘My Name Is Edgar’, and ‘I Have a Cow, Our Piggy’).

Bionaut Bionaut is an International Emmy Award-winning film and television production company founded in 1999, based in Prague, Czech Republic. It produces film, television, and online projects across all genres. In 2015, Bionaut expanded its scope to include four new labels for specific genres: Bionaut Animation for animation, Bionaut Docs for documentaries, Bionaut Dark for genre films such as horror or thriller, and Audionaut for audio series and podcasts.

bara@bionaut.cz

Dagmara Piasecka Poland

Dagmara is a producer, line producer and post-production supervisor of various projects. For the last 9 years, she has cooperated with independent producers on art-house films, as well as with big streaming companies on commercial content. She is experienced in production of international co-productions and low-budget films.

Green Rat Production Green Rat Production is a young independent production company. We focus on stories addressed to young people and the family audience, but do not limit ourselves to a single genre.

We value a clear author’s voice and creative courage.

dagmara@greenrat.eu

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Hedda Hansson Rudi Norway

Hedda holds a degree in Film and TV from University of the Arts London (UK) and has worked in the industry for almost five years. She was a part of the producer team on the Netflix Original feature ‘Blasted’ (2022), and is currently working for Miso Film in Oslo, developing film and series projects including the children’s feature ‘One Brother Too Many’.

Miso Film Miso Film was founded in 2004 by the Danish producer duo Jonas Allen and Peter Bose. In 2019, the company was acquired by Fremantle, one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of TV programmes. Miso Film aims to create stories that will attract, inspire, surprise and entertain a global audience with talent from the world of TV series and feature films. With offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, Miso Film is behind several successful TV series and feature films across the Nordics. Having produced over 200+ hours of entertainment, the company has become a Scandinavian powerhouse.

hedda@misofilm.no

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Sivert Kalvø Harang Norway

Sivert is a Norwegian producer, based in Bergen. He works for the film production company Truewest. He is also a scriptwriter and has great experiences with facilitating and location management.

Truewest Situated on the dramatic and beautiful Norwegian western coast, our main focus is to tell stories from this region. Truewest is one of the most experienced film production companies and service providers for film productions in western Norway. We’re based in Bergen, and we love our neighbourhood; the mountains, valleys, fjords, snow and glaciers. We know the best places, the right roads and all the best people. We know the film business and the local rules. We have many years of experience, and we aim to give you the best service. sivert@truewest.no

Jelena Šoškić Montenegro

Jelena has worked as a producer and organizer of many short movies, film festivals, and events.

Currently, she works at Adria Media Magazine as an event director. She oversees planning and producing various events for magazines such as Elle, National Geographic, Sensa, etc. Also, she is developing her first short animation movie, ‘Selling the Truth’, a project supported by the Film Centre of Montenegro.

Media Solution Media Solution, is a production company that has united people with great creativity, experience, and love for audio-visual art. The employees in this production house are people from Montenegro and the region. Our mission is to work together to create something new and raise the production of audio and video material to a higher level. Our clients are the most important for us, so through teamwork we strive to achieve mutual goals. Every satisfied client is proof that we do our job in the best way and that is what we strive for. The company was founded 6 years ago and so far, has won the market with the number of satisfied customers and various works that have remained noticeable.

info@mediasolution.me / jelenasoske@gmail.com

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Lluís Ruscalleda Spain

In 2021, Lluís joined the production team at Coming Soon Films, an independent production company based in Barcelona. At Coming Soon, he acted as production supervisor of the short films ‘Iago y Tristán’ and ‘El último día’, and as associate producer for ‘Els Encantats’, winner of the best Screenplay award at Malaga Film Festival. His goal is to make films that focus on diversity and social issues.

Coming Soon Films Coming Soon Films is an audiovisual production company founded in 2014. The editorial line of Coming Soon Films places great importance on diversity both in front of and behind the camera.

Coming Soon Films especially seeks to promote gender equality, with a strong presence of women who can lead teams and tell all kinds of stories, including projects with larger budgets and commercial ambition.

llruscalleda@comingsoonfilms.com

Pablo Jordi Spain

Pablo is the founder and producer of Pikkukala. Executive producer on the original series ‘Saari’, ‘Fungi’, ‘Royals Next Door’, and ‘Emma&Gui’, the first major animation series co-production between Spain and Portugal. He was also producer on ‘Angry Birds Toons’, and line producer in ‘Moomin Valley’. Born in Spain, Pablo acquired Finnish nationality in 2019. He is currently working on projects between the Pikkukala studios in Helsinki and Barcelona.

Pikkukala Pikkukala builds unique, authentic stories that will be loved for generations. Founded in Helsinki in 2012 by Veronica Lassenius and Pablo Jordi, Pikkukala Oy focuses on the production of original animated serie. In 2018 Pikkukala expanded to Spain establishing Pikkukala Barcelona, a studio focusing on original TV and Feature animation production, international co-productions and services. pablo@pikkukala.com

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Loes Komen

The Netherlands Loes founded production company Room for Film with fellow producer Eva Verweij. Loes gained experience in the film industry by working for established and internationally renowned producers. Together with Eva, he was nominated for the annual graduate producers’ award by the FPN (Film Producers Netherlands). Loes was a participant of Berlinale Talents 2019, Rotterdam Lab at IFFR 2018 and was a Talent on Route at the HFM in 2018.

Room for Film Room for Film is an independent production company based in Amsterdam founded by Loes Komen and Eva Verweij. The company produces fiction films, documentaries, short films, and podcasts. Their films have been selected for multiple international film festivals (Cannes, TIFF, Berlinale) and won several awards (Student Oscar).

loes@roomforfilm.com

Madhiha Duynhouwer The Netherlands

Madhiha has held many assisting roles at various production houses in the Netherlands. As a first-class fellow of the New Producers Academy, she started producing films herself, working on projects with filmmakers from all disciplines of life. As a producer she wants to produce films that showcase the essence of being human. Highlighting the differences between people and showing that in essence we are not at all that different from each other.

Duynhouwer Productions Duynhouwer Productions is a pioneering storytelling company founded by Madhiha Duynhouwer.

Life is all about the highs and the lows, we love to win but we know we will also fail. We don’t hide and have decided that the only way to do this is together. Storytelling is our passion, and our goal is to show you the extraordinary possibilities of your story. At this table, there is a seat for anyone who wants to join us.

Here at Duynhouwer Productions, we are dedicated to supporting diverse creators and pride ourselves at producing inclusive films, authentic stories with a unique cultural perspective.

These are our central roots of who we are and the talent we represent.

madhihaduynhouwer@gmail.com

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Matija Drniković Croatia

Matija graduated film production and has been actively professionally involved in film industry from his early days of studying film. He worked at Nukleus Film, and he was a creative writer at Nanobit, the biggest video game company in Croatia. He’s currently working with Wolfgang & Dolly and is involved in all the company’s projects. He participated in numerous workshops such as Screen Leaders, EAVE Marketing, EAVE Ties That Bind and Sarajevo Talents. Pelican is his first feature film. He is a member of EFA. Wolfgang & Dolly Wolfgang & Dolly (W&D) is a film production company based in Zagreb, Croatia. Tamara Babun started the company in 2017 with a desire to produce creative audio-visual works that tackle socially relevant topics and safeguard a drop of hope for the audience. Matija Drniković and Aleksandar Arsovski soon joined in the endeavour. We produce creative content across available media and reach audiences through innovative campaigns. Our first feature film, PELICAN, premiered at the 2022 Tallinn Black Nights Festival.

matija@wolfgangdolly.com

Maximilian Kraus Germany

Maximilian produced several award winning short and mid-long films such as ‘Lips & Tips’, ‘A Christmas Carol’. He most recently shot his master graduation film ‘Doppelherz’, which will be released in 2024. Currently he is working for the film ‘Leonora in the Morning Light’. In 2023, he founded his production company Triple Helix cine Vision Films.

Triple Helix Cine Vision Films Triple Helix Cine Vision Films is the collaboration of director Christian Koch and producer Maximilian Kraus. The company focuses on unconventional themes, exciting plots and has a strong preference for genre films. It is the home of ‘Lips & Tips’, ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘Doppelherz’.

maximilian.kraus@uni-weimar.de

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Sophie Kühne

Germany After her business studies Sophie embarked on a five-year tenure at the film distributor Weltkino Filmverleih as a product manager. Seeking a new challenge, she joined as junior producer at the film production company Neue Bioskop Film in 2019 and worked for productions like ‘All for Ella’ (2022), ‘German Crime Story: Deadlock’ (2023) and ‘Vena’ (in postproduction).

Neue Bioskop Film The label Neue Bioskop emerged from the former ‘original’ Bioskop production company, which received the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for ‘The Tin Drum’ in 1979. Since 2000, the Neue Bioskop group has been run by Dietmar Güntsche and has produced numerous series and films for cinema, TV and streaming services like the Prime Video series ‘German Crime Story: Deadlock’ (2023). kuehne@bioskop.de

Ulla Hasselbalch Denmark

Co-founder and CEO of Made by Us. Producer of the ‘John Dillermand’ series that took headlines across the world. Ulla has developed, created, directed, and produced campaigns, tv series in genres like factual entertainment, fiction, animation, and documentary focusing on children and youth, culture, and nature. Former commissioning editor of children channel DR Ramasjang.

Made By Us Made by Us is an independent production company. We produce original content that initiates conversations and gives small topics a wide audience using humour, playfulness, and lightness.

We love to speak out loud for those with the tiniest voices. We see the world through the eyes of children, secure creative workspace and involve our audience when producing

uh@madebyus.dk

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Industry Forum On Thursday October 26th, the Industry Forum of Cinekid for Professionals takes place. This conference presents relevant developments in the sector through keynotes, panel discussions, and roundtables. In various interactive sessions, professionals in children’s media and other related fields share their experiences, ideas, and points of discussion.

The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Is it real?’. With this theme, the growing influence of technologies on children’s lives is examined, through which the boundaries between online and offline are blurring. Time spent online for young people seems to have become equally important to the time spent away from their keyboards, as they navigate their self-expression, relationships and many other influential aspects in their life in online worlds. Can their time spent online therefore even be considered less ‘real’ anymore?

What happens online certainly has consequences in our ‘real’ lives. Digital developments bring several necessary concerns along with them that need to be carefully considered and examined.

However, at the Industry Forum, we like to reflect on ways in which they can boost children’s creativity and support their communicative abilities. Many of the exciting examples presented to you on this day will demonstrate how these goals can be achieved, and how the unique perspective of children is an incredibly valuable source of information in this field.

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We recognize that what is perceived as ‘real’ differs from person to person. The importance of representation in children’s media seems to be widely acknowledged, yet consistent representation across a variety of media and in ways that are not merely repeating stereotypes is far from normalized. At this year’s Industry Forum, we invite you to consider the lived realities of many different children and to think critically about the way we understand the realities of the young audiences we address. We are excited that many speakers will share ways in which they manage to do so in their personal work.

These and other approaches to the theme shape the program of the Industry Forum. The day will begin with two inspiring keynotes. First, Deanna Marsigliese, Animation Art Director at Pixar and a special guest of Cinekid 2023, will give a presentation on finding your creativity, creating meaning, and following your intuition. For the second keynote, co-founder of Neon Wild Matt Weckel will share the story of developing this personalized gaming platform where children can be the main character in their own adventure. Following the keynotes, there will be a plenary expert panel. In response to the theme “Is it real?” this panel will pose the question, “What is real, and for whom?”

While it’s clear that professionals in children’s media are targeting a young audience, there are many intersecting factors that further define their lived realities. In what ways can we understand the audience we are targeting and learn about their specific needs and desires, so we can realistically portray the lived realities of children through media?

In the afternoon, there will be ten thematic roundtables. In four rounds of forty minutes each, professionals can take place at one of the ten roundtables in which various speakers will discuss their own work, present a case, or provide insights into a topic. The roundtables are designed to promote exchange and for knowledge to be shared. For this reason, these sessions are interactive, and participants are encouraged to ask questions. There is limited availability per table, and most sessions will only be held once, so make sure to choose carefully. With over 40 speakers on the schedule, there is sure to be something for everyone, though we encourage people to step out of their comfort zones and follow their curiosity. May your perceptions of reality expand beyond your imagination.

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Credits Cinekid Foundation Amsterdam Kattenburgerstraat 5 003-G 1018 JA Amsterdam +31(0) 20 531 78 90 www.cinekid.nl / info@cinekid.nl

Supervisory Board

Eveline Aendekerk, Jeroen van Dijk, Errol Nayci, Patty Voorsmit, Marlene Wickel

Management

Director/CEO Heleen Rouw Manager Finance & Operations JeanMarc van Sambeek PA Director/CEO Mechlien Theunissen

Development

Head of Development Lisa Schmidt

Film & Series

Head of Film & Series Hidde de Vries Producer Film Chloë van Baar Producer Specials & Premières Nicole Akkermans Selection Committee Film Astrid Bussink, Gwyneth Sleutel, Jazzy Taihuttu Selection Committee Short Film Mira Alkadri Trainee Noortje de Kloe, Sabrine Mdaghri, Siyana Nedyalkova Coordinator Best Children’s Film Jury Lieke Heil Coordinator Best Dutch Children’s Film

Jury Denise van den Hoek Coordinator Youth Presenters Rachel van Bruggen Coordinator Youth Jury Dicky Jansen Live Dubbing Jerusha Hexspoor, Marcia Hexspoor Inflatable Cinema Sérgio Marques

Marketing & Communication

Head of Marketing & Communication Mirella Boumans Coordinator Marketing & Communication Laura Bos Marketing & Communication Josan van der wal Coordinator Copywriting Nicole Santé Trainee Kim Koghee, Mees van der Lichte Campaign LamaLama Online Campaign Vincent van Pareren Festival Design Studio TIJ Graphic Design Aron Welboren, Liesbeth de Boer Press De Wolven Ticketing Coordinator Marleen Reijnen Cash register and Customer Service Dolf van Langelaar

New Media

Head of New Media Leonieke Verhoog Program Maker & Coordinator Workshops Tess de Ruiter Head of Production MediaLab Rik ’t Jong Assistant Producer MediaLab Stelios Manousakis Workshop Developer Willemijn van Arnhem

Cinekid for Professionals

Head of Cinekid for Professionals Sara Juričić Head of Studies Cinekid LABs Esther van Driesum Coordinator Cinekid for Professionals Jessica Cohen Programmer Industry Forum Rowan Stol Coordinator Junior Co-production Market & Producers LINK Laura Quarto Coordinator Hospitality Giacomo Della Marina Hospitality Assistant Laura Lozano Executive Producer Cinekid for Professionals Johanna Fuhler Trainee Maja Schwarz

Education

Head of Education Rianne Vogel Producer Education Eva van Ravensberg Producer Masterclasses Linde Dorenbosch Project Manager Community & Participation Richard Soesanna Trainee Flore van Lier, Lara Verschragen

Festival Producers

Head of Festival Production Lisa Luijten Producer Nationwide Festival Locations Jessie van Vreden Executive Producer Nationwide Festival Locations Marc Selanno Producer Festival Amsterdam Judith Rigter Coordinator Volunteers Renee Spees Junior Producer Thijmen Michiels van Kessenich Producer Special Events Menno Versluis Trainee Kato van der Speeten

Office Management Office Manager Eline Noordegraaf

Crew

ICT FMO Solutions, Tinus Nijmeijer, iMotion, Menno Pals

Operational Partners Database Filmchief Ticketing Ticket Engine Film Transport Gofilex Technical Facilities Indyvideo Legal Bremer & de Zwaan

Campaign

Creative Digital Bureau LamaLama Creative Directors Kindercommissie Amsterdam Noord Creative Director Jort Boot (LamaLama) Editing Maarten Berkers (marbl.tv) 3D Animation Koen Koopman Music and Sound Design Soundsright

Cinekid Lions Design Daan de Haan

Partners Cinekid for Professionals 2023 Eurimages, Filmmore, ACE Producers, Athens International Children’s Film Festival, Catalan Films, Creative Europe Desk NL, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Danish Film Institute, Film Centre of Montenegro, Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Greek Film Centre, Kids Regio, Nederlandse Audiovisuele Producenten Alliantie (NAPA), National Film Institute of Hungary, Norwegian Film Institute, Polish Film Institute, SEE NL, Slovak Film Centre, Swedish Film Institute, The Children’s Media Conference, Young Horizons Industry.

Partners MediaLab 2023

KABK Interactive Media Design, XR Lab, Netwerk Mediawijsheid

Cinekid Festival 2023 has been realised with the support from Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Amsterdam Art Fund, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, Netherlands Film Fund, Fonds 21, VSBfonds, Mondriaan Fund, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, The Cultural Participation Fund, Amarte Foundation, Brook Foundation, Municipal Office Amsterdam North, Cultureel Fonds Audiovisuele Producenten, ELJA Foundation, GO Fonds, Stichting Hulp na Onderzoek, Fundatie van den Sandheuvel – Sobbe, Janivo Stichting.

Media Partners

NPO Zapp, VPRO Cinema, Kidsweek, Jean Mineur Mediavision, Blowup Media

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Location Partners

Bibliotheek Altena, Bibliotheek Waterland, Bijlmerparktheater, Chassé Breda, Cinema Middelburg, Concordia Enschede, Corrosia Theater Expo & Film, CulturA&Zo, De Fabriek, de Modestraat, De Lawei, Het Nieuwe Filmhuis, DNK De Nieuwe Kolk, Filmcafé Grave, Filmhuis Alkmaar, Filmhuis Bussum, Filmhuis Gouda, Filmhuis Lumen, Filmhuis MIMIK, Filmschuur, Filmtheater Cinebergen, Filmtheater Fanfare, Filmtheater Fraterhuis, Filmtheater het Kruispunt, Filmtheater Hilversum, Focus Filmtheater, Forum Groningen, Filmhuis Kollum, Hoogt in Bieb Neude, Holiday Inn, Islemunda, Jan van Besouw, Kunstfort, LantarenVenster, Lumière, LUX, Luxor, Openbare Bibliotheek Nuth, Podium ‘t Beest, Pathé Amsterdam Noord, Rijswijkse Schouwburg, Stadsschouwburg Velsen, Stichting Bio, Teatro Luna Blou, Tribe Amsterdam City Hotel, Verkadefabriek

Special Thanks to Adyen, Bremer & de Zwaan, Crafture, INDYVIDEO, IMC Weekendschool, Nationale Bioscoopbon, OERRR, Squla, Stadspas, Pathé Thuis, Stichting Studiezalen, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, Maakcoalitie, Netwerk Filmeducatie, Winkelcentrum Boven ‘t Y, Juliet at Pupkin, Dansk Tegnefilm, A Private View, Viking Film, Ciel de Paris, Sacrebleu Productions, Take Five, It’s Alive Films, Awman Productions, Nutprodukce, Aardman Animations, Artémis Productions, La Boîte, ...Productions, Les Films du Nord, Vivement Lundi!, In The Air, Paradiso Filmed Entertainment, Haut et Court, Periscoop Film, SKOOP Media, LevelK, Kinology, FilmSharks International, Park Circus, New Europe Film Sales, Omrop Fryslân, Kaboom Distribution, Nederlandse Filmacademie, Job, Joris & Marieke, Phanta Basta, Gusto Entertainment, M-Appeal, Dutch Filmworks, Cinéart Nederland, Splendid Film, M&N Media Group, Tangerine Tree, Amacord, Studio Ruba, Flinck Film, Submarine, Levitate Film, Baldr Film, Labyrint Film, REinvent International Salses, Athena Films, Atlas International, Elle Driver, Circe Films, Kaliber Film, Halal Film & Photography, Keplerfilm, AvroTros, VPRO, KRO-NCRV, EO, NTR, Omroep Max, ZAPP, Stichting de Vrolijkheid, Stichting Nieuwe Helden, Little Miss Kwakoe, Dutch DJ University, Skitta, Voorleesexpress, Pop-up club, Skateboard school Amsterdam, Silatboy, Rogier Bosschaart, DAT! School, Square Eyes, Miyu, Kaptein Kort, JEF, Wim Pel Productions.

Mama Media, Dutch DJ University, VoorleesExpress, De Vliegtuin, Iven Cudogham, De Taartrovers, Stratenmakers Audiocollectief And all other organisations, volunteers and individuals that helped realise the 2023 festival with their artistic, organisational, scientific or technical contributions.