Catalogue Cinekid Festival 2022

CATALOGUE

Content

JURY

Jury Best Children’s Film Competition 10

Jury Best Dutch Children’s Film Competition 12

Jury Best International Short Competition 14

Jury Best Dutch Short Competition 16

Jury Best Dutch Series Competition 18

Jury Eurimages Co-production Development Award 20

Jury Filmmore Post-production Award 22

FILM

Introduction 25

Best Children’s Film 26

Best Dutch Children’s Film 33

Out of Competition Feature Films 38

Best International Animated Short 44

Best International Live Action Short 56

Best Dutch Animated Short, National Audience Award 64

Best Dutch Live Action Short 69

Out of Competition Short Films 74

Spotlight 82

Educational Programme 84 National Audience Award 86

SERIES

Introduction

Best Dutch Fiction Series

Best Dutch Non-Fiction Series

National audience award

Series Premieres

Special Screenings

NEW MEDIA

Introduction

GAMES AND APPS

Introduction

CINEKID FOR PROFESSIONALS

Introduction

Networking

Welcome to Cinekid Festival 2022!

After two ‘pandemic editions’, we’re proud and delighted to again welcome you and all children, friends and family members back to Cinekid, at a single new location: Pathé Amsterdam Noord. A main location we chose to be close to the children in a space where everyone can feel at home.

WELCOME TO CINEKID FES TIVAL 2022!

This is more important now than ever. The world around us is a source of stress. Wars in our backyard are having a huge impact on our lives. Telling, discovering and playing with stories can help us recover, and also bring us together. Cinekid is a place where – together – we can make a difference, simply and easily: by having fun and getting inspired.

Cinekid seeks to provide a constant impulse in meetings between makers and audiences, both through the festival itself and using the festival as the springboard towards a more sustainable, year-round role as a curator of quality, local films and media.

We open the festival on 12 October with the world première of Totem: an exciting, contemporary youth film directed by Sander Burger, who is not afraid to tackle social issues head-on. It was a huge pleasure to put together this wide-ranging programme thanks to the many submissions we received from talented makers from all over the world.

Alongside the competitions, we are devoting special atten tion to the work of a pioneer of quality film and television for young people: Dutch writer and producer Burny Bos, an inspiration to makers both in the Netherlands and internationally. This festival, Cinekid will introduce new generations to his heart-warming, timeless youth and family films such as Tow-Truck Pluck and the series Otje

The works in the MediaLab are again of great artistic quality and reflect the changes taking place in the world around us with a playful, light touch. The theme for 2022 is ‘We Are Generation S!’. S stands for Symbiocene. Experi

ence how everyone’s actions, large or small, bring about shifts. A different view of how the world works, symbiotically. A unique exhibition that takes children as the starting point for immersive makers.

I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our selection committees, who with us selected the film programme, as well as the promising works-in-progress and the latest games and apps, and am delighted to welcome our new programmers for Films & Series, Industry and New Media, and team members for Education and Marketing. A group of talented young people who make this festival possible, with an open point of view and a great deal of energy, together with the rest of our team, our volunteers and festival staff.

Thanks to the confidence shown by our audiences, our loyal partners, subsidy providers and funds, Cinekid remains the platform and guide for curious makers, parents and children. We hope you will enjoy all of the beautiful, poignant, hard-hitting, exciting, funny and recognisable stories at this year’s Cinekid. That you remain uninhibited and curious, just like the children!

Heleen Rouw Director/CEO

JURY

Jury Best Children’s Film Competition

Cinekid receives hundreds of submissions of children’s and youth movies from all over the world every year. Fifteen films are then selected for the Best Children’s Film Competition. A jury of international professionals with a background in film or children’s media decides who will receive the Cinekid Lion for Best Children’s Film and a cash reward of €5.000,-. At every screening of these competition films at the festival, visitors also get the chance to vote for their favourite film. This winner will also receive a Cinekid Lion for the Best Children’s Film Audience Award.

Maryanne Redpath (New Zealand)

Maryanne Redpath arrived in Berlin from New Zealand in 1985 with a post-grad diploma in Drama and has worked as a multi-media performance artist, theatre technician, experimental filmmaker, translator, drama teacher and art teacher for young Aboriginal people in Central Australia. She started at the Berlinale in the mid-nineties, was Head of Berlinale Generation from 2007-2022 and Head Curator for the Berlinale special series: NATIVe – A Journey into Indigenous Cinema from 2011 to 2019. A member of the European Film Academy and the Asian Pacific Screen Academy, she is presently working as a mentor and consultant on cinema-related projects in Europe and Australasia.

Maurice Trouwborst (The Netherlands)

Director and screenwriter Maurice Trouwborst graduated from Utrecht School of the Arts HKU in 2006. His graduation film Jef. won audience awards at three festivals in the Netherlands. In 2015, he directed his first full-length television drama, Dames 4 and then the sci-fi youth series Zenith, winning the Cinekid Lion Jury Award 2017 and nominated for a Rockie Award at BANFF 2018. He subsequently directed successful youth series Floor Rules, winning Jury and Audience Lion Awards at Cinekid and the International Emmy Award for Best Children’s Series. His debut feature Captain Nova opened the 35th Cinekid Festival and won the Lion for Best Children’s Film.

Charles Bin (Belgium)

Charles Bin is co-founder of Brussels-based international sales outfit Best Friend Forever, which supports emerging or confirmed producers and directors in making projects reality through international sales, development financing, legal or financial consulting. BFF’s catalogue includes Crystal Bear winner A Colony, Valentyn Vasyanovych’s Ukranian Atlantis (Best Film Venice Orizzonti), Matthew Rankin’s The Twentieth Century (best Canadian first feature in Toronto, FIPRESCI Award Berlin 2020). Our 2022 line-up also includes titles such as Coma by Bertrand Bonello (Berlinale 2022) and Perlimps by Alê Abreu (Annecy 2022).

Jury Best Dutch Children’s Film Competition

For the Best Dutch Children’s Film competition, Cinekid selects the best films from Dutch soil. In addition, the films must be aimed at children up to the age of 14 or suitable for the whole family. The jury will choose one film that will win the Best Dutch Children’s Film Award, a Cinekid Lion statuette and €5.000,-. In this category too, children can vote for their favourite after the screenings, which will then receive the Cinekid Lion statuette.

Ahmet Polat

Having worked in art and fashion photography in Istanbul, Polat returned to the Netherlands in 2015 where he was appointed Photographer Laureate. His work has been exhibited internationally, including in the Rijksmuseum, Istanbul Modern, FOAM, Stedelijk Amsterdam and BOZAR Brussels. In 2018, he founded the Studio Polat Foundation. His first directing career started with cinematic installations such as The Myth of Men at the Istanbul Biënnale 2017. His first documentary, I am a Bastard, made its debut this year at Movies that Matter and is selected for NFF 2022.

Harriët Mbonjani

Harriët Mbonjani has a bachelor’s degree in Design and a master’s in Curation, Strategy and Concept Design. She is currently Program Coordinator for Talent Development at EYE Filmmuseum, a member of the Advisory Committee of the Netherlands Film Festival and of the Advisory Committee for Talent Development at Creative Industries Fund NL. With her Dutch and Zimbabwean roots, she tries to cook up new ideas that connect communities using a critical awareness that emphasizes inclusion and diversity. Alongside this, she is a Board Member for both the Oxville Cinema and the Vrouwen in Beeld (‘Women in the Picture’) movement.

Loes Wormmeester

Loes Wormmeester makes radio and television programmes. She sees children’s television as a platform for sharing important messages with a new generation, always with a light, humorous touch. Her programmes have won many awards, including the International Emmy Award; Prix Jeunesse (Munich); Golden Dragon; Eureka Award for best Dutch science programme and several Golden Cinekid Awards. For many years she was head of the children’s department at public broadcaster NTR in the Netherlands. In 2011, she received a Golden Cinekid Lion Lifetime Achievement Award. She currently works as an independent producer/director and editor-in-chief.

Jury Best International Short Competition

The Best International Short Competition is a unique programme for short films that are suitable for young children and do not exceed thirty minutes. The competition comprises two categories, one for animation and one for live Action. With these short films, Cinekid seeks to introduce young children to themes and narrative styles from as many countries as possible. There is much talent and even in the smallest countries, beautiful works are produced on a regular basis. However, projects that focus on children are still limited and therefore deserve support. This year, Cinekid made a selection of 40 short films, 23 animations and 17 live-action shorts. A jury of three international film professionals selects one film per category and rewards it with the Kanteen25 Best International Short Animation Award and the Best International Short Live Action Award. The directors of the winning films will receive an amount of € 2,500 and a Cinekid Lion. The Kanteen25 Best International Short Animation Award is made possible by Kanteen25 .

Director, animator and illustrator, Slovakia-based Filip Diviak completed his studies in 2020 at Tomas Bata University in Zlín, where he made several short films such as Probouzec (An Awaker), Pod mrakem (Cloudy) and Sounds Between the Crowns. Filip co-founded his own animation studio, TriPirogy, in the Czech Republic and is currently working on another short film as well as preparing his feature debut.

Filip Diviak Henning Backhaus

Henning Backhaus was born in Dresden, Germany. He moved to Vienna where he studied directing alongside Michael Haneke at the Film Academy Vienna. In 2013, he shot his debut film Local Heroes on 16mm and 35mm film. From 2013 to 2018 he was an assistant director at the Vienna State Opera. He also worked for the sound department on Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life . His latest short film, The Best Orchestra in the World , won more than 40 international awards, including the Max Ophüls Prize in Germany, the Grand Prix of the Drama International Short Film Festival in Greece and the Best International Live Action Short at Cinekid 2021.

Lina Paulsen

After studying Media Culture and European Ethnography at Hamburg University and Visual Communication at the University of Fine Arts Hamburg, Lina Paulsen started working for the International Short Film Festival Hamburg and for the dokumentarfilmwoche hamburg (Hamburg Documentary Week). She has been the director of the Mo&Friese Junges Kurzfilm Festival since 2012, and is a member of the Blainville animation studio.

Jury Best Dutch Short Competition

Cinekid hosts a special competition for Dutch short films. The Best Dutch Short Competition aims to highlight the quality and diversity of Dutch shorts for the domestic children audience and to promote the films internationally. A total of 17 short films were selected and divided into two categories: animation & live-action. A jury of three film professionals selects one film per category and rewards it with the Amarte Best Dutch Short Animation Award and the Amarte Best Dutch Short Live Action Award. In any case, the director of the winning film will receive an amount of € 2,500 and a Cinekid Lion. Both awards in the Dutch Short Film Competition are made possible by the Amarte Foundation.

Milou Gevers

Milou made her first films with a Handycam as a child. She continued experimenting with photography, theatre and film while studying Cultural Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam, then specialised in youth documentary at the Netherlands Film Academy. Her graduation documentary Waarom bleef je niet voor mij? ( Why didn’t you stay for me? ) was awarded a Student Academy Award in 2021 as well as many other awards, including a Cinekid Golden Lion. It is shown in schools to help children deal with the suicide of a parent. Milou makes youth television programmes for broadcasters VPRO and KRO, among others, and is currently developing her debut feature documentary.

Milou Rohde

Milou Rohde writes screenplays that talk about underrepresented topics, often from a female perspective. She graduated in Audiovisual Media at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht with the film Moffenmeid (Disgraced), directed by Raymon Hilkman, which was selected for the Netherlands Film Festival, Movies That Matter and Go Short, among others. Vlekkeloos (Spotless), directed by Emma Branderhorst, was awarded Best Dutch Short Film at Cinekid, a Crystal Bear at the Berlinale. Milou is currently conducting research at Film Forward into how she can make (web)series more interactive for children, and writing her first feature film about a pregnant woman who is slowly losing her mind in a dysfunctional housing market.

Sanna de Vries

Sanna de Vries creates emotional animations with vivid characters and analogue backgrounds. Her graduation short Huilbui won the 2019 Wildcard, the Netherlands’ main animation talent prize. The hand-drawn Reflection marks her professional debut.

Jury Best Dutch Series Competition

The Best Dutch Series Jury Award rewards the best Dutch episodic productions that have aired since the last festival. 16 series were selected in two separate categories: Best Dutch Fiction Series and Best Dutch Non-Fiction Series. For each production, three episodes had to be submitted. For the Fiction Series competition, these had to be three chronologically linked episodes. For Non-Fiction, the participant could choose freely which three episodes to submit. A jury of three experts from the world of children’s television watches all the submitted episodes and chooses one winning series for each category. The production companies of the recipients of the Best Dutch Fiction Series and the Best Dutch Non-Fiction Series Jury Awards are rewarded with a Cinekid Lion statuette.

Beri Shalmashi

Beri Shalmashi studied screenwriting and directing at the Netherlands Film Academy in Amsterdam and obtained a master’s from HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. In 2010, she was nominated for a Golden Calf for the television film Mama, co-directed with Sanne Vogel. Beri writes for Dutch daily newspaper de Volkskrant and film magazine De Filmkrant and also teaches a number of talent development programmes and professional courses, is a consultant to the Netherlands Film Fund and a director of the Avanti agency. In 2021, her interactive documentary Big Village, co-directed with Lyangelo Vasquez, won the Silver Camera for Storytelling.

Jard Struik

Jard Struik is an actor, writer and all-round creative. After starting out making comedy sketches on YouTube, he is now establishing a foothold in the world of television and film. As an actor, he has starred in series including SpangaS ( Best Friends ), Kappen Nou ! and Lieve Mama You can find him sharing all his knowledge of data in his very own show, De Dikke Data Show!

He was part of the writing team on the hit web series Vakkenvullers (Meet the Stockers), in which he also played the role of Yo-Pizza.

Samya Hafsaoui

Samya Hafsaoui is a writer, voice actor and presenter. She has worked as a screenwriter on Vakkenvullers (Meet the Stockers) and Koeriers for broadcaster NPO. Samya is also one of the winners of the Netflix New Voices competition for her script The Alt Alt. In addition, she is a presenter on the official Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel, is active on TikTok and provides the voices for various animations, including Dead End: Paranormal Park on Netflix.

Jury Eurimages Co-production Development Award

The Eurimages Co-production Development Award is an annual prize in the amount of €20,000 which will be awarded to the best feature film project in 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 the set-up of projects as international co-production as well as promote and stimulate European youth film.

Ilse Rotentalp (Netherlands Film Fund)

Ilse Ronteltap heads the International department at the Netherlands Film Fund which supports minority co-productions for feature films, documentaries, (short) animation and interactive and immersive media productions. The department focuses on creative co-productions with a strong artistic and international appeal and substantial creative Dutch input. With her team she oversees the minority co-productions as well as international collaborations such as the Thuthuka development scheme with NFVV ( South Africa), HBF+NFF and IDFA BERTHA+NFF as well as funding all international festival activities, lab collaborations, the Netherlands Film Commission and entries to Eurimages. Ilse also is the Film Funds first point of contact for New Dawn, the international film production inclusion fund to be launched in 2022.

Iris Otten (Juliet)

Iris Otten is a producer at Juliet (at Pupkin). She aims through the films and series she produces to contribute to an optimistic society and reach and inspire new generations by telling heartening, hopeful, witty stories. After working for various production companies, she became a partner at Pupkin in 2009. She has built an impressive track record producing artistic (crossover) features and authentic family content. Last year, debut feature Paradise Drifters (Mees Peijnenburg) premiered at IFFR and the Berlinale. High-end family series Lampie is currently in post-production, directed by Margien Rogaar and written by Mieke de Jong. Lampie will be broadcast in winter 2022.

Nicolai Korsgaard (TrustNordisk)

Nicolai Korsgaard has worked in sales for TrustNordisk for 19 years, as Executive Sales Manager for the past three. He is responsible for major European territories and all of Asia. A leading force in TrustNordisk, he has handled major recent Scandinavian films including Academy Award®winning Another Round, Rome Film Festival-selected The North Sea, Sundance selected Speak No Evil and Sundance Audience Award-winning Queen Of Hearts, among others. He has developed a diverse catalogue and contacts with some of the most seminal Scandinavian auteurs, including Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, May El-Toukhy, Anders Thomas Jensen, Amanda Kernell and Hans Petter Moland.

Jury Filmmore Post-production Award

The Filmmore Post-production Award is designed in collaboration with Amsterdam-based Filmmore, a leading full-service, postproduction, editing and visual effects facility. Live Action projects selected within the Junior Co-production Award are eligible to compete. The award bestows €5,000 in services and forms an invitation to start a long and fruitful collaboration with Filmmore.

Marcel Wijninga (Filmmore)

Marcel Wijninga has been an editor of feature films and drama series since 2003. He studied editing at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy and is best known for editing the feature Lucia de B and series such as Flikken Maastricht and Commandos. He lives in Amsterdam Noord with his wife and two children and is a passionate film-lover, who really appreciates stories, whether in book form or visual media.

Joanna Ronikier (Running Rabbit Films)

Joanna Ronikier is an experienced producer and production manager of animated series and feature films for children. She is a graduate of the EAVE workshops. She has worked on several international co-productions, including Anca Damian’s Magic Mountain, the series Bali 2, the series Socks (currently in production), and Corporal Wojtek.

Russell Webber (SC International)

Russell Webber has over ten years industry experience working across business development, packaging, acquisitions and contracting in international sales and distribution. With a focus on animation and distinguished genre, recent titles at SC Films include Netflix’s Marmaduke, Shudder original Spiral, HBO’s Gensan Punch and Japanese smash Poupelle of Chimney Town.

FILM

Film Programme

Cinekid is delighted to present to you the line-up of exciting, new films from all over the world that will feature in our 36th edition. We will bring you the most cutting-edge children’s films from six continents, showcasing a highly diverse selection of live action, animation and documentaries, both short and feature length, originating from 54 different countries.

This year we’ve made a few changes to the structure of our juries. We’ve slimmed down the number of members in most of our juries to three. For the first time, our inter national jury will also have a chair. Maryanne Redpath, former Head of Generation at the Berlinale, will not only lead our most important jury in its deliberations, but will also put the spotlight on some important films in our programme. Such as the Ukrainian feature documen tary Bony Piles that shows us the scorched black world children can grow up in after years of war. An important perspective to show to our young audience now that war is raging at the gates of Europe.

Our audience will be able to explore different genres, types of films and productions from countries they normally wouldn’t be exposed to. Such as the funny, adventurous sci-fi film Maika from Vietnam or the impactful Tunisian drama A Second Life. Alongside our selection of Dutch gems such as Oink, Shabu & Big Man, we are also featuring the finest stories from Europe: for example, a Swedish upbeat ‘BFF-battle’ in Mini Zlatan & Uncle Darling; an endearing Austrian quest for masculinity in Tales of Franz and a futuristic Danish adventure in My Robot Brother . These films will also screen at more than 30 satellite editions of Cinekid throughout the Netherlands.

Many titles from this year’s film programme show young women addressing the cracks in our society’s systems or providing us with forward-thinking perspectives on the future. Our opening film, Totem, carefully shows us that everyone deserves the pursuit of happiness; but that some get more opportunity to do this than others. In Comedy Queen, witty Sasha wants to make everyone laugh, but the film will probably accomplish the opposite effect in our audience. In our Panorama programme, closely related to our MediaLab themes, we highlight stories that show children living closely with nature or that criticize the human urge to control nature. In our Spotlight program we will honour the work of writer and producer Burny Bos, the slightly anarchistic founder of Dutch children’s media gems like Minoes (2003) & Tow-Truck Pluck (2004). In 2022, Cinekid will once again provide you with fascinating stories, cheerful crowds of children and lots and lots of fun.

Hidde de Vries

Head of Film & Series

Bangla Surf Girls

When they’re surfing the waves, everything’s great. Shobe (13), Suma (15) and Ayesha (13) are members of the only surf club in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, which allows girls to be members. Surfing is freedom, and helps them dream of a better future. And that’s really necessary as life is really tough in the improvised huts where they live and on the streets, and few people understand their love of surfing. They can also be married off as young as thirteen. But these girls know what they want, even if not all their dreams come true.

Debut director Elizabeth D. Costa spent three years following the girls for this documentary, which is sure to appeal to young people. Candid stories, including that of sympathetic surfing coach Rashed, and lively impressions of the world in which they live sit alongside glorious visuals that evoke the sensation of surfing. It’s striking how self-assured, independent and hopeful the three girls are, in spite of everything. And heart-breaking how one of their fathers chases Rashed away, with the comment: ‘you ruined my family.’

ELIZABETH

FACTS

Beanie

Kapa

Erik (9) is a serious, taciturn boy who lives in a home. He is bullied because he refuses to take off his beanie hat. At Christmas, he’s allowed to go stay with a rich family and their spoiled seven-year-old daughter Lučka. This doesn’t go well, as Erik wants to go see own his parents, and Lučka wants a puppy and a sister. When they come across a Father Christmas in the middle of the night, they hope that their wishes will come true. But he turns out to be a bad Father Christmas, and dumps them unceremoniously in the middle of the city. They set off on an unwanted adventure that makes them stronger and brings them together.

Themes such as loneliness, class differences, bullying and friendship are packed into this atmospheric Christmas story, without cloying sentiment or losing sight of reality. For example, the scene in which the kids find Erik’s parents in a woeful situation. And why is the beanie so important? We will find out in the end.

SLOBODAN MAKSIMOVIĆ

FACTS

Dutch title Mutsie Director Slobodan Maksimović Producer Marina Andree Škop, Adolf El Assal, Vanda Raýmanová, Ida Weiss Screenwriter Saša Erženen Editor Jurij Moškon Composer Michal Novinski Leading actors Gaj Črnič, Kaja Podreberšek Production company Wady Films, ady@wady.lu, objectif Studio dim, marina@pompomfilm.hr Senca Studio, Slovenia, info@senca-studio.si, www.senca-studio.si/ Sales company Princ Films, United States, igor@princfilms.com

Dutch title Bangla Surf Girls Director Elizabeth D. Costa Producer Lalita Krishna, Elizabeth D. Costa Screenwriter Lalita Krishna Editor Jordan Kawai Composer Ohad Benchetrit, Justin Small Production company In Sync Media Sales company Journeyman Pictures

Comedy Queen

13-year-old Sasha is hit hard by her mother’s death (by suicide, it later turns out), and she can’t stand seeing her father cry. As an act of resistance, she refuses to mourn. Determined, she makes a to-do list of things to make life better again. Number one on the list: cut off her hair. Number four: become a stand-up comedian, so she can make her father laugh.

Characters with real depth and an assured performance from Sigrid Johnson (Sasha) mean that this complex psychological process of acceptance is put across in a natural way. From awkwardness with her psychologist and memories of her mother to the tense relationship to her father and the support Sasha receives from friends. Lighter moments flow seamlessly into the more poignant, serious sides of this exceptional coming-of-age story, without moralising or heavy-handed explanation, and with a hopeful ending. All of which contributed to recognition as Best Film in the Generation Kplus competition at the Berlinale 2022.

SANNA

FACTS

Dutch title Comedy Queen Director Sanna Lenken Producer Anna Anthony, Rebecka Lafrenz Screenwriter Linn Gottfridsson Editor Andreas Nilsson Composer Irya Gmeyner, Martin Hederos Leading actors Sigrid Johnson, Ellen Taure, Oscar Töringe, Iggy Malmborg, Adam Daho Production company FLX, Sweden, info@flx.se, www.flx. se, SF Studios, Sweden, info@sfstudios.se, www.sfstudios.se Sales company REinvent Studios, Denmark, info@reinvent.dk Distributor In The Air

Laura’s Star

Lauras Stern

Laura’s finding it difficult to settle in a new place. One night, a gently shining star falls from the sky, breaking its leg. Laura sticks a plaster on it, and this marks the start of a friendship with a touch of magic. The star brings Laura’s cuddly toys to life, flies with her across the town and helps out when a concert by Laura’s cello-playing mother threatens to go wrong. Laura knows that the star really wants to go home, and finds out that the boy next door, Max, is nicer than she thought.

Familiar children’s themes are smoothly woven through a playful, engaging story aimed at the youngest viewers. Imaginative experiences without too much spectacle, lots of happy moments, a friendly robot cat and enchanting visuals, including a marvellous trip through space. Another nice touch is that a girl is interested in planets and a home-made spaceship. This is the first feature-length live-action film based on the much-adapted children’s book by Klaus Baumgart, an animated version of which was released in 2004.

JOYA THOME

FACTS

Dutch title Laura’s ster Director Joya Thome Producer Christian Becker, Maya Gräfin Rothkirch Screenwriter Claudia Seibl Editor Jamin Benazzouz Composer Nick Glennie-Smith, Henning Lohner Leading actors Emilia Kowalski, Michel Johann Koch, Luise Heyer, Nicholas Bodeux, Jonas May Production company Westside Filmproduktion GmbH Sales company Warner Bros, The Netherlands

Little Allan - The Human Antenna

Lille Allan – Den menneskelige antenne

When his parents get divorced, Allan goes to live somewhere else with his father. They are both unhappy, but pretend there’s nothing wrong. Until strange things suddenly start happening. An eccentric neighbour who believes in UFOs sets Allan up as a human antenna – and an extra-terrestrial girl suddenly appears in his life. She has to do a project on life on Earth, and the weird things human beings do. Like hiding their feelings. As Allan tries to keep the girl out of the hands of an evil villain, she reads his thoughts and teaches him that he can say that he really misses his mother.

By packaging familiar emotional themes in a science fiction-style computer animation, with a good pace and colourful characters, this debut creates an original twist on the genre. The cartoon characters also keep it surprising and exciting, but never too heavy. Nevertheless, the powerful ending hits home.

Lucy Goes Gangsta

Lucy ist jetzt Gangster

No one is as good as Lucy (10). She obeys all the rules, does her homework on time and helps her parents in their ice-cream business. When the ice-cream machine breaks down and her parents can’t borrow money from the bank, Lucy takes a radical decision. She decides to rob the bank, and take on the identity ‘Lucyfer’. The naughtiest boy in the class has to teach her to lie, steal, cheat and bribe others. This training is so successful that Lucy plucks up her courage and enters the local bank…

In this comical adventure in a sweet 50’s style, children get to know different sides to themselves through circum stances and their friendships. Exaggerated, comical adult characters and over-de-top situations blur the boundaries for Lucy between good and bad. Her naughty alter-ego regularly gives her a talking-to in the mirror. She doesn’t have to be sweet and good all the time.

AMALIE

FACTS

Dutch title Kleine All, de menselijke antenne Director Amalie Næsby Fick Producer Trine Heidegaard, Thomas Heinesen Screenwriter Amalie Næsby Fick, Thomas Porsager Editor Anders Skov, Henrik Bech Composer Andreas Arenholt Bindslev Production company Nordisk Film Production Sales company TrustNordisk, Denmark, info@trustnordisk.com, www.trustnordisk.com

Distributor In The Air

TILL ENDEMANN

FACTS

Dutch title Lucy Goes Gangsta Director Till Endemann Producer Arek Gielnik Screenwriter Andreas Cordes, Till Endemann Editor Jens Müller Composer Rutger Reinders Leading actors Kostja Ullmann, Franziska Wulf, Kailas Mahadevan, Valerie Arnemann, Violetta Arnemann Production company INDI FILM GmbH, Germany, info@indifilm.de, www.indifilm.de, Phanta Film BosBros, The Netherlands, info@bosbros.com, www.bosbros.com, Senator Film Köln GmbH, Germany Sales company The Playmaker Munich, Germany, worldsales@playmaker.de, https://www.playmaker.de/

Maika: The Girl From Another Galaxy

Mini-Zlatan and Uncle Darling

Lill-Zlatan och morbror raring

Eight-year-old Hung thinks a lot about his mother, who died. His hard-working father doesn’t have time for him. At night, Hung looks up at the stars, and suddenly everything changes. There’s a meteor shower and he meets an extra-terrestrial girl with purple hair. Her name is Maika. Her friendship is good for sad Hung, who in turn helps Maika find her lost friend. Maika has special powers. These not only frighten bullies picking on Hung, but also the mean landlord who wants to evict Hung and his father from their home. But even more danger looms.

This Vietnamese family science-fiction film was inspired by a Czechoslovakian children’s television programme from 1978, which was popular in Vietnam. Familiar themes and tried-and-tested elements (comparisons with E.T. are often made) are smartly incorporated into an adventure with lots of imagination, humour and slapstick alongside powerful action and fighting against villains. Two sprightly kids steal the show.

Ella loves to play football, but only on her own. She finds most other people weird. They mimic one another, like her three uncles at her grandma’s. Sometimes they quarrel, like the girls on the football field, or her parents. She only feels at home with her favourite uncle and her best friend, Tommy. Until Tommy’s new love Steve from Amsterdam turns up. Together with her classmate Otto, Ella tries to side-line Steve. Or is Steve nice after all? The get-rid-of-Steve project quickly becomes the opposite, and Ella rushes to bring Steve back from the airport so that Tommy can pop the question.

Serious themes such as being different, conformism and attentiveness are addressed in this film with a light touch and humorous approach. For example, the scene in which Steve and Tommy sing a song, and singing out of tune suddenly isn’t such a big problem anymore. Inclusivity is natural and Ella finds out that people can get along just fine. Winner of the Audience Award at the Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival 2022.

FACTS

Dutch title Maika Director Ham Tran Producer Duy Ho, Anderson Le, Jenni Trang Le, Bao Nguyen Screenwriter Ham Tran Editor Ham Tran, Jayson Cabugnason, Eunice Goh Yi Hui Composer Christopher Wong Leading actors Phu Truong Lai, Diep Anh Chu, Tin Tin, Ngoc Tuong, Kim Nha Production company EAST Films, FPT Play Sales company EST Studios

FACTS

Dutch title Mini-Zlatan & oom Bestie Director Christian Lo Producer Petter Lindblad, Sara Sjöö Screenwriter Ella Lemhagen, Janne Vierth Editor Arild Tryggestad Composer Stein Berge Svendsen Leading actors Agnes Billie Colliander, Simon J Berger, Tibor Lukacs, Danyar Zeydanioglu Production company Snowcloud Films AB, Sweden, contact@snowcloud.se, www.snowcloud.se Sales company Dutch Features Global Entertainement, The Netherlands, sales@dutchfeatures.com, www.dutchfeatures.com

Maika: Cô Bé Đến Từ Hành Tinh Khác

My Robot Brother

In a utopian high-tech future, the climate crisis has been solved, people live in harmony with nature, parents are only interested in their smartphones and all children have a robot as an assistant. Unfortunately, eleven-year-old Alberte is ashamed of her old-fashioned teddy bear robot Robbi. But then she is given a hypermodern, ultra-lifelike replacement called Konrad for her birthday. Just like a real brother. This makes her incredibly popular at school. Alberte even starts to have feelings for Konrad. But is that right, being real friends with a robot?

Packaged in an exciting science-fiction style and presented with lots of humour, My Robot Brother (based on the book by Morten Dürr) tackles a lot of themes that appeal to children. From philosophical questions about being human, to technology, to universal themes such as the relationship between children and parents, loneliness, jealousy and friendship. Alberte finds out that you don’t need the latest gadgets to belong.

FREDERIK NØRGAARD

FACTS

Dutch title Robotbroer Director Frederik Nørgaard Producer Jasmine Hermann Naghizadeh Screenwriter Jacob Tingleff, Frederik Nørgaard Editor Lars Wissing Composer Polv Kristian Leading actors Philip Elbech, Lise Baastrup, Kristian Ibler, Selma Iljazovski Production company Nimbus Film, Denmark, nimbus@nimbusfilm.dk, www.nimbusfilm.dk Sales company Sola Media, Germany, post@sola-media.com, www.sola-media.com

Oink

Knor

Babs (9) is given a piglet by her grandpa when he returns from America, setting off a series of humorous, exciting adventures. Babs’ parents think that piglet Oink should go on a puppy training course to learn to behave. But it turns out that colourful grandpa, with his banjo and big moustache, has a hidden agenda. There’s a sausage contest coming up, and the question is: is Oink safe with him?

Oink, adapted from the book by Tosca Menten, is the first feature-length Dutch stop-motion film. Lively, moving, amusing and exciting for young viewers, and with a lot of winks to their parents. The poo Oink produces in copious quantities is a great slapstick effect. The idiosyncratic characteristics reveal that Halberstad is a fan of Roald Dahl. The characters and family situations are highly recognisable, partly thanks to the care taken over the voices. Although Halberstad didn’t intend to make propaganda for vegetarianism, the film will make children think. Recorded in the Holy Motion studio set up by Halberstad and producer Marleen Slot.

MASCHA HALBERSTAD

FACTS

Dutch title Knor Director Mascha Halberstad Producer Marleen Slot Screenwriter Fiona van Heemstra Editor Mascha Halberstad Composer Rutger Reinders Leading actors Henry van Loon, Jelka van Houten, Hiba Ghafry, Matsen Montsma, Loes Luca Production company Viking Film, The Netherlands, info@vikingfilm.nl, www.vikingfilm.nl Sales company LevelK, Denmark, tine.klint@levelk.dk, www.levelk.dk Distributor Gusto Entertainment

The Path

Der Pfad

The South of France, 1940. German journalist Ludwig and his twelve-year-old son Rolf are fleeing the Nazis. They hope to reach safety through the Pyrenees, and eventually reach Rolf’s mother in America. Their guide is Núri, a girl slightly older than Rolf. When Ludwig is arrested, Rolf, Núri and Rolf’s dog have to continue the dangerous journey without him. Through difficult decisions, unexpected conversations and also shared pleasures, their initial reserve becomes a strong bond.

The Path, based on the book by Rüdiger Bertram and inspired by real events, has the tone of a classic war adventure. As the closing titles suggest, it should make young viewers think about today’s refugees. In impressive mountainous terrain, Rolf and Núri undergo a kind of crash course in becoming an adult. Alongside tension and danger, there are also lighter and more sensitive moments, but the tone remains realistic. The liberating end does not dismiss the tragedies along the way. Awarded at several festivals, as was Wiemann’s Mountain Miracle, which also screened at Cinekid.

A Second Life

Gadeha

‘First, pay’, says the doctor in the hospital. Gadeha (12) has had an accident, and his mother doesn’t have any money. A rich fish trader and his wife say: ‘we’ll pay’. Gadeha, his mother and his sister even get a wonderful house. The boy, who misses his father who disappeared, becomes friends with his benefactor’s son, who has had an operation in the same hospital. All fantastic – until Gadeha overhears a conversation he wasn’t supposed to hear.

Anis Lassoued’s short films have often tackled the subject of youth. Now, he couples a lifelike view of the world of rich and poor teenagers with an adult view of other themes, from power relations to migration. As the ending (offering hope of conciliation) of this intriguing, psychologically convincing drama shows, Lassoued stays well clear of the standard youth film formulas. With a mix of appealing and serious situations, genuine emotion and tense scenes, this promises to be an unforgettable experience for older children.

ANIS LASSOUED

FACTS

Dutch title Het gevaarlijke pad Director Tobias Wiemann Producer

Daniel Ehrenberg Screenwriter Rüdiger Bertram, Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen Editor Andreas Radtke Composer Markus Perner, Tobias Kuhn Leading actors Julius Weckauf, Anna Maria Mühe, Nonna Cardoner, Volker Bruch Production company Eyrie Entertainment GmbH, Germany, hello@eyrie.berlin, www.eyrie.berlin, Fasten Films, Lemming Film Germany Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany Sales company Global Screen – A Telepool Brand, Germany, info@globalscreen.de, www.globalscreen.de

FACTS

Dutch title Gadeha Director Anis Lassoued Producer Anis Lassoued, Chema Ben Chaabane Screenwriter Anis Lassoued, Chema Ben Chaabane Editor Kahena Attia Riveil, Composer Selim Arjoun Leading actors Yassine Tormsi, Ahmed Zakaria Chiboub, Dorsaf Ouertatani, Jamel Laroui, Chrema Ben Chaabane, Anissa Lotfi Production company Lumières Films, Tunisia, lumieres. gadeha@gmail.com, http://lumieresfilms.com/

Tales of Franz

Geschichten vom Franz

Nine-year-old Frans (from the series of books by Christine Nöstlinger) is the smallest in his class. To make matters worse, his voice goes all squeaky when talking to teacher Zack. A shop assistant even calls him ‘Miss’. This bothers him, especially as the cool girls tease him about it. But then he watches a video by macho influencer Hank about his ten-step plan to becoming a real man. Frans knows what he has to do. Until he finds out that, although this plan makes him popular, he’s in danger of losing his best friends Gabi and Eduard. Change of plan?

Contemporary themes concerning identity, toxic masculinity and peer pressure are addressed in a cheerful, positive way and young audiences will find a lot to identify with. One nice detail, for example, is that Frans’ father is a stay-at-home dad who likes baking. Maybe it’s not necessary to be a tough guy after all.

Totem

FACTS

Dutch title Stoere Frans Director Johannes Schmid Producer Ingo Fliess, Nikolaus Geyrhalter, Markus Glaser, Michael Kitzberger, Katharina Posch, Wolfgang Widerhofer Screenwriter Sarah Wassermair Editor Karin Hammer Composer Toni Martin Dobrzanski Leading actors Jossi Jantschitsch, Nora Reidinger, Leo Wacha, Ursula Strauss, Simon Schwarz Production company Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion Sales company Atlas International, Germany, info@atlas-film.de, www.atlasfilm.com Distributor In The Air

Eleven-year-old Ama, daughter of two rejected Senegalese asylum-seekers, feels totally Dutch. She is a fanatical swimmer and dreams of becoming as good as Dutch swimming champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo! Ama manages to escape when the police arrest her mother and younger brother. There’s no way she wants to be sent to Senegal. She goes looking for her father, who works nights. As she roams Rotterdam, she unexpectedly comes across a mysterious porcupine. This totem animal is trying to tell her something. In the meantime, Ama’s best friend Thijs and his schoolmates also swing into action.

Totem is the first children’s film by Sander Burger (The Judgement). He considers it important for children to be introduced to adult themes in an accessible way, such as here a Senegalese family threatened with deportation. A tense, contemporary story with fantasy elements and a strong female protagonist. Opening film of Cinekid 2022.

SANDER BURGER

FACTS

Dutch title Totem Director Sander Burger Producer Denis Vaslin, Fleur Knopperts Screenwriter Bastiaan Tichler, Sander Burger Editor Manuel Rombley Composer Amaury Laurent Bernier Leading actors Lies Visschedijk, Emmanuel Ohene Boafo, Kenneth Herdigein, Amani-Jean Philippe Production company Volya Films, The Netherlands, info@volyafilms.com, www.volyafilms.com

Sales company Dutch Features Global Entertainement, The Netherlands, sales@dutchfeatures.com, www.dutchfeatures.com Distributor Periscoop Film

Yuku and the Himalayan Flower

Yuku is a headstrong young mouse who plays the ukulele and loves hearing her grandmother’s stories. When after a fight with the cat grandma tells her grandchildren that she doesn’t have long left, Yuku decides to give her the eternal light of the Himalayan flower. She sets off on a long journey to find this amazing flower from grandma’s book of fairy tales.

The creative way this adventure is portrayed is rich in imagination and surprises. Meetings with all kinds of animals – some kind, others dangerous – are always mini-adventures in themselves, which makes the film suitable for the 5+ group. The swinging music and songs create an attractive atmosphere; Yuku also always manages to get even her opponents dancing. The colourful mix of 2D and 3D animation is original and expressive. Themes such as saying goodbye and celebrating life come together in perfect harmony.

RÉMI DURIN, ARNAUD DEMUYNCK

FACTS

Dutch title Yuku en de Himalayabloem Director Rémi Durin, Arnaud Demuynck Producer Patrick Quinet, Arnaud Demuynck, Jean-François Le Corre, Mathieu Courtois, Nicolas Burle Screenwriter Arnaud Demuynck Composer Alexandre Brouillard, David Rémy, Yan Volsy Production company Artémis Productions, Belgium, info@media-services.be, http://www.artemisproductions.com/en/ node/1, Vivement Lundi !, France, distribution@vivement-lundi.com, Les Films du Nord, France, info@lesfilmsdunord.com, www.lesfilms dunord.com, La Boîte, ...Productions, Belgium, ademuynck@euroan ima.net, https://www.lesfilmsdunord.com/contact Sales company New Europe Film Sales, Poland, office@neweuropefilmsales.com, www.neweuropefilmsales.com Distributor Periscoop Film

2 Tiny Toddlers: An Unforgettable Day

2 kleine kleutertjes: Een dag om nooit te vergeten

Now that their mother is about to give birth to a new baby, Anna (5) and Joey (4) find the arrival of a new brother or sister pretty exciting: soon they won’t be the only children at home anymore. On the big day, their uncle takes the toddlers to the petting zoo, where they experience a cheerful, adventurous escape involving a headstrong, talking goat. This is a playful way to get the kids used to the idea of a new member of the family. They learn to combine forces during an adventure in the wider world and that they can always rely on one another, both as big brother and sister and with their new friends.

This accessible animated cinematic adventure for toddlers is underpinned by music and sing-along songs from singer and originator Jan Smit. This singer/ presenter from Volendam came up with his ‘2 little toddlers project’ back in 2014. These young characters previously experienced adventures in successful (song) books, DVD and CD productions and in a theatre tour, all based around cheerful, educational sing-alongs.

WIP VERNOOIJ

FACTS

Dutch title 2 kleine kleutertjes: Een dag om nooit te vergeten

Director Wip Vernooij Producer Marijn Wigman, Denis Wigman, Bruno Felix, Femke Wolting Screenwriter Marc Veerkamp Editor

Eva Krispijn Composer Tom Bakker Leading actors Jan Smit, Chantal Janzen, Simone Kleinsma, Ronnie Flex Production company Nuts & Bolts Film Company, The Netherlands, info@nutsbolts.nl, www.nutsbolts.nl, Submarine, The Netherlands, info@submarine.nl, www.submarine.nl Distributor

Yuku et la fleur d’Himalaya

Bigman

Strijder

Football-mad 12-year-olds Dylan and Youssef train together fanatically with their team and both dream of a career as a professional footballer. Until Dylan has a serious accident and ends up in a wheelchair. He will probably not be able to play again, and this disrupts his close friendship with Youssef. Dylan’s father – the no-nonsense, equally fanatical trainer of their team –also has trouble dealing with this complex situation. Luckily, Dylan receives some help from an unexpected quarter.

This energetic youth drama revolves around the strength of real friendship, particularly when the going gets tough. The screenplay also deals with learning to accept such a life-changing event – not only for the person concerned, but also for their friends and family. Through dream sequences featuring famous Rotterdam freestyle footballer Soufiane Touzani, Dylan learns to process his disability and finds out through playing what he still can do. His hero is a born optimist who continues to encourage him, particularly during the toughest times.

CAMIEL SCHOUWENAAR, CAMIEL SCHOUWENAAR

FACTS

Dutch title Strijder Director Camiel Schouwenaar, Camiel Schouwenaar Producer Rinskje Raap, Reinier Selen Screenwriter Job Tichelman, Camiel Schouwenaar, Camiel Schouwenaar Editor Patrick Schonewille Composer Anna Kuehlein, Lennert Busch, Floris de Haan Leading actors Maik Cillekens, Anouar Kasmi, Kailani Busker, Martijn Fischer, Soufiane Touzani Production company ostlicht filmproduktion GmbH, Germany, info@ostlicht.de, www.ostlicht.de, Rinkel Film BV, The Netherlands, info@rinkelfilm.com, www.rinkelfilm.com/ Sales company M-appeal World Sales, Germany, films@m-appeal.com, www.m-appeal.com Distributor In The Air

Coppelia

Swan lives with her mother in a friendly town. She secretly falls in love with popular Franz. As their love blossoms, Doctor Coppelius opens an impres sive cosmetic surgery clinic in the town. He prom ises everyone physical perfection and his stunning (animated) muse Coppelia is living proof of his skills. The town’s inhabitants fall for it and return from the clinic more beautiful than ever. However, Swan discovers that the doctor is stealing his customers’ best characteristics, that Coppelia is a robot and that the doctor wants to steal Franz’s heart to bring his Coppelia creation to life.

This unique, international production puts live-action ballet dancers in an animated, soft watercolour envi ronment. Choreographed by Ted Brandsen, director of the Dutch National Ballet, the leads are played by Dutch National Ballet star dancers Michaela DePrince and Daniel Camargo. Based on the classic French ballet Coppélia from 1870.

BEN TESSEUR, JEFF TUDOR, STEVEN DE BEUL

THE NETHERLANDS, GERMANY, BELGIUM, UNITED KINGDOM

FACTS

Dutch title Coppelia Director Ben Tesseur, Jeff Tudor, Steven De Beul Producer Bruno Felix, Adrienne Liron, Janneke van de Kerkhof, Femke Wolting Screenwriter Ben Tesseur, Jeff Tudor, Steven De Beul Editor Michiel Reichwein Composer Maurizio Malagnini Leading actors Darcey Bussell, Daniel Camargo, Igone de Jongh, Michaela DePrince, Vito Mazzeo Production company Submarine, The Netherlands, info@submarine.nl, www.submarine.nl, 3 Minutes West, The Netherlands, production@3minuteswest.com, www.3minuteswest.com Sales company Urban Distribution International, UDI, France, sales@urbangroup.biz, www.urbandistrib.com Distributor

Dojo

Surinamese-Dutch Brandon (13) hasn’t had the easiest of starts: there’s always quarrelling at home and he has to care for his younger sister. But this teen is extremely streetwise and soon makes friends with Billy, the cool leader of a youth gang. One evening Brandon breaks into Kai’s judo school, and he catches the 13-year-old. The former judo champion recognises the problems the young man is facing and tries to get him to focus his energies in the ‘dojo’. When Brandon – who has risen up the street hierarchy – becomes involved in a big crime, the teenager is forced to choose once and for all which side he is on.

In this contemporary coming-of-age drama, a young man with a complex home life and many temptations on the streets, has to learn to make good choices at an early age. Which example should he follow?

Matties

After Ilias (12) witnesses the mistaken-identity murder of Younes, who is a big example to him at the community centre in Amsterdam-West, Ilias loses his way. Looking for comfort, he instead finds a ruthless criminal who puts Ilias and his friends to work as drugs couriers. As Ilias is pulled deeper into the criminal underworld and his parents closer to despair, the young man finds out who was really responsible for Younes’ death. Is it too late to choose the right path?

The screenplay, though inspired by the mistaken-identity murder of innocent Amsterdam community centre worker Mohamed Bouchikh in 2018, is not about that specific incident. This realistic psychological crime drama for young people deals principally with the impact of such an event on local youngsters, and with children forced to make grown-up choices too soon. In addition, Matties with its appropriate hip hop soundtrack, also tackles themes including friendship, strength and youthful resilience.

INEKE HOUTMAN

THE NETHERLANDS

FACTS

Dutch title Dojo Director Boris Paval Conen Producer Harro van Staverden, Petra Goedings Screenwriter Ashar Medina, Evianne Lamme Editor Jef Hertoghs Composer Alberto Arifi, Donny Uylendorp Leading actors Emmanuel Ohene Boafo, Delano Watchman, Ky-mani Pinas, Rosalien Sara Schrickx, Ramses van Hall, Glen Faria, Leona Philippo Production company Phanta Basta!, The Netherlands, info@phantavision.com, www.phantabasta.com

FACTS

Doolaard Screenwriter Maarten Lebens Editor Michiel Reichwein Leading actors Shad Issa Abdullh, Abdellah Âdmi, Yassine el Hamdani, Ashraf Benkaddour, Estefanio Pinas, Dinyah Salem, Production company Doxy Films, The Netherlands, info@doxy.nl, www.doxy.nl

Dutch title Matties Director Ineke Houtman Producer Janneke

Oink

Knor

Babs (9) is given a piglet by her grandpa when he returns from America, setting off a series of humorous, exciting adventures. Babs’ parents think that piglet Oink should go on a puppy training course to learn to behave. But it turns out that colourful grandpa, with his banjo and big moustache, has a hidden agenda. There’s a sausage contest coming up, and the question is: is Oink safe with him?

Oink, adapted from the book by Tosca Menten, is the first feature-length Dutch stop-motion film. Lively, moving, amusing and exciting for young viewers, and with a lot of winks to their parents. The poo Oink produces in copious quantities is a great slapstick effect. The idio syncratic characteristics reveal that Halberstad is a fan of Roald Dahl. The characters and family situations are highly recognisable, partly thanks to the care taken over the voices. Although Halberstad didn’t intend to make propaganda for vegetarianism, the film will make chil dren think. Recorded in the Holy Motion studio set up by Halberstad and producer Marleen Slot.

The Pirates Down the Street 2

De piraten van hiernaast: De ninja’s van de overkant

The residents of Zandwijk have just got used to their hot-headed pirate neighbours when a bunch of ninjas suddenly move in opposite. And as everyone knows, pirates and ninjas are arch enemies. Straight away, conflict erupts in the peaceful village. Hector Blunderbuss immediately draws his sword and fights to repel the unwanted new neighbours. In the meantime, his son Billy makes friends with ninja girl Yuka. During the annual village sports day, the ‘adult’ ninjas, pirates and citizens and their offspring enter into an a winner-takes-all contest.

This comical, high-paced sequel to the youth film Pirates Down the Street (2020) is based on the children’s books of the same title by Reggie Naus. The adventure – in which the children are generally much wiser than their excit able, crazy parents – is crammed with action scenes and slapstick. This second adventure tackles in a relaxed way themes such as breaking free from your parents’ rules, becoming independent, close friendships and first love.

PIM VAN HOEVE

FACTS

Dutch title Knor Director Mascha Halberstad Producer Marleen Slot Screenwriter Fiona van Heemstra Editor Mascha Halberstad Composer Rutger Reinders Leading actors Henry van Loon, Jelka van Houten, Hiba Ghafry, Matsen Montsma, Loes Luca Production company Viking Film, The Netherlands, info@vikingfilm.nl, www.vikingfilm.nl Sales company LevelK, Denmark, tine.klint@levelk.dk, www.levelk.dk Distributor Gusto Entertainment

FACTS

Dutch title De piraten van hiernaast: De ninja’s van de overkant Director Pim van Hoeve Producer Ingmar Menning, Johan Nijenhuis Screenwriter Sander de Regt Editor Jurriaan van Nimwegen Composer Matthijs Kieboom Leading actors Egbert-Jan Weeber, Tygo Gernandt, Sarah Janneh, Jung Sun den Hollander, Samuel Beau Reurekas Production company Evangelische Omroep, The Netherlands, eo@eo.nl, www.eo.nl, Johan Nijenhuis & Co, The Netherlands, info@nijenhuisenco.nl, www.nijenhuisenco.nl Distributor Dutch FilmWorks

Shabu

Shabu’s family are furious with this slightly rebellious but charming 14-year-old from Rotterdam-Zuid, because he crashed his grandma’s car while making a joyride. How is he going to pay her back? Shabu is given the rest of the summer to get the money together. His mother’s suggestion that he sell home-made ice-cream doesn’t really appeal to Shabu. He’d much rather spend time with his friends, with girls, on becoming famous and above all: on music. He tries to bring all of his favourite things together to make amends to his grandma.

In this sparkling coming-of-age documentary, the teenager learns to take responsibility for his actions. Shamira Raphaëla follows her irresistible protagonist up close and without commentary. This allows Shabu to really be himself in this pure portrait full of music. Beneath all the bravado, there’s a young man who wants his family to be proud of him.

Silverstar

When young horse Silverstar escapes following a mysterious stable fire at the riding school run by Megan (Britt Dekker), the escaped horse is found by Esmee (16). Girl and horse immediately hit it off. When Esmee takes Silverstar back to Megan and Silverstar’s father Whitestar, she notices that an over-friendly horse dealer seems a little too keen to help Megan and her horses after the fire. But Megan has other things on her mind and no one will listen to Esmee’s warning. So she decides to flee with Silverstar from the shady dealer.

This equine adventure for young horse enthusiasts is the sequel to the youth film Whitestar (2019), created by and featuring presenter, dressage rider and horse vlogger Britt Dekker. This time, Dekker plays a supporting role. Just like in the much-loved pony and horse cartoons, the bond between child and horse is central and the child experiences a heroic adventure full of love for animals, friendship and perhaps even a little romance.

SHAMIRA RAPHAËLA

FACTS

Dutch title Shabu Director Shamira Raphaëla Producer Nienke

Korthof, Willem Baptist Screenwriter Shamira Raphaëla Editor Lykle Tuinstra, David Verdurme Composer Michael Varekamp Production company Tangerine Tree, The Netherlands, info@tangerinetree.nl, www.tangerinetree.nl Sales company

Reservoir Docs Distributor Cinema Delicatessen

DIEDE IN’T VELD

FACTS

Dutch title Silverstar Director Diede In’t Veld Producer Edvard van ‘t Wout Screenwriter Michiel Peereboom Editor Jeffrey de Vore Composer Karl Heortweard Leading actors Britt Dekker, Wendy Ruijfrok, Bo Maertens, Anneke Blok, Eliyha Altena, Juvat Westendorp, Production company 2CFilm, The Netherlands, info@2cfilm.nl, www.2cfilm.nl Distributor DFW Theatrical

Totem

Eleven-year-old Ama, daughter of two rejected Senega lese asylum-seekers, feels totally Dutch. She is a fanatical swimmer and dreams of becoming as good as Dutch swimming champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo! Ama manages to escape when the police arrest her mother and younger brother. There’s no way she wants to be sent to Senegal. She goes looking for her father, who works nights. As she roams Rotterdam, she unexpectedly comes across a mysterious porcupine. This totem animal is trying to tell her something. In the meantime, Ama’s best friend Thijs and his schoolmates also swing into action.

Totem is the first children’s film by Sander Burger (The Judgement). He considers it important for children to be introduced to adult themes in an accessible way, such as here a Senegalese family threatened with deportation. A tense, contemporary story with fantasy elements and a strong female protagonist. Opening film of Cinekid 2022.

Boney Piles

Terykony

Nastya lives in a city in Ukraine close tot he Russian border. Her house was struck by rockets during the Russian attack. Now she no longer has a roof or a father. Nevertheless she plays with her friends in the street, goes to school and dreams of a future with a house and a dog. She asks Father Christmas to bring her dad back to her.

A documentary about grief, but also love and hope in a country torn apart by war. There is a great deal of misery, but everyday life goes on and provides the children with hope for the future. They make the best of today on the remnants of yesterday. The film shows reality the way it is and follows the children up close so you feel like you are part of their lives.

SANDER BURGER

FACTS

Dutch title Totem Director Sander Burger Producer Denis Vaslin, Fleur Knopperts Screenwriter Bastiaan Tichler, Sander Burger Editor Manuel Rombley Composer Amaury Laurent Bernier Leading actors Lies Visschedijk, Emmanuel Ohene Boafo, Kenneth Herdigein, Amani-Jean Philippe Production company Volya Films, The Netherlands, info@volyafilms.com, www.volyafilms.com Sales company Dutch Features Global Entertainement, The Netherlands, sales@dutchfeatures.com, www.dutchfeatures.com Distributor Periscoop Film

TARAS TOMENKO

FACTS

Dutch title Zwarte aarde Director Taras Tomenko Producer Volodymyr Filippov, Alla Ovsiannikova, Andriy Suyarko, Oleksandr Kovalenko Screenwriter Taras Tomenko Editor Viktor Malyarenko Composer Alla Zagaykevych Production company Insightmedia Sales company Insightmedia Distributor

Chef Jack, the Adventurous Cook

Chef Jack, o Cozinheiro Aventureiro

Fast-paced accessible youth animation about adventurous Chef Jack: a cross between Indiana Jones and Gordon Ramsay. He has a reputation to keep up, as everyone hopes to one day taste one of Chef Jack’s exceptional dishes. But when the Maharaja of Glutistan spits out Chef Jack’s signature dish on prime time television, the world-famous chef-adventurer really has something to prove. Together with his entourage, his strict manager and her curious son, he decides to take part in a hugely popular TV cooking competition – something like Masterchef meets Expeditie Robinson. Chef Jack and his team have to solve puzzles in world-famous tropical locations in Latin America, win competitions and collect the best ingredients to create the tastiest dishes.

This colourful Brazilian animated film is above all entertaining, exciting and funny: a family adventure that deals in a playful, light way with themes such as building self-confidence, daring to push boundaries and the power of friendship.

GUILHERME FIUZA ZENHA

FACTS

Dutch title Chef Jack, de avontuurlijke kok Director Guilherme

Fiuza Zenha Producer Luiz Fernando de Alencar, Giordano Becheleni Screenwriter Matheus Oliveira, Roger Keesse, Artur Costa Editor João Marinho Composer Cláudio Levitan, Henrique Papatella, Augusto Nogueira, Bruno Mad, Kiko Ferraz Production company Immagini Animation Studios Brasil, contato@immbrasil.com, Pixel Produções, giordano@pixelproducoes.com, Ciclus Produções Audiovisuais, arturhcosta@hotmail.com Sales company Cineart Filmes, mariana.antunes@cineart.com.br

How I Learned to Fly

Leto kada sam naučila da letim

Sofia doesn’t want to spend the summer with her grandma in the family’s run-down house in Croatia. There’s nothing to do there, there’s no internet and what’s more Sofia’s grandma photobombs every selfie. To keep boredom at bay, Sofia escapes into her daydreams. Until the holiday suddenly does get interesting. She has her first kiss with a boy, makes friends with her cousins, and finds out that the country’s turbulent past has resulted in a long-running family feud and that life doesn’t last forever.

In this summer coming-of-age film based on the youth novel by Serb writer Jasminka Petrovic, an 11-year-old girl gets to know herself and her family better. The live-action screenplay is playfully supplemented by animation and picture-in-the-picture recordings during video calls. With (pre-)teen themes such as butterflies in the stomach, being ashamed of older family members, insecurity and peer pressure. In addition, more serious issues such as family dynamics, mortality, the consequences of war and cultural differences are covered.

RADIVOJE

FACTS

Dutch title Hoe ik leerde vliegen Director Radivoje Andric

Producer Maja Popovic Milojevic, Milan Stojanović Screenwriter

Ljubica Lukovic Editor Dejan Urošević Composer Vasil Hadžimanov

Leading actors Klara Hrvanović, Olga Odanović, Snježana Sinovčić, Žarko Laušević Production company SENSE Production, Serbia, office@senseproduction.rs, www.senseproduction.rs Sales company Pluto Film, Germany, info@plutofilm.de, www.plutofilm.de

My Father’s Secrets

Les secrets de mon père

Growing up as a young teenage boy in French-speaking Belgium in the 1960s, Michel Kichka doesn’t understand why his Jewish father is so different from other dads in the neighbourhood. Father Kichka is often angry, and always closed up tighter than a clam. Together with his younger brother Max, as a child Michel finds out more and more about his father’s traumatic experiences during the war. At first, they discover through play, but as Michel matures he gradually learns what the camp called Auschwitz really meant. Finally, he also learns to understand why his father can’t mourn with the rest of his family when something terrible happens.

This animated film, inspired by Israeli cartoonist Michel Kichka’s autobiographical novel, interweaves extremely emotional, complex themes and relevant history lessons about the war with the resilience of the human soul. The growing protagonist’s playful, even humorous, tone makes the heaviness of the subject matter accessible to older children.

Night Forest

Nachtwald

“Take no notice of what people say,” Paul’s father always used to say. But that is far from easy. Paul’s father disappeared a year ago. According to the bullies at school he was a freak: he had discovered a legendary cave in the mountains, but no one believed him. Then Paul finds his father mysterious notebook. He secretly sets out with his friend Max, determined to find the cave. The journey through the mountains is both more difficult and more dangerous than expected but is a trip they will never forget.

This, the first feature film by documentary maker André Hörmann and scriptwriter Katrin Milhahn, combines the framework of an adventure film with a realistic, nuanced impression of friendship and processing loss. Paul’s mother wants to get on with her life, but the boy really misses his father, as is apparent from the moving flashbacks. Non-conformism is another theme.

FACTS

Dutch title Het geheim van mijn vader Director Véra Belmont

Producer Marc Jousset Screenwriter Valérie Zenatti, Véra Belmont

Editor Cyril Gastaud, Cécile Perles, Camille-Elvis Théry, Jérémie Hoarau Composer Elliott Covrigaru Production company Left Field Ventures, Je Suis Bien Content, festivals@autourdeminuit.com Sales company SC Films International, United Kingdom, info@scfilmsinternational.com, www.scfilmsinternational.com

ANDRÉ HÖRMANN, KATRIN MILHAHN

FACTS

Dutch title Nachtwoud Director André Hörmann, Katrin Milhahn

Producer Daniel Reich, Christoph Holthof Screenwriter André Hörmann, Katrin Milhahn Editor Vincent Assmann Composer Marian Lux Leading actors Levi Eisenblätter, Jonas Oeßel, Marc Limpach, Meike Droste Production company Kurhaus Production, Germany, office@kurhausproduction.de, https://kurhausproduction.de/ Sales company Bavaria Media GmbH

Nelly RappMonster Agent

Nelly Rapp - Monsteragent

Nelly has no friends. Her father recommends she become like her classmates, but they think Nelly is weird. If something’s creepy or gory, Nelly just gets more curious. When she goes to stay with Uncle Hannibal, she soon finds a vampire in the cellar. Her uncle turns out to be a monster agent, just like her deceased mother. Monster agents ensure that zombies, ghosts, vampires and other monsters don’t trouble humans. Nelly’s adventure really takes off when she becomes friends with Roberta, a ‘Frankenstein girl’.

This cool, fantasy-rich genre comedy touches on inclusivity and conformism in an original, light-hearted manner, concluding that everyone being the same would be a bad idea, just as long as people and monsters don’t aggravate each other. Ironic jokes and a touch of parody – the Total Care Center for monster care – will appeal to adult audiences. Based on the series of books by Martin Widmark.

Safari

Adventure for young people in which a Kenyan boy in a wheelchair goes on his first outdoor adventure. Cheeky girl next door Kiki picks Safari up from his strict aunt’s house with a plan to go see as many wild animals in real life as possible. Elephant Jumbo is at the top of Safari’s list. They set off, helped by a none-too-bright handyman. Safari is shocked to learn that poachers have killed and sold his favourite animal. Will the two children be able to unmask the culprits?

This at times very exciting film adventure shows the urgency of a theme like poaching, seen from the perspective of a pair of courageous children. Safari is also a highly imaginative adventure for young people about friendship and solving mysteries. As in children’s classics Home Alone and Free Willy, which inspired director Bill Afwani, some adults are real villains, some ham-fisted dimwits and some are heroic, while the children prove smarter and more independent than they ever thought possible.

FACTS

Dutch title Nelly Rapp - Monsteragent Director Amanda Adolfsson

Producer Jon Nohrstedt, Niklas Larsson Screenwriter Sofie Forsman Editor Britta Norell Composer Uno Helmersson Leading actors Matilda Gross, Lily Wahlsteen, Marianne Mörck, Johan Rheborg, Björn Gustafsson, Jens Ohlin Production company SF Studios, Sweden, info@sfstudios.se, www.sfstudios.se Sales company REinvent Studios, Denmark, info@reinvent.dk Distributor In The Air

BILL AFWANI

FACTS

Dutch title Safari Director Bill Afwani Producer Phoebe Ruguru, Kevin Njue Screenwriter Kevin Njue, Bill Afwani Editor Charity Kuria Leading actors Victor Fadhili, Abilasha Muthoni, Victor Nyatta Production company Rocque Pictures Limited, njue@rocquepictures.net Sales company Rushlake Media GmbH, Germany, info@rushlake-media.com, rushlake-media.com

Super Furball Saves the Future

Supermarsu 2

Emilia has a special talent: she is regularly called upon when animals are in need. She then transforms into a saviour guinea pig with superpowers. This time, she has to ensure that in the future there are still bees buzzing around, as they are crucially important for our ecosystem. What does the biggest bully in Emilia’s class have to do with bees potentially dying off? Together with other children, Emilia sets out to save the bees, with and without her superpowers.

This adventurous youth film is based on a successful series of Finnish children’s books and is the second film in the series. But this film can also be seen by itself: the origin of Emilia’s guinea pig superpowers is explained briefly in 2D drawings made by Emilia’s character. The live action scenes are also supplemented by colourful computer animation. This buzzing adventure tackles in a playful way serious themes such as nature conservation and climate change, the role humans play in this, learning to cooperate and how to deal with bullies.

Waters of Pastaza

Juunt Pastaza entsari

Children are growing up around the river banks in the Ecuadorian province of Pastaza, close to the border with Peru. In the experience of these young indigenous Achuar children, it is completely normal – between adventurous play – to pick your own bananas from the tree, catch fish and collect edible plants and then prepare these yourself in your village. At home, the children play with home-made spinning tops, and the tempting smartphone is never far away.

In this observational documentary almost without dialogue, the jungle itself is a living entity, within which the children grow up. The sound of running water is ever-present, alongside loud crickets and screeching monkeys. The camera follows the group of children, without an adult in sight. The children seem to live in perfect harmony with their environment. While certain elements will be recognisable to western children, at the same time this documentary gives insight into the lives of children on the other side of the world, far from consumer society and the pressure to perform at school.

INÊS T. ALVES

FACTS

Dutch title Super Furball redt de toekomst! Director Joona Tena

Producer Marko Talli Screenwriter Paula Noronen, Joona Tena Editor Jyrki Levä Composer Panu Aaltio Leading actors Senni Peltoniemi, Lumo Levy, Lucas Timperi Production company Yellow Film & TV, Finland, info@yellowfilm.fi, www.yellowfilm.fi/ Sales com pany Attraction Distribution, Canada, info@attractiondistribution.ca, www.attractiondistribution.ca

FACTS

Dutch title De kinderen van de rivier Director Inês T. Alves Producer Inês T. Alves, Ico Costa Screenwriter Inês T. Alves Editor Inês T. Alves Composer Virgílio Oliveira Production company Oublaum Filmes Sales company Syndicado Film Sales (CA)

The Websters

Websterovci

In this animated adventure interspersed with live action scenes, a family of spiders live in a web in a house belonging to humans. When spider Lili loses her beloved kite, she and her family members end up having all kinds of adventures. One of these brings her into contact with a human girl who also likes kites.

Although spiders and humans are often afraid of one another, spider families and human families actually have a lot in common, as we learn in this cheerful story for little ones. The Websters (Websterovi) is a successful children’s franchise in the Czech Republic and Slovakia consisting of books, a television series and this film. Just like in human families, the Websters all face their own issues and experiences. The film deals with themes such as the importance of insects in nature and our usually unfounded fear of the unknown. As well as how annoying an older brother going through puberty can be, and what you can learn from new friends.

Where is Anne Frank

KATARÍNA KEREKESOVÁ

FACTS

Dutch title De spinnenfamilie Director Katarína Kerekesová Producer Katarína Kerekesová Screenwriter Katarína Kerekesová, Anna Vášová Editor Matej Beneš Composer Lucia Chuťková Leading actors Matilda Strussová Production company Fool Moon, Slovakia, kata.kerekesova@foolmoonfilm.com, www.foolmoonfilm.com

When Anne Frank is given a diary, she decides to address the innermost feelings she will record in it to an imaginary, red-haired friend called Kitty. Then the war breaks out and Anne and her family go into hiding in the now world-famous ‘Achterhuis’. Later, Kitty mysteriously comes to life here. But where is Anne? Kitty gets hold of Anne’s diary and starts looking for Anne in contemporary Amsterdam, where she finds out that Anne is everywhere and nowhere.

In his animated film, Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman (Waltz with Bashir) carries out an important thought-experi ment in a gripping adventure for today’s young people. Using their own (visual) language, the film presents important history lessons concerning the Holocaust, the dangers of antisemitism and discrimination in a compelling way. Can connections be made between the horrors of WWII and the challenges Europe faces today? What have we really learned from the past?

ARI FOLMAN

BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG, FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS,

FACTS

Dutch title Waar is Anne Frank Director Ari Folman Producer

Ari Folman, Jani Thiltges, Yves Kugelman, Alexander Rodnyansky Screenwriter Ari Folman Editor Nili Feller Composer Karen O., Ben Goldwasser Production company Purple Whale Films Le Pacte, France, c.neel@le-pacte.com

Wolf

Scout the wolf is born in Germany, where he grows up among his siblings, and where he learns everything he needs to know before setting off into the world as an adult wolf. Scout travels for thousands of kilometres before arriving in the Netherlands, where he fathers a litter of pups. Along the way he faces all kinds of obstacles: from water barriers to lack of food to threats from humans.

This entertaining, cleverly filmed nature documentary follows the wolf from close by as he grows up, during his long journey and as he becomes an adult. In the voice-over, Matthijs van Nieuwkerk tells us about this mammal’s behaviour: what wolves eat, and how much do they need? Who are their natural enemies, and should we be afraid of wolves? As well as an educational nature film, Wolf is also time an appealing coming-of-age story about family relationships, growing up in a challenging environment and finding your place in the world.

Abril

A young girl withdraws into her small room when her parents are quarrelling again. She’s not allowed to listen to music, as her mother says it’s too noisy. Playing with a toy car or plane and fantasizing don’t work anymore. Luckily she finds a pencil; it turns out that drawing gives her a lot of pleasure and proves to be a good way to escape from reality. She gives form to her imaginings in her drawings, and soon her whole room is full of them. But this new activity is more than just a means of escape – it also offers her perspective for the future.

The simple story is told in an ultra-short stop motion, full of beautiful details and smart effects. This really brings the girl’s imagination to life. Within a few minutes, whole internal and external worlds are created, giving encouragement to children experiencing challenging situations.

CEES VAN KEMPEN

FACTS

Dutch title Wolf Director Cees van Kempen Producer Sander Emmering, Cees van Kempen Screenwriter Cees van Kempen, Maarten Treurniet, Henk Meeuwsen, Wim Tegels, Alan Miller Editor Maarten Treurniet, Alan Miller Composer Thomas Bryla, Matthijs Kieboom Leading actors Matthijs van Nieuwkerk Production company M&N Media Group, The Netherlands, jeffrey.degraaff@mn-mediagroup.com, www.mn-mediagroup.com Distributor M&N Media Group

SOFIA CAPONNETTO, ELIANA FERNANDEZ

FACTS

Dutch title Abril Director Sofia Caponnetto, Eliana Fernandez Producer Eliana Fernandez Screenwriter Sofia Caponnetto, Eliana Fernandez Composer Rodrigo Espinosa Curbelo

Bellysaurus

A little dinosaur is mocked by the other dinosaurs because he thinks that he’s big and dangerous. They come up with a plan to tease him. This leads to him meeting a dino that really is big and dangerous, and it swallows him up. In its belly, he finds out that he can study the big dino. At first this is just amusing and handy, but it soon turns out that he can also do useful things. And that all the berries he’s eaten come in really handy, even though they make him fart a lot.

This sweet, simple-looking, funny animation shows quite literally that it’s not so important what you look like on the outside. And that there’s no point acting tough, as there’s always someone tougher than you. Sometimes extreme circumstances are needed to let this lesson really sink in.

Cat and Moth

Witty, cartoon-like animation about white cat Ditto and blue moth Monty. Ditto wants to find the most comfortable sleeping spot ever. She tries everything, before finally settling on the softest cushion there is. But Monty has also got his mothy eyes on this cushion. Both set out to beat their rival and secure the best spot in the house. A mad game of cat-and-moth through the whole house ensues, wreaking havoc. A strange, magical collision suddenly causes the roles to be reversed.

Optimum use is made of the possibilities of 2D animation in this film, which showcases a colourful mix of shapes, colours and movement. There are hilarious slapstick moments and several kinds of animation within the animation. It’s not about who wins in the end, but about the crazy battle itself.

PHILIP WATTS

AUSTRALIA

INDIA BARNARDO

FACTS

Dutch title Buikje vol dino Director Philip Watts Producer Philip Watts Screenwriter Philip Watts Editor Philip Watts Composer Dmitri Golovko Production company Philip Watts Animation, pwatts@me.com

Dutch title Ditto en Monty Director India Barnardo Producer Sarah Dacey, Emily Shinyi Hsu Screenwriter Amar Chundavadra, Martyn Smith, India Barnardo Editor Martyn Smith Composer Liv Muir Wilson Production company Stupid Horse Productions

Cheese

Il formaggio

A opera in animation, starring two Italian mice. And a piece of cheese, of course. The two mice live in a house with a cat. One day, a wonderful-smelling piece of taleggio falls on the floor. Singing passionately, the mice express their love for food, each other and the beautiful moon. In the meantime, not only is the cat lying in wait, but yet another cheese-lover appears on the scene.

This 2D animation plays with perspectives, cut-outs and shadows. This ramps up the drama in this opera, voiced by real opera singers. Just like in a real opera, the protagonists really take their time to sing about self-evident matters such as: who is the most suitable mouse to steal the tempting piece of cheese from under the cat’s claws? The music and libretto were written specially for this animated film.

Cinda Real

Prava Pepelka

Just like in the classic fairy tale, Cinda lives with her stepmother and mean step-sisters. She does all the house work and sings and dances all day, even though she only has one leg. And like her step-sisters, she wants to go to the ball and meet the prince, but her quest for an invita tion takes her into the woods where she meets a kindly old woman. With help from her saviour, the animals in the wood and a lot of perseverance, she manages to go to the ball – not for the prince, but to dance.

This short film was made with help from children and their parents – children co-wrote the surprising story. This fairy tale doesn’t have a conventional ‘happy ending’, but ends more realistically – Cinda doesn’t get married; she’s only just met this prince! The makers have created an enchanting combination of 2D and stop-motion animation, in sparkling colours, which reinforce Cinda’s radiant personality.

FACTS

SARA BOZANIC

FACTS

Dutch title Cinda Real Director Sara Bozanic Producer Sara Bozanic, Miljana Dragicevic Screenwriter Dora Vagić Editor Igor Skitić, Timon Leder Composer Matej Končan Production company Institute for transmedia design, info@transmedia-design.me, Sparkle Animation, info@sparkle-animation.com, MINYA FILMS AND ANIMATION, minjaminja@icloud.com, aeon d.o.o., office@aeonproduction.com Sales company David Gulshan, gulshan.david@gmail.com

Dutch title Kaas Director Claudio Giusti Producer Claudio Giusti, David Boldrini Screenwriter Claudio Giusti Editor Claudio Giusti Composer David Boldrini Sales company Alexandra Hroncová

Douglass

Stylised computer animation about two postmen who deliver letters together. One is big, tough and very experienced, the other is small and barely able to keep up with his surly instructor. The pair of them brave all weathers, seasons and hazards, just to get the envelopes into people’s letterboxes. They don’t talk, and they sleep by a camp fire, on their heavy bags. The younger postman is even pursued in his dreams by letters that need to be delivered.

The film has something of the look of a computer game, thanks to the style of the animation and the funny sounds. But it manages to put across the emotions that are important to the story: the desperation of the trainee postman when he realises how heavy the work is. And how proud the experienced postman is, when he realises that his young colleague does have what it takes to be a good postman.

Franzy’s Soup Kitchen

La Soupe de Franzy

When lonely alien Chef Franzy finds out that her special pink soup is not only incredibly delicious, but also magical, she sets off in her space ship in search of the perfect ingredient.

GEOFFREY AMESSE, FLAVIE CARIN, JORDAN DA SILVA,

JULIEN HEYE

FRANCE | 2021

FACTS

Dutch title Douglass Director Geoffrey Amesse, Flavie Carin, Jordan Da Silva, Julien Heye Producer Carlos De Carvalho Screenwriter Geoffrey Amesse Editor Jordan Da Silva Composer Ingrid Tronchon Production company Pôle 3D, , patrick2carvalho@gmail.com Sales company Je Regarde, France, contact@jeregarde.net, www.jeregarde.net

ANA CHUBINIDZE

FRANCE, GEORGIA | 2021 | 8’ | 4+

FACTS

Dutch title Franzy’s gaarkeuken Director Ana Chubinidze

Producer Pierre Méloni Screenwriter Ana Chubinidze Editor Antoine Rodet Composer Erekle Gestadze, Zviad Mgebry

Production company Pocket Studio Sales company Folimage, France, contact@folimage.fr, www.folimage.fr

Good Night Mr. Ted

This is exactly what happens in the dark according to children’s overactive imaginations: your favourite cuddly toy keeps you safe from the really scary monsters that creep out of the cupboard. The struggle between the brave teddy bear and the dark, sharp-clawed beast is not exactly child’s play – blood and limbs fly through the air.

The story doesn’t follow the fairy-tale pattern either, but is more like a real film noir: the faithful bear is traded in for a more modern toy, and ends up scraping along society’s underbelly. All told in atmospheric blackand-white, with all the shades of grey and a marvellous shadow play.

This short animation, spiced with dark humour, is full of references to very grown-up films and art. The well-used music creates additional tension and melancholy. Not a film for those of a sensitive disposition, but great for older children and their parents.

Idodo

One day, a peaceful village in Papua New Guinea is startled by a strange phenomenon. When the villagers return after a long day working on the land, everything is in a mess. The next day, one of them hides in the village to see what is causing this. It turns out that fish are transforming into humans, dressing up and putting on make-up and having a big party in the village. When the next day the villagers try to catch these fish-people, panic breaks out – the intruders flee back into the water in their party finery. According to an old legend of the Ziag Zagaz tribe in Papua New Guinea, this is how the fish in the sea came to have their different, bright colours.

This warm, colourful animation was made by a filmmaker born in Papua New Guinea. She worked with artists from there and from Switzerland, where she now lives.

NICOLÁS SOLE ALLIGNANI

FACTS

Dutch title Goede nacht, meneer Ted Director Nicolás Sole Allignani Producer Nicolás Sole Allignani, Mikel Sánchez

Screenwriter Nicolás Sole Allignani Editor Nicolás Sole Allignani

Composer Gonçal Perales Sales company FilmsToFestivals Distribution Agency, Argentina, gisela@filmstofestivals.com

URSULA ULMI

NEW GUINEA, UNITED STATES, SWITZERLAND

FACTS

Dutch title Idodo Director Ursula Ulmi Producer Ursula Ulmi

Idodo Performance Group Production company Ulmi

Switzerland,

Screenwriter Ursula Ulmi, Ziag Zagaz Clan Editor Anja Kofmel

The Landing

Maihinnousu

After a long journey, a father and his son arrive in a strange country – they had to leave their home because of heavy rains. Their little ship moors by a zoo – a group of people are just visiting it. They don’t know what to do with the newcomers – they look so different. A young girl in the group is curious, but the rest call her back. The group decides to lock the two newcomers up like exotic animals. But when a hard rain starts to fall, their cage turns out to be the best place to shelter. What does this mean for the two strangers?

This original story is packaged in funny, unpolished, colourful stop motion. There is no dialogue, but the actions speak for themselves and the music adds atmosphere to the images. The film shows how fear of unfamiliar people can lead to strange actions.

Little Frog

Lille frø

Little frog lands in a meteorite right in the middle of a frog family’s dining table. The family lovingly take him in, but it soon turns out something weird’s going on. The young frog is hyperactive and smashes everything around him. Not on purpose: it seems he just can’t help it. His family are at their wits’ end and the little frog tries to find a solution. But no one can help him; not even the therapist or the wise old hermit. There’s something in the little frog that needs to come out.

This sweet animation is about how difficult it is if you’re different from most people around you. And especially if this being different makes the people who love you sad. The film shows in a playful way that this doesn’t mean you are bad. And that sometimes it just takes a little time to become who you really are.

KIM HAGEN JENSEN

FACTS

Dutch title Klein kikkertje Director Kim Hagen Jensen Producer Søren Fleng Screenwriter Kim Hagen Jensen Editor Emma Hjulmann Nielsen Composer Kristian Selin Eidnes Andersen Production company Fleng Entertainment ApS, soren@sorenfleng.com

Dutch title De aankomst Director Kaisa Penttilä Producer Patrik Sigmundt Screenwriter Kaisa Penttilä Editor Jaani Kivinen Composer Sakari Salli, Tuomas Wäinölä, Samu Ruuskanen Production company Kaiho Republic

FACTS

Louis I., King of the Sheep

Louis Ier Roi des Moutons

Louis is just a simple sheep until one day he finds a paper crown and puts it on his head. From that moment on he is Louis I, King of the Sheep. At first the other sheep ignore him, but after he makes a fervent speech he is allowed to have his royal way. Just like his human namesake – the French Sun King – he has parks laid out, commissions portraits of himself, carries out a census of his subjects and has important jobs done. His subjects do his bidding without complaint, like the tame sheep they are.

The story is told in stop-motion with a sense of humour, an eye for the smallest details and exceptional colour combinations in lifelike landscapes. There is music, a lot of bleating and dialogue is only used (voiced by legendary actress Isabelle Rosselini) at really important moments in this fairy tale. The film shows how ridiculous and relative power can be, and how it can be lost just as easily as gained.

Luce and the Rock

Luce et le Rocher

Little Luce lives in a tiny village where every day is reassuringly like the rest. Sunny mornings seamlessly move towards deep blue nights above the little red houses. Luce has her mother and her comforting light to keep the darkness at bay. One night a huge rock lands among the houses, with a devastating effect. Life isn’t the same anymore, and Luce decides to do something about it; she goes in search of the rock’s home, and in so doing overcomes her fears. The animation in this short film is deceptively simple. A special feature is the use of the primary colours blue, red and yellow and shapes (square for most of the villagers, round for Luce and her mother). Almost entirely without words, a story is told about what home is and can be, about being afraid of the unknown and about the importance of understanding the situation of others.

MARKUS

FACTS

Dutch title Louis de Eerste, de schapenkoning Director Markus Wulf Producer SuJin Song, Levin Hübner, Maggie Briggs, Jorge Granados Ross, Markus Wulf Screenwriter Markus Wulf, Maggie Briggs Editor Esteban García Vernaza Composer Kaspian Shines, Amir Mortezai Production company Irrelevant Media, Autumn Song Production, autumn.song.production@gmail.com, Hübner Wallenfels

BRITT RAES

Dutch title Luce en de rots Director Britt Raes Producer Perrine Gauthier, Joeri Christiaen, Tünde Vollenbroek Screenwriter Britt Raes Editor Britt Raes Composer Bram Meindersma Production company THURISTAR, info@thuristar.com Sales company Miyu Distribution, France, festival@miyu.fr, www.miyu.fr Distributor Luce Grosjean

Luisa and the Feathered Snake

Louise et la legende du serpent à plumes

Luisa has moved to Mexico with her family, against her will. She misses her old home, but fortunately she has her pet lizard, which she found in the European Alps. When one day her favourite animal runs out of the new house, she goes after it. Together with a boy she meets, she tracks the little animal, which turns out to be more than just a lizard. A show wrestler and an oracle – the boy’s grandma – help the pair of them ensure that a centuries-old prediction about the lizard comes true.

This 2D animation gives insight into the mythical stories of Mexico rooted in Aztec culture. Such as about Quetzalcoatl, the feathered snake, the real protagonist of this film. It shows how ancient traditions and tales can bring people together. And that it can be good to let things go – even if it’s your favourite pet.

No-No Goes to Space

Non-Non dans l’espace

Nono, a platypus, goes off on an adventure with his animal friends in a home-made spaceship. Miraculously, their rocket ship flies off into the universe and the pilot is able to avoid all the meteors. They eventually crash-land on a faraway planet that’s not so very different from Earth. There they meet dangerous, meat-eating plants and a new friend. As the rocket ship has been damaged, they have to work together if they ever want to return home. In the meantime, their new space friend has problems of his own: he just can’t get his catapult to hit a target.

In this cheerful animation with rousing music, Nono is nervous about going on an adventure. But he’s encouraged by the optimism and enthusiasm of his friends, who all have their own peculiarities. Together, and with a huge dose of persistence and creativity, they are able to overcome all the challenges along the way.

FACTS

Dutch title Louisa en de legende van de hagedis Director Hefang Wei Producer Amaury Ovise, Reginald de Guillebon Screenwriter Patricia Mortagne Editor Nicolas Desmaison, Alexia Morel Composer Christophe Héral Production company Kazak Productions, France, info@kazakproductions.fr, https://en.unifrance.org/directories/company/347833/kazakproductions, Folimage, France, contact@folimage.fr, www.folimage.fr Sales company MIAM ! distribution, contact@miam-animation.com

WASSIM BOUTALEB JOUTEI

BELGIUM

FACTS

2022

Dutch title No-No’s ruimteavontuur Director Wassim Boutaleb Joutei Producer Nicolas Schmerkin, Olivier Nomen Screenwriter Wassim Boutaleb Joutei Editor Wassim Boutaleb Joutei, Thomas Mouton Composer Mathias Duplessy Production company Autour de Minuit, France, festivals@autourdeminuit.com, www.autourdeminuit.com

Oddland

Andersland

Witty, playful animation about being different. A group of giraffes with no neck live on the savanna, where they eat and drink and play hide-and-seek all day. One day, the neck on one of them starts to grow, until it’s crazy long and really awkward. This animal and his family have to get used to his new look. He can no longer play with the other giraffes – but his long neck does have advantages. This odd-giraffe-out literally has a better view of the world, gets to go to new places and meet other animals. But the other giraffes don’t forget him: in spite of the differences, they are reunited.

This colourful short film, without dialogue but with funny sounds, is full of nice jokes and fun details. The cheerful music, including the appealing closing song, is by creative Flemish music duo Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul.

Paolo’s Happiness

Paolos Glück

Paolo has a good life. He has a lovely cat, likes to read and has a really special gift: when he cries, a wonderful flower grows in the place where his tears fall. He manages to keep this hidden, until one day he loses his handkerchief. Then his tear flowers are suddenly visible to everyone. Pretty soon the whole village knows, and everyone wants a piece of this happiness. This is too much for Paolo; he is so hounded that he decides to leave the village. Or is there another way?

This beautifully made stop-motion film is about happiness not being something you can get or buy. It’s something you have to find in yourself and the things around you. Paolo’s happy flowers are beautiful, but they very soon fade. Just like the things everyone does and buys for a moment’s happiness.

FACTS

Dutch title Andersland Director An Vrombaut Producer Brecht Van Elslande Screenwriter An Vrombaut, Bert Lesaffer Composer Charlotte Adigéry, Boris Zeebroek Production company Animal Tank, Belgium, brecht@animaltank.be, www.animaltank.be

THORSTEN DRÖSSLER, MANUEL SCHROEDER

FACTS

Dutch title Paolo’s tranen van geluk Director Thorsten Drößler, Manuel Schroeder Producer Sereina Gabathuler, Alena Vandasova, Grit Wißkirchen, Martin Vandas Screenwriter Thorsten Drößler Editor Manuel Schroeder Composer Peter Bräker Production company Filmvermoegen, Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion, MAUR film, , vandasova@maurfilm.com

Piropiro

Little bird Piropiro lives in a lovely forest; bird Dalle lives in a built-up area. When the two unexpectedly meet, Piropiro wants to go adventuring in the forest.

The Shaman’s Apprentice

Angakusajaujuq

In this traditional Inuit story, a young shaman goes on a journey through the snow in the deep north. She has to reach Kannaaluk, The One Below, to find out why a member of the tribe has fallen ill. The girl has to rely on her courage and the wise lessons of her grandma, who is also a shaman. In the cave, it turns out that the ill man’s misfortune is related to a big taboo being broken.

This story shows the wisdom and beauty of old myths and traditions, which still have value in modern society. The impressive computer animation brings the harsh yet stunning world of the polar snow to life. As well as the spirituality of ancient peoples, who live in harmony with nature. In spite of the seriousness of the subject matter, there are also lots of laughs, for example about grandma’s bedpan, which plays a significant role in the life lessons and healing of the sick member of the tribe.

MIYOUNG BAEK

Dutch title Piropiro Director Miyoung Baek Producer Miyoung Baek Screenwriter Miyoung Baek Composer Hyunsuh Lee Production company Miyoung Baek Sales company Midralgar, emmanuel@midralgar.fr

ZACHARIAS KUNUK

FACTS

Dutch title De leerling en de sjamaan Director Zacharias Kunuk

Producer Neil Christopher, Nadia Mike, Jonathan Frantz Screenwriter Zacharias Kunuk, Jonathan Frantz Editor Maia Iotzova, Evan DeRushie, Dan Dietzel Composer Beatrice Deer Production company Taqqut Productions, Canada, festivals@taqqut.com, https://taqqut.com, Kingulliit Productions

Sierra

Funny, absurd animation about a boy with idiosyncratic parents. His mother is mad about plants; she spends all day long in the greenhouse. His chain-smoking father is a mechanic and obsessed with cars – his big ambition is to take part in a real motor race, with his son. The son mainly likes to play outside. He joins in the frog chorus and swings in an old car tyre hanging from a tree. When his father invites him to be his co-driver in a race, he’s not enthusiastic about it. But when the race they take part in gets out of hand, he helps his father out – a sacrifice that has huge consequences.

This exciting film full of crazy jokes combines various styles; for example, the television footage of the car race in this 2D animation is done in stop motion. Anything goes: the son changes into a car tyre and burning drivers chase victory in exploded cars.

Spirit of the Forest

SANDER JOON

FACTS

Dutch title Sierra Director Sander Joon Producer Aurelia Aasa, Erik Heinsalu Screenwriter Sander Joon Composer Misha Panfilov Production company BOP Animation / AAA Creative, aureliaaasa@gmail.com Sales company New Europe Film Sales, Poland, office@neweuropefilmsales.com, www.neweuropefilmsales.com Distributor Square Eyes

Somewhere in the south of India, a girl aged almost seven and her even younger brother are on a journey. They drift from the village where they live towards the big forest, and the little brother doesn’t want to go on. He is afraid of the spirit that lives in the forest. But his sister is so immersed in her play that she goes deeper and deeper into the forest, where she soon finds out that what her father told her is not a fable. In the magical heart of nature, she is taken on a trip through time. This teaches her why this is such an important place, and that it should be respected by everyone.

This dazzling animation tells a mythical story with a message as modern as it is universal: it is important that we care for nature together, so it can continue to give us what we need.

NANDINI RAO, NIRUPA RAO, KALP SANGHVI

FACTS

Dutch title De stem van het bos Director Nandini Rao, Nirupa Rao, Kalp Sanghvi Producer Nandini Rao, Nirupa Rao Screenwriter Nandini Rao Composer Abhi Tambe Production

Kingdoms niruparao211@gmail.com, Lighter

Troll Girl

One day a nun finds a little orphan – who turns out to be a troll girl. The nun brings her up as her own human daughter. This means the girl has to join in with the human world, so she hides herself under a big cape. And she needs to control herself, because if she gets angry she changes into a huge, strong troll. This comes in handy when her adoptive mother and their village are threat ened by a scary monster, which is trying to eat people. The time has come for the troll girl to throw off her disguise and show who she really is.

This 2D animation, sometimes a little reminiscent of manga cartoons, shows that it’s not always easy to be yourself – this is not always appreciated by those around you. Some people might even bully you. But ultimately it’s best not to pretend to be what you are not.

When I am Sad

Erb es tkhur em

A poem in a flowing animated style, in which a girl talks about what happens inside her when she is sad. She expresses her emotions in vivid terms – so we can easily picture what she means. The girl, and the things she feels, are drawn in simple white lines, against a painted backdrop. This backdrop changes with her mood. If she is really sad, it feels to her as if her smile disappears and changes into other things. And then she has the feeling that the words she can normally say get completely stuck in her head and can no longer get out.

This poetic film shows and allows us to feel what it means to be overwhelmed by huge feelings of sadness and depression. This means people who don’t experience this can understand how it feels, while those who sometimes do suffer from these dark head-clouds will find it recognisable.

FACTS

Dutch title Het trollenmeisje Director Kay Carmichael Producer

Dianne Makings Screenwriter Kay Carmichael Editor Clea Mallinson Composer Wayne Simpson Production company Triggerfish Film Productions (Pty) Ltd, , dianne.makings@triggerfish.com, Giantslayer Studios

LILIT ALTUNYAN

FRANCE

2021

FACTS

Dutch title Als ik verdrietig ben Director Lilit Altunyan Producer

Armine Anda, Reginald de Guillebon Screenwriter Lilit Altunyan, Armine Anda Editor Karen Baghinyan Leading actors Armine Anda Production company Hoshkee Film, Armenia, hoshkeefilm@gmail.com, hoshkee.webs.com, Folimage, France, contact@folimage.fr, www.folimage.fr

Adjustment

Flaking nail varnish on their fingers reveals that Shahrokh (9) has feelings and interests that the other, bullying, schoolchildren and parents in the village don’t understand. At school, this leads to aggression, and at home mainly to rejection. When one day it all gets out of hand, Shahrokh flees the house. The child has nowhere to go. After some hairy moments with no family or roof over their head, the child takes a radical, courageous decision, returning to class dressed as a girl.

This pretty ominous youth film from Iran tells, from their own perspective, how an exceptionally courageous child deals with persistent bullies, rejection by parents and a society that rejects someone like Shahrokh. Fortunately, the child does feel some support from a curt teacher and a sweet, tough friend, and this enables Shahrokh to be their authentic, female self for the first time in the very place where hostility is most severe.

Astel

In a northern region of Senegal, 13-year-old Astel gets up early to tend their herd of cattle with her beloved father. Father and daughter are a good team and enjoy their working day together. Until her father suddenly notices a major change in his daughter: she is no longer a child, but well on the way to becoming a young woman. Suddenly, Astel is shut off from the men and their duties, and told to join the women. A decision she is not prepared to accept just like that.

In this low-key slice of life,the shift that takes place in a teenage girl’s position within the community is presented in sketches of situations and through displays of emotion, rather than through explicit dialogues. As far as the traditional farming community is concerned, this change is simply part of the natural course of life, but for a 13-year-old girl this crucial moment makes a world of difference, as this drama shows.

MEHRDAD HASANI

FACTS

Dutch title De aanpassing Director Mehrdad Hasani Producer Hassan Mohammadi Screenwriter Farzad Ahmadi Editor Majid Taremi Composer Hossein Ghoorchian Leading actors Moeid Asoudeh, Hasan Khoshhalat, Fatemeh Moradi, Mansour Nasiri Production company Sales company A to Zinema Distribution, Iran, azadeh.masihzadeh@gmail.com

RAMATA-TOULAYE SY

FRANCE, SENEGAL | 2021 | 24’ | 10+

FACTS

Dutch title Astel Director Ramata-Toulaye Sy Producer Maud

Leclair, Margaux Juvénal Screenwriter Ramata-Toulaye Sy Editor

Nathan Jacquard Composer Amine Bouhafa Leading actors Hawa Mamadou Dia, Amadou Diallo, Khady Diallo, Cherif Amadou Diallo, Alassane Hamet Ly, Production company La Chauve-Souris, Kazak Productions, Astou Production Sales company Sudu Film

Chicken

Gamineries

One slow, sultry summer afternoon, Zohra calls on her friend Antonin, who is also aged ten. She has two of her nephews from out of town with her and they want to go adventuring in the neighbourhood. These nephews, it turns out, like to push the boundaries. They all have to prove themselves in a game of running over the motorway, just in front of a fast-moving car. Sensitive Antonin doesn’t really dare, but wants to make a good impression on Zohra.

This nail-biting youth drama times the action of their risky game to achieve maximum tension. But the under lying theme of this short coming-of-age story has just as much impact. How can you stand your ground as a sensitive child among others with a big mouth? Why is it so difficult to set your boundaries when peer pressure to prove yourself is so great? Do you really think about the consequences?

Cupids

The school year has come to an end in New York and a class of elementary school kids is driven home for the last time by their beloved Miss Cheryl. Her school bus is full of drawings and photos of her young passengers. Suddenly the children start to wonder what Miss Cheryl is going to do all summer long. What will their favourite school bus driver do all alone, without them? The children start to make plans on the back seat for a relationship for Miss Cheryl.

Cupids is a sweetly comical declaration of love for that frequently underappreciated group of essential workers, New York’s bus drivers. In this moving short live-action film for children, the candidates put forward by the kids have imagined meetings with Miss Cheryl, always accompanied by playful animations. Cupids examines a number of themes in a humorous, accessible way that is recognisable to the target group. What’s more, the film has a nice multicultural mix, without this being an issue.

MIKAEL GAUDIN

FRANCE | 2021 |

FACTS

Dutch title Watje Director Mikael Gaudin Producer Igor Auzépy, Stéphane Demoustier Screenwriter Mikael Gaudin Editor Nathan Jacquard Leading actors Tanguy Mercier, Florence Janas, Augustine Szechenyi-Bensoussan, Alex Terrier-Thiebaux, Aaron Kadouche, Jules Gauzelin Production company Année Zéro, contact@annee0.com, Sales company Shortcuts, France, festival@shortcuts.pro, http://shortcuts.pro/

ZOEY MARTINSON

UNITED

FACTS

Dutch title Cupido’s Director Zoey Martinson Producer Korey Jackson, Devin E. Haqq Screenwriter Zoey Martinson, Julie Sharbutt Editor Joseph Gutowski Composer Avi A. Amon Leading actors Melanie Nicholls-King, Toryn Isabella Coote, Julius Sampson, Scarlett London Diviney Production company Tribeca Studios Sales company Tribeca Studios

Daughters

Dochters

Poignant, realistic youth drama about the arrival of foster daughter Ruby in a Flemish single-parent family, seen from the perspective of daughter Nadine (9). Nadine does her best to welcome her traumatised, deeply depressed ‘sister’. But Ruby’s problems are really complex for a 9-year-old. When Nadine’s mother then focuses mainly on Ruby’s wellbeing, it all gets a bit too much for Nadine. Ruby has to go home.

Psychological youth drama about the complexity of foster children. How to deal with a new family member who doesn’t really want to be there, but demands all the attention? How can you then keep on being the sensible ‘older sister’? Is that even possible? With their nuanced, realistic performances, the young actors are able to make confusing feelings palpable: from jealousy, panic and rage to sympathy and playful joy. This fragile story can also be understood by young viewers who have ‘normal’ brothers and sisters at home.

The Dependent Variables

Le variabili dipendenti

Pietro and Tommaso meet for the first time in twilight, during a class visit to a concert by Vivaldi. Horsing around, the two teenage boys gradually surrender to the music and the intimacy of the moment. An exploratory kiss follows. But what does that kiss mean when the lights come up again? Later, the tentative game of attraction and repulsion cautiously continues at one of their homes. Extra maths tuition flows into playing a video game and new approaches. The boys are in an intimate limbo: do they both want to kiss again? And what does that actually mean?

Sensitive coming-of-age story in which the doubts and fragile process of discovery for both teenagers is presented intuitively, without a word too much. Recognisable to all teenagers, that strange phase between the straightforwardness of childhood and the unknown territory of adulthood; a time when nothing is certain. Especially love.

MARJOLEIN

FACTS

Dutch title Dochters Director Marjolein Verhoeven Producer Savannah van Woudenberg, Victorine Van Pee Screenwriter Cato Kusters, Casper Steketee, Marjolein Verhoeven Editor Léonie van Egmond Composer Elisabeth Klinck Leading actors Luwe Van Gucht, Amber Metdepenningen, Caroline Stas, Viv Van Dingenen, Anaïs Jansen Production company RITCS School of Arts, Belgium, ritcs@ehb.be, www.rits.be

LORENZO TARDELLA

FACTS

Dutch title Variabelen Director Lorenzo Tardella Producer Marta Donzelli Screenwriter Mara Fondacaro, Elisa Pulcini, Lorenzo Tardella Editor Angela Norelli Composer Fabio D’Onofrio Leading actors Simone Evangelista, Mattia Rega, Francesco Ortolani, Lorenzo Robustelli, Silvia Venturi Production company CSC Production, cscproduction@cscproduction.it

Goals

Charlotte and Husna are growing up in a high-rise neigh bourhood in Antwerp, where they work inseparably on their sliding tackles: these two girls aim to take the world of football by storm. But Charlotte has been selected for an older team and will have to go to a boarding school, so soon they won’t be sharing every experience anymore.

In this sparkling youth documentary, these rugged, giggling girls are filmed during the days leading up to the feared separation, and during the period afterwards. Florinda Ciucio films them in their neighbourhood, on the field and from the touchline, from the moment they no longer play for the same team and become supporters of one another. In voice-over, the best friends talk about each other’s character and peculiarities and why the other is such a great friend. This contemporary portrait will be recognisable to every child who has, sooner or later, had to say goodbye to childhood dreams and playgroup friends. How to honour your best friend, in spite of it all?

FLORINDA CIUCIO

FACTS

I Am Leo

Weil ich Leo bin

In the school holidays, rough-and-ready Leo (12) builds dens with two cousins in the woods near grandma Marlies’ house. The three of them also pester Leo’s big sister and her boyfriend. Why do they want to act all ‘grown up’ and kiss when you can all play outside together? The holiday is fun and carefree until Leo notices an unmistakeable change, which grandma proudly announces is ‘big news’. She is now ‘a real woman’ and this has to be celebrated with home-made cake. But Leo doesn’t want to celebrate.

This sensitive youth drama shows, in sketches of different situations, how the life and identity of a seemingly carefree child can be knocked off course when puberty, and all the changes this implies, arrives. Leo is overwhelmed by all whole range of emotions that end up in an identity crisis. But the other children and adults also have to deal with expectations and acceptance – which in this case happens lovingly and with lots of understanding.

TAJO HURRLE

GERMANY | 2021 | 18’ | 10+

FACTS

Dutch title Omdat ik Leo ben Director Tajo Hurrle Producer

Patrick Büchting Screenwriter Tajo Hurrle Editor Lea Agmon

Composer Frank Hurrle Leading actors Aaron Goebel, Sarah Goebel, Ute Lubosch, Thapelo Mashiane, Amadeo*Leo Arndt Production company Cangerfilms Hochschule Darmstadt

Dutch title Goals Director Florinda Ciucio Producer Isabelle Baele, Steven Borgerhoff, Ilse Schooneknaep Screenwriter Florinda Ciucio Editor Louis Deruddere Composer Arthur Brouns Production company Borgerhoff & Lamberigts TV

Itch

Girud

Sensitive short drama in which an itchy situation leads to something good happening in the life of 12-year-old Omer. She and her sister are infected with lice, and their divorced parents reunite for just one time to treat the sisters. Omer relaxes and enjoys it; for a little while, it’s as if the divorce hasn’t happened. But as the lice disappear, the enchantment is broken: Omer’s father goes back to his own home. How can she make sure he visits again soon?

In this sensitive coming-of-age story, a sad child of divorced parents tries to change the family’s fate. Without spelling it out specifically, in this cosy ‘family ritual’ director Ma’ayan Rypp makes it crystal clear how inventive children can be in their attempts to bring separated parents back together again. At the same time, she shows the tragedy of children who think they bear the responsibility for such a break-up.

Josefine

It’s the end of May and the school year is drawing to a close. Somehow, Josefine (15) has become excluded from her group. One of them bullies her, others just ignore her. To help make the next year better, two actors have been brought in for a special group day. Instead of maths lessons, they will do improvisations aimed at making the group dynamics and status within the class clearer. Will this help make Josefine’s next school year better?

A short youth drama that shows in a realistic, almost documentary, style what status means, what peer pressure does and what the consequences can be for diverse individuals within such a group. The divided class try to break through set patterns through cooperative exercises. The explanations given by the actors make a lot of things clear, as does the portrayal of these teenagers, who put what they’ve learned into practice – sometimes.

MA’AYAN RYPP

FACTS

Dutch title Jeuk Director Ma’ayan Rypp Producer Kobi Mizrahi, Ma’ayan Rypp Screenwriter Ma’ayan Rypp Editor Adam Weingrod Composer Adam Weingrod Leading actors Rani Reiss, Roni Yaniv, Sky Fradkin, Alon Neuman Production company KM Productions, kobmiz@walla.com

JOHANNA ANDERSSON

FACTS

Dutch title Josefine Director Johanna Andersson Producer Johanna Andersson Screenwriter Johanna Andersson Editor Johanna Andersson Composer Chad Crouch Leading actors Bina Assarsson, Katarina Lundén, Lovisa Skoglöf, Gustav Berghe, Arvid Granmo Production company Fargfilm, Sweden, kontakt@fargfilm.se

My Dad’s an Alien!

Pappa är en alien!

Frida (9) is growing up with her single mother on a nice farm. When temporary worker Guy turns up one day, Frida has a lot of questions. Why does Guy look so dishevelled? Why is he so secretive, and why doesn’t he have any feeling for the animals? As an expert on extra-terrestrial beings and advanced technology, Frida quickly solves the puzzle: he must be her father! He’s travelled from another planet to get to know his daughter. When a dastardly policeman comes to investigate alien visits, Frida does everything she can to help Guy. Because that’s what you do for your father.

This colourful, playfully designed live action drama with comical elements deals with a missing father in a child’s life in a light-hearted, imaginative way. From the perspective of a tough 9-year-old, it’s natural to take your responsibilities seriously when the adults around you make life difficult for one another.

Planet Robin

Robin og Plenaten

The nice house where only child Robin (9) lives with her parents, is being sold. Her mum and dad are getting divorced and will soon be moving to two different houses. Angry, sad and confused, Robin storms off into the woods, where she finds a big, floating globe. She decides to help this planet, by repairing it in the garage. While her parents are packing and the estate agent is already at the door, Robin works on making her wounded world better, in the hope of getting to grips with her own existence.

In this poignant short children’s film, live action is supplemented by special effects to depict Robin’s injured, but living, globe. As Robin’s parents’ divorce starts to take on concrete form, Robin clings ever more tightly to ‘her’ world – with almost catastrophic consequences. In a sensitive way, the globe represents Robin’s once so safe but now collapsing, taken-for-granted children’s world. What will she get in its place?

ELIN GRÖNBLOM

FACTS

Dutch title Mijn vader is een alien! Director Elin Grönblom Producer Tage Rönnqvist Screenwriter Elin Grönblom Editor Tage Rönnqvist Composer Epidemic Sound Leading actors Lilah Sandberg, Matti Raita, Sussie Marins, Johan Aspelin Production company Eva Lingon Ltd. Oy Ab, info@evalingon.com

JOHAN KAOS

FACTS

Dutch

Planeet Robin Director Johan Kaos Producer Gary

Cranner Screenwriter

Kaos Editor Reidar Ewing Composer

Billie

Production

The Silent Echo

The Silent Echo

Four children spend their days in a spectacular, sweeping landscape somewhere in Nepal, in a desolate, broken-down bus. They make music and sing all day together in the traditional way, with beautiful multi-voice melodies. When they hear that there’s a band competition in a nearby town, they decide to take part. They have to overcome quite a few obstacles and prejudices before they can get up on the stage. Once there, they find out that people in the city have very different ideas about what makes for a good band.

This short live action film shows the contradictions between the countryside and the town, where they look down on old traditions. But it also shows how important it is to hold on to your own sense of beauty, even if this doesn’t bring you success according to society’s rules. And even if that society seems to be turning against you.

Sunday

One sunny morning on Cyprus, man drives with his grandson out to a remote area to hunt birds. The grandson is really looking forward to showing off his skills with his catapult, but soon gets tired of shooting at tin cans. It’s not until he copies his grandpa and shoots at a live target that he realises what hunting really is.

In this atmospheric, minimalist coming-of-age film, a boy finds out what it means to become a man, during a grown-up expedition with his experienced grandpa. His initial playfulness soon becomes tough talk: the grandson wants to really shoot at the birds too. But his inexperience and bravado get in the way, and he doesn’t get a clean strike. Then he learns from his wise grandfather that this action also has consequences. A real man must put a wounded animal out of its misery – with his bare hands.

SUMAN SEN

FRANCE, INDIA, BANGLADESH, NEPAL | 2021 | 16’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title De stille echo Director Suman Sen Producer Suman Sen, Vivek Modi, Dominique Welinski, Ram Krishna Pokharel, Arifur Rahman, Bijon - Screenwriter Suman Sen Editor Olivier Jahan Composer Mayukh Moinak Leading actors Kunsang Gurung, Tashi Wangdue Gurung, Pema Wangyal Gurung, Tsering Dhundup Gurung Production company DW

DINOS GREGORIOU

FACTS

Dutch title Zondag Director Dinos Gregoriou Producer Petros Charalambous, Marios Petrondas Screenwriter Dinos Gregoriou Editor Dinos Gregoriou Leading actors Dimitris Xystras, Orestis Christodoulides Production company Out of Focus

Tank Fairy

‘Song wa si de’ is what the local sellers of gas tanks in Taiwan are called. But there is no one quite like this one magic gas fairy. This extravagant Tank Fairy inspires timid Jojo (10) to be the most glamourous version of himself. Jojo also wants to shine and vogue in the most stunning drag outfits. The tank fairy helps Jojo, with a lot of self-confidence and glitter, transform into his authentic self. In spite of the objections of Jojo’s mother and peers, who don’t understand and exclude him.

In this modern, positive drag fairy tale, a shy but head strong boy is encouraged to come out of his shell, with a little help from a fierce ‘drag mother’ who distrusts all rigid conventions. In scenes almost without dialogue – but with lots of slapstick, personality, a swinging soundtrack and vogue dancing – the young hero is able to make almost everyone enthusiastic about his passion for drag. Even his hesitant mother can’t resist an overthe-top manicure.

To Children, the War

Aux enfants la guerre

Enzo, Léa and Hugo are playing war with their toy weapons in the woods around their posh neighbourhood in Geneva. The three tweens suddenly find themselves face-to-face with teenager Amar, a refugee from the war in Libya who is wise beyond his years. Enzo, the oldest of the tweens, is deeply impressed by this young undoc umented refugee, helps him get food and cigarettes and feels that this is helping him to grow up. Until Enzo makes a miscalculation, and is unable to live up to his grown-up promises.

Impressive, realistic short youth film about children who are confronted for the first time up close by the refugee crisis and adult issues they are unable to adequately assess. Enzo keeps his new friendship a secret from his family, who start to wonder why his behaviour is changing so much. It turns out that helping a traumatised illegal young person is not a heroic deed, but a serious business with extremely serious consequences for the Libyan teenager.

ERICH RETTSTADT

FACTS

Dutch title Slay, fee Director Erich Rettstadt Producer Erich Rettstadt, Anita Tung, C.K. Hugo Chung Screenwriter Erich Rettstadt Editor Erich Rettstadt Composer Sonia Calico Leading actors Marian Mesula, Ryan Lin, Danielle Yen Production company Spotlight Entertainment

JOSEPH INCARDONA

FACTS

Dutch title Oorlog is geen spel Director Joseph Incardona

Producer Elisa Garbar Screenwriter Joseph Incardona Editor Damián Plandolit Leading actors Esteban Sicilia, Taki Eddine Djennane Production company Louise Productions Lausanne, Switzerland, lausanne@louiseproductions.ch, https://www.louiseproductions.ch

To Vancouver

The Chameleon

De kameleon

Young adult Yorgos packs his bags, sells his moped, pays off his debts, lights a candle and organises a going-away party. But Yorgos’ little sister Vicky thinks it’s terrible that he’s leaving for another country. In this atmospheric youth drama, Vicky follows Yorgos around on his last day at home. Could a centuries-old local curse keep him from leaving?

In this atmospheric, melancholy Greek youth drama, the pieces of the puzzle in this sketch of a situation gradually fall into place. The family live in a run-down village that has little to offer the younger generation. The shadow of the abandoned coal mine is everywhere. Work and a future have to be sought elsewhere, and families are torn apart by emigration. At the same time, this drama is also a low-key family portrait, with a girl who idolises her big brother. Sparse yet effective dialogue offers insight into the family history and the current economic depression in Greece.

A chameleon enjoys doing nothing but lying in the sun on a branch. However, the threat of danger disturbs him and he is forced to change location. And that entails changing colour to not become the victim of its natural enemies. Every time he has found a new spot and colour he is disturbed again by something he has to run from. It seems as if there is nowhere for him to be camouflaged in peace.

This short, colourful animation shows the world as a beautiful, yet tumultuous and sometimes dangerous place. Even disappearing into the background isn’t enough because there too, strange things happen. The film starts as a peaceful image, but quickly becomes a maelstrom of colours, shapes and sounds.

ARTEMIS ANASTASIADOU

FACTS

Dutch title Naar Vancouver Director Artemis Anastasiadou

Producer Vangelis Fampas Screenwriter Artemis Anastasiadou

Editor Spiros Kokkas Composer Christos Barbas Leading actors Margianna Karvouniari, Vassilis Koutsogiannis, Aliki Vavouli, Nicholas Krokos Production company Massive Productions Sales company Lights On, Italy, lightson@lightsonfilm.org, www.lightsonfilm.com

PIM TER BRAAK

FACTS

Dutch title De kameleon Director Pim ter Braak Producer Arnoud Rijken, Michiel Snijders, Jeroen Zijlstra Screenwriter Patrick Raats Editor Jeroen Zijlstra Composer Alex Debick Production company il Luster, The Netherlands, info@illuster.nl, www.illuster.nl

Dog Days

Hondendagen

A young woman breaks up with her boyfriend. When she walks away from him during their last meeting, he desperately clings to her dachshund. To his great surprise the dog’s rear end comes along with him. For days, he carries the dog’s behind and wagging tail around with him. However, the sausage dog’s stretched out body gets all tangled up in its environment. Ultimately, his life becomes impossible and he has to decide whether he needs to let go of this last part of his relationship.

The dialogue-free, 2D animation is about not being able to let go and demonstrates this quite literally. Initially, the young man is happy with his solution; he doesn’t feel alone. However, holding on entails losing sight of the world around him. He only discovers this once he has become entirely entangled.

Hooba

Hoeba

It’s 3,000 B.C.. Four cavemen are having a hard time. They have to constantly search for food and safe, dry place for them to sleep. However, houses haven’t been invented yet. Then one of them sees something in nature that inspires him: they need to use stones to create a shelter that will keep them safe and dry. That sounds easier than it is because they aren’t used to cooperating. Moreover, they are distracted by a bouncing bunny. Due to a strange coincidence a sort of structure develops thereby solving the mystery of how passage graves ended up in the Netherlands.

This witty claymation is simple – the cavemen are funny lumps of clay, each with their own expression, head and colour. The film’s title refers to the only word the cavemen can say.

GEORGE HAMPSHIRE

FACTS

Dutch title Hondendagen Director George Hampshire Producer Alex Dowding, Bruno Felix, Femke Wolting Screenwriter Milo Cremer Einhoven, George Hampshire Editor Rem Berger Composer Tessa Rose Jackson, Darius Timmer Production company Submarine, The Netherlands, info@submarine.nl, www.submarine.nl

SEM ASSINK

FACTS

Dutch title Hoeba Director Sem Assink Producer Michiel Snijders, Arnoud Rijken, Sem Assink Screenwriter Sem Assink Production company il Luster, The Netherlands, info@illuster.nl, www.illuster. nl, Capybara Animation

Fur

Vacht

A little girl has a big sister who she loves dearly. But something is up with the latter: the older girl is changing into a sort of animal with grey fur and horns. she doesn’t want to do anything anymore and turns inwards. The little girl doesn’t understand what’s going on and comes up wit hall sorts of plans to change her sister back into the person she once knew. She takes her to their favourite place and tries to play with her. Nothing seems to help.

A recognisable film for children whose brother or sister is struggling with puberty. The new emotions grow on you like moss or a pelt. The animation shows things through the younger sister’s eyes, and she feels power less. She seeks causes and solutions, but they don’t exist for this problem.

Koning Worst

For the longest time, butcher Tuitjes has been the only one in the village of Moppel. Greetje, who helps her father in the shop, knows all the regular customers and what they will order. She is in love with one of them, the somewhat clumsy Nol. All is well until a new butcher appears. The Italian Smakkerelli lures the villagers with his charm, smooth talking and special, Italian flavours. Father Tuitjes fights back during the annual sausage contest with his shop as collateral. If he wins Smakkerelli has to leave, but if the opposite happens he has to go.

This lovingly made stop-motion animation is a warm-up for the feature-length animation Knor, that was released in Dutch cinemas. In this short film the leading characters burst into song at important emotional moments, just like in an Italian opera.

MADELEINE HOMAN

MASCHA HALBERSTAD

FACTS

Dutch title Koning Worst Director Mascha Halberstad Producer Marleen Slot Screenwriter Luuk van Bemmelen Editor Mascha Halberstad Composer Rik Elstgeest Leading actors Kees Prins, Loes Luca, Henry van Loon, Jelka van Houten, Remko Vrijdag Production company Viking Film, The Netherlands, info@vikingfilm.nl, www.vikingfilm.nl Distributor Gusto Entertainment

Dutch title Vacht Director Madeleine Homan Producer Thijme Grol Screenwriter Madeleine Homan Editor Madeleine Homan Composer Annelotte Coster Production company Thijme Grol Distributor Kapitein Kort

FACTS

Longing

Verlangen

Chris’ mother has disappeared. It isn’t clear how or why, but his father is very sad and wanders around confused, clutching a photo of his beloved wife. All the while, putting on a brave face for Chris. He manes, but overdoes it, becoming enormous and very hard. He literally turns into a rock. Now it is up to his son, who is also sad, to break through the tough shell surrounding his father. Because only if he can reach him, can they both process the huge loss.

The special animation in this short film properly depicts how Chris and his father feel using colour, but also the contrast between the two. The images are hand painted which creates an exceptional atmosphere: the film starts sombre, in greys, but slowly becomes lighter and happier, just like the story.

Mind the Gap

A student leaves his home town to travel to his place of education. He takes public transport, but that isn’t as easy as it sounds because Luke is highly sensitive and perceives everything in his environment. He also takes on other people’s emotions. This makes it hard for him to stay calm: he uses a sort of magical stressball to help him. However, the trip is so busy and crazy that the ball can no longer absorb his stress. Luke then has to reach equilibrium himself.

This animation uses colours, shapes and sounds to show what it is like to be highly sensitive. Things get bigger and crazier than they are as well as everything seeming to come at you. This turns a simple train journey into a nightmare. Luckily, there is a solution.

FACTS

Dutch title Verlangen Director Lotte Salomons Producer Siemen Versloot, Idris Bakker Screenwriter Maxime Baksteen Editor Lot Hoogeboom Composer Manel Fornells Production company De Nederlandse Filmacademie, idris.bakker@hotmail.com

MIREILLE KIESEWETTER, NIEK HENDRIK

FACTS

Dutch title Mind the Gap Director Mireille Kiesewetter, Niek Hendrik Producer Mireille Kiesewetter Screenwriter Mireille Kiesewetter Editor Mireille Kiesewetter Composer Wes Grootendorst, Production company Willem de Kooning Academie - Crosslab, The Netherlands, dko@hro.nl, http://wdka.nl, Willem de Kooning Academie

Pig

Varken

Funny, yet grim animation about fossil fuels. One day, an animal notices that a sleeping pig’s nostrils work like a wall socket – they provide electricity. Soon enough other animals want to connect electrical devices and things get completely out of hand: whole cities and factories depend on the pig. Naturally, this can’t go right for ever, as the pig needs energy too.

A clear message in an amusing form. The fun animation is full of absurdist jokes and off-the-wall slapstick. For instance, the animals try to revive the run down pig by shoving a funnel into its snout, then stuffing a goose down that. This demonstrates how people don’t think about their use of electricity and fuels, and have a lot of things we don’t really need.

Tipping point

Kantelpunt

Creative animation about Sustania, a straight line world in which little men walk in a straight line from home to work and back again every day. One day, one of them takes a different route, ending up in paradisiacal nature. When the rest of the people discover the wonderful place it is soon ruined. But when everything has been taken from nature, the world becomes unbalanced and things go terribly wrong.

This beautifully designed animation literally shows the fragile balance between humanity’s greed and nature. Quietly enjoying all the colourful beauty is impossible it seems: unthinkingly people just take everything without even noticing everything getting ruined in the meantime. The fantasy-rich film clearly demonstrates what happens if we don’t use our environment carefully.

JORN LEEUWERINK

FACTS

Dutch title Varken Director Jorn Leeuwerink Producer Tünde Vollenbroek Screenwriter Jorn Leeuwerink Editor Dario van Vree, Jorn Leeuwerink Composer Bram Meindersma, Job Chajes Production company Studio Pupil, The Netherlands, contact@studiopupil.com, www.studiopupil.com Sales company SND Films, The Netherlands, info@sndfilms.com, www.sndfilms.com

Distributor Kaboom Distribution

BART DE PIRAAT

THE

FACTS

Dutch title Kantelpunt Director Bart de Piraat Producer Bart de Piraat Screenwriter Bart de Piraat Editor Bart de Piraat Composer Daan van Haren Production company Go Short - International Short Film Festival Nijmegen, The Netherlands, info@goshort.nl, www.goshort.nl Distributor Go Short - International Short Film Festival Nijmegen

Hogweed

Berenklauw

Sven is nine. He lives with his mother who works hard, but doesn’t earn much money. One day during the summer holidays, Sven notices that home appliances no longer work. The power has been cut off because the bill hasn’t been paid. Now he has a problem because he has promised his friends they can watch the World Cup game between the Netherlands and ivory Coast at his house. This was going to be more or less his only treat this summer, there’s no money for a holiday. He tries to explain his problem to his mother, but she has bigger problems on her mind. So he decides to come up with a solution himself.

This.atmospheric, short film beautifully demonstrates how the perspectives of children and parents can be miles apart. And how lonely children can feel if they are ashamed of, for instance, poverty – something increasing numbers of children in the Netherlands will have to face.

How Light Gets In

How Light Gets In

Wies lives at a care farm in Zuid-Limburg in the Netherlands with other children who also aren’t doing well. She is super concerned about the climate which stops her enjoying anything else, not even a nice swim with the others. Everywhere she sees things going wrong. At the farm she meets Neha, who has her own problems, but is very upbeat and sees the sunny side of life. A tentative friendship develops and thanks to Neha, Wies finally dares to be a little happy again.

The film follows the girl Wies in everything she does. Because she is filmed up close, you almost feel what she does and you understand why she is so pessimistic. Wies is a good observer and sees the smallest details. This makes the world beautiful, but also very vulnerable.

THIJS BOUMAN

THE NETHERLANDS | 2022 | 16’

FACTS

Dutch title Berenklauw Director Thijs Bouman Producer Alain de Levita, Paula van der Oest, Mark van Eeuwen Screenwriter Dajo Leunge Editor Pepijn Ahsmann Composer Nikolaï Clavier Leading actors Brandon Coenen, Maartje van de Wetering, Romein Jongsma, Styno Huijkman, Michiel Nooter Production company Black Bee Productions, productie@black-bee.nl, Levitate Film, The Netherlands, office@levitatefilm.com, www.levitatefilm.com

MARIT WEERHEIJM

THE

FACTS

Dutch title How Light Gets In Director Marit Weerheijm Producer

Laurette Schillings, Max Wolf, Frans van Gestel, Arnold Heslenfeld

Screenwriter Saar Ponsioen Editor Fatih Tura Composer Juho

Nurmela Leading actors Luna Cruz Perez, Soumaya Wong Production company Topkapi Films, The Netherlands, info@topkapifilms.nl, www.topkapifilms.nl

The Incredible Journey

De ongelofelijke reis

Five children from an asylum seekers centre in Katwijk are followed as they work on a puppet play. The film shows them practising and preparing for the play about the journey to Rainbowland. Together with their parents, artists and volunteers they make the sets, puppets as well as write the songs and the lyrics. In the meantime, the documentary maker asks the children, who come from a variety of countries, questions. As refugees, they have all been through tough journeys looking for their Rainbowland. What do they dream of? What is their ideal country?

A short, moving documentary about loss and looking for a new home you can be part of. The children have often experienced a lot of bad things, but adapt amazingly quickly and keep believing in a great future. Without fear, yet with humour and openness – and in perfect Dutch – the children answer the filmmaker’s questions.

Joep in the Tomato Soup

Joep in de tomatensoep

Young Joep works as a dishwasher at a restaurant. With his bowl and washing-up brush, he steadily works his way through the enormous stack of plates and cutlery. Now and again, he can’t resist eating the scraps off some plates and those are the highlights of his job. One day he really wants to taste the tomato soup at the bottom of a deep pan. However, he falls in whilst trying to reach it and enters an exciting new world, perhaps too exciting even.

This slightly absurdist film set in the minimalist kitchen Joep works in and the large, cast iron pan. It is unclear where reality ends and the young dishwasher’s imagination starts. It is clear however that a lot can happen in some leftover tomato soup.

SERGEJ

FACTS

Dutch title De ongelofelijke reis Director Sergej Kreso Producer Taco Ruighaver Screenwriter Sergej Kreso Editor Katarina Türler Composer Ruud Souhoka Production company Stichting de Vrolijkheid, The Netherlands, info@vrolijkheid.nl, www.vrolijkheid.nl

ROBIN TIJDEMAN

FACTS

Dutch title Joep in de tomatensoep Director Robin Tijdeman Producer Lulu Linders, Julie Chirtes Screenwriter Robin Tijdeman

Editor Lise Robbe Composer Matthijs van der Wilt Leading actors Levi Wilbrink Production company Willem de Kooning Academie - Crosslab, The Netherlands, dko@hro.nl, http://wdka.nl

Nudes

Nude images and videos of secondary school pupils have been disseminated using social media. The teachers find out when a large group of boys no longer want to go to school. During face-to-face conversations with the teens they try to find out what happened. Was there consent for the shots or is there something else going on in the background? And how do you stay friends with one of those involved?

This documentary-like film alternates exciting excerpts with the conversations between pupils and staff. These are intense as only then do the youngsters seem to realise the damage spreading such images can do and which responsibility they bear as doing nothing is also doing something. Gradually it becomes clear what went on even though you keep wondering who the real perpetrators and victims were.

Outside

Buiten

Fynn is ten and wants to do something that isn’t hanging out indoors playing computer games with her best friend. She wants to hang out outside, like the big boys do, even though she doesn’t really know what that entails. Once she has her new Gucci cap she feels she’s tough enough. Together with Diego and another friend they make their way to where the cool scooter guys hang out. The latter doesn’t prove as easy as they had thought, so they decide to do other exciting stuff. That also doesn’t go smoothly.

Using subtle humour and little dialogue, this atmospheric, short film shows the complex emotional life of children on the verge of puberty: they feel too old for Lego (even if they still play with it) and are too young to understand what older people get up to. The world is a confusing place.

KEES-JAN MULDER

FACTS

Dutch title Nudes Director Kees-Jan Mulder Producer Robert Pruis, Peerfilm, Zout Water Screenwriter Kees-Jan Mulder Editor Gerrit Jan ten Hove Composer Remco den Hollander Leading actors Tirza Berends, Hidde van de Streek, Noëlle Lipke, Erva Bayram, Rhodé Alberts Production company Stichting Jong Veluwe, The Netherlands, robert@jongveluwe.nl, www.danmoetjewatvoormedoen.nl

WOUTER KEIJZER

FACTS

Dutch title Buiten Director Wouter Keijzer Producer Nico Lou Vos Screenwriter Wouter Keijzer Editor Moo Flamman Composer Beau Zwart Leading actors Niko Keijzer, Wail Hilali, Jah-Llyano Cleve Production company Bye Jane!, The Netherlands, mail@byejane.com, www.byejane.com

Revelinho

Revelinho is 12 and loves traditional Dutch music. He enjoys listening to his favourite Tommy Tijger and sings along at the top of his voice. But he also writes his own songs. His parents argue all the time and divorce looms over them. Revelinho thinks up a solution: he will take part at an open mic night where he will sing a song about his parents that will keep them together. Simple enough, except for the fact that he first has to recruit participants for the open mic night. Then he has to get the immensely popular Senaja to take part.

This.slightly absurdist film that features fantastical, sometimes even almost.magical elements demonstrates that it is pointless to be held back by wrong expectations and fears. Revelinho follows his passion and goes for it 100% even though he runs the risk of making a fool of himself.

Sweetheart

De hartendief

Eight-year old Vikram has heart problems and needs an operation. Vikram is worried, particularly after his niece convinces him that his father will be given a heart transplant and that he will then turn into the person whose heart he has been given. What if the donor is a bank robber? And is the doctor to be trusted, isn’t he out to get his father’s heart? Vikram decides to save his father. He takes control and goes in search of a heart.

This short film that features experienced actors immerses you in Vikram’s imagination. It shows how children’s brains work in which a small detail can become exaggerated. Vikram turns all the things he hears, and may not understand, into a story. For him fantasy and reality mingle, just like in this film.

IDRISS

FACTS

Dutch title Revelinho Director Idriss Nabil Producer Hannah Van Helden, Robijn Boekelman, Stan Egberts Screenwriter Pepe Favela Editor Sammie Seuren Composer Edwin Hidalgo Bastidas, Stijn van Dalen Leading actors Kymani Pinas, Rijairo Poulina, JayVelino Pinas Production company Nederlandse Filmacademie, The Netherlands, hannahvanhelden@icloud.com

IRIS HOGENDOORN

THE NETHERLANDS | 2022 | 13’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title De hartendief Director Iris Hogendoorn Producer Nikki Thie, Mira Mendel, Rene Mendel Screenwriter Iris Hogendoorn Editor Gys Zevenbergen Composer Maya Fridman, Bob Zimmerman Leading actors Awaneesh Matai, Pierre Bokma, Anashya Soemai, Cheryl Asruf Production company Interakt, The Netherlands, interakt@interakt.nl, www.interakt.nl

This Is Your Captain Speaking

This Is Your Captain Speaking

10-year old Asara has lived with his adoptive parents in the Netherlands for a long time. He was born in Ghana, just like his music teacher Seydou whom he has a special bond with. Seydou is in the country illegally and threatens to be deported. Asara wants to prevent that by adopting him, but this requires money. He manages to get plenty of funds thanks to his friends a bright idea. Unfortunately, he then runs into the enormous adoption bureaucracy in the Netherlands.

This.magical-realist film shows the complicated issue of the Dutch Aliens’ Act from Asara’s perspective. He wonders why people who weren’t born in the country don’t have the right to live there. For director Idriss Nabil who is half Cameroon and half Dutch it was this unjust, discriminatory system that occasioned the making of this film.

To Break a Butterfly

To Break a Butterfly

13-year old Joy has a nice life until she finds out her brother was involved in a stabbing. It gets worse when she finds the knife - her brother may have done it. Joy can’t understand why he made the choices he did. Does she even know who her brother is? Can she still love him as much? The teen girl finds herself in a grim, adult world.

The film starts out upbeat and positive, yet changes as soon as Joy finds the knife. That moment marks her loss of innocence and the end of her childhood. The filmmaker wants to show what lies behind news stories of knife crime among youngsters which seems on the increase. Reality isn’;t as black and white as the media want you to believe.

FACTS

Dutch title This Is Your Captain Speaking Director Idriss Nabil Producer Myrthe Laarakker, Hannah Van Helden, Patou Ten Cate Screenwriter Jan-Kees Joosse Editor Alex Elsinga Composer Alexandros Tomagain Production company De Nederlandse Filmacademie, idris.bakker@hotmail.com

KATE HUMMEL

FACTS

Dutch title To Break a Butterfly Director Kate Hummel Producer Hannah Schwarz, Roosje Vermeulen Screenwriter Indigo Burnett Editor Laura Helbing Composer Alex Tomagian Leading actors Zora Hamel, Rebecca de Nooijer, Alexander Odionhin, Joshua Okwonko, Milton Hamel, Production company De Nederlandse Filmacademie, idris.bakker@hotmail.com

Birth of Form

Kuumba umbo

A boy

EKATERINA OGORODNIKOVA

Dutch

The Child and the Goose

L’ enfant et l’oie

In this animation

JADE CHASTAN, ALICE FAILLA, JÉRÔME GINESTA, JUSTINE HERMETZ, SOPHIE LAFLEUR, VINCENT LENNE,

Dutch

avignon@nouvellesimages.xyz,

gans

Boris over the Clouds

De Boris über de Wolke

In this stop-motion

dragon Boris lives

JILL VÁGNER, ELINA HUBER, KIRYL HRAMADKA

Dutch

Gockell

Klick

Three girlfriends

LUIS SCHUBERT

away from a boring school trip

them steps

Dutch

Wesner Production company

Ja lap!

A good creature sits on a branch, but a monster starts sawing through the branch. Who will win: good or evil?

ELENA WALF

GERMANY

Dutch title Verdorie! Producer Thomas Meyer-Hermann Production company Studio FILM BILDER GmbH, Germany, studio@filmbilder.de, www.filmbilder.de

Hello Stranger

Hello Stranger

An astronaut meets all sorts of aliens, but are they as dangerous as he thinks? This short film teaches children to look beyond their first impressions.

JULIA OCKER

GERMANY

2021

Dutch title Buitenaardig Producer Thomas Meyer-Hermann Production company Studio FILM BILDER GmbH, Germany, studio@filmbilder.de, www.filmbilder.de

Hush

Čuči čuči

This short animation is based on a Lithuanian lullaby. In this poetic tale, two bears become entangled in a sheep’s wool.

MĀRA LINIŅA

Dutch title Stil maar, kleine beertjes Producer Ieva Vaickovska, Sabīne

Production company Atom Art, Latvia, sabine@atomart.lv, www.atomart.lv/ Sales company

Andersone

I Am Good at Karate

A boy comes face to face with his depression: a large monster made of football kits. Can he beat it with karate?

JESS DADDS

UNITED KINGDOM

Dutch title Ik ben goed in karate Producer Nina Somers Production company Bfi Network

Kayak

Kayak

SOLÈNE

Dutch title Kayak Producer

DECHORGNAT,

Kind of Fishy

Trygve Tørrfesk

Deparis Production company

des Nouvelles Images, France, avignon@nouvellesimages. xyz, www.nouvellesimages.xyz Sales

France, festival@miyu.fr,

The Little

Girl

Meisje met de zwavelstokjes

MICKEY

FACTS

The Machine and the Melody

El motor y la melodía

JUAN ANTONIO LIMO GIRIBALDI, MANUEL-ANTONIO

FACTS

Dutch

The Magnet

Magneti

Margot’s Sister

La sœur de Margot

A boy’s parents and sister

their smart phones. He builds a huge magnet

get their attention back.

ARVAN BERISHA

REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO

Margot wants to be one of the cool girls, but then her neurodivergent sister starts attending her school and everything changes.

CHIRSTINE DOYON

CANADA

FACTS

Dutch title Magneet Producer

Hasanaj, Berat Hasani Production company Unseen, ilir@unseenmovies.com, Pink Moon, hasaniberat@gmail.com

Dutch title Margots zus Producer Dominic James Production company Productions La Fête, djames@lafete.com

The

تشک

Naomi

Naomi

Mohsen

because

saw a dirty mattress

his

ARASH HASSANPOUR

FACTS

he

be drawn out.

Naomi’s friend break into a swimming pool. Naomi doesn’t want to go into the water because no one knows she has a hearing aid.

ELLA DEUTSCH

FACTS

Dutch title

Producer

Production company

Dutch title Naomi Producer Shaya Chesner Production company

School of Film and Television, Israel, festivals@maale.co.il, http://www.maale.co.il/en

Oliver’s Pixie Hunt

Oliver auf

La reine des

Operation Frankenstein

Operación Frankenstein

JOSÉ MARÍA FERNÁNDEZ DE VEGA

SIMON

Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali

A

ELDIAR

Dutch title Salvador Dali Producer Eldiar Madakim, Nurbek Aibashov, Meder Suyundukov Production company Aitysh Film, Russia, aityshfilmst@gmail.com, http://aityshfilm.com/

Sand Pie

Bábovka!

Sign Up!

PHILIP WATTS

Dutch

KATERINA KARHANKOVA

Dutch title Zandtaart Producer Tomáš Michálek Production company MasterFilm, Czech Republic, tomas@masterfilm.cz, www.masterfilm.cz, BlackBoat Pictures

The Singing Shadows

The Singing Shadows

Wachiwi and her brother Peopeo live in a magical, walled garden. They can’t leave because they think danger lurks behind the wall.

LOUNA PETTE, SRUSHTI KAKAD, MYRTIL LAPIERRE, MANON BERNARD-VIGNE, MARINE GUARNACCIA, ASTRIDE LAOUETTE, VIRGINIE PELLET

FRANCE

Dutch title Schaduwenzang Production company Yummy Films, France,

www.yummy-films.com

The Sky is a Square

Chelar is angry because of the climate crisis and because people no longer have any real ties with nature. He decides to become a tree.

MAAGAARD AGNES

Dutch title Onkruid Producer Seidel Maximilian, Maximilian Seidel Production company Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB), j.aleyt@dffb.de

Snuggle Up

Snuggle Up

A boy lies sobbing in his bed. His three monster friends try to comfort him so he will wake up happy.

SUBIN JANG

SOUTH KOREA, CANADA

Dutch title Het troostfeest Producer Subin Jang Production company Sheridan College, Canada, infosheridan@sheridancollege.ca, https://www.sheridancollege.ca/ Sales company AniSEED, South Korea, kaniseed@naver.com, www.kiafa.org

Tarik’s

Tariks Spiel

When Ayse plays football with the boys, she pretends to be a boy called Tarik. She is also in love with a girl and struggling with her situation.

SÜHEYLA SCHWENK

Dutch title Tariks spel roducer Tamara Erbe, Elisabeth Hoschek Leading actors Alexandra Dzewas, Mavi Bosse Production company Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB), j.aleyt@dffb.de

The Ticket

A fearful boy has to take the bus to buy a dress for his mother. He sees monsters everywhere.

KEVORK ASLANIAN

2021

Dutch title Het buskaartje Producer Alexander Kenanov Leading actors Joan Fleming, Ivelina Stoyanova, Desislava Nikolova, Ajit Shrivastva, Production company B2Y Productions

Trails of the Morning

Épreuves du matin

In this short, 2D animation a girl wants everyone to wake up so they can enjoy the new day.

MAŠA AVRAMOVIĆ

FRANCE | 2021 | 3’ | 4+

FACTS

Dutch title Ochtendgloren Producer Delphine Maury Production company Tant Mieux Prod, France, tantmieuxprod@gmail.com, https://www.tantmieuxprod.net/

Water Drop

Goutte d’eau

A drop of water has to survive extreme heat. A plant creature wants to protect itr from the sun, but the heat just gets worse.

ANJUN ZOU, MELODIE LEGER RIMBERT, YU LIU, KEVIN HAMIMI

FRANCE | 2021 | 6’ | 4+

Dutch title Druppel Production company Yummy Films, France, contact@yummy-films.com, www.yummy-films.com

Wonderfully

Wonderfully Made

Nino is unhappy with himself and his unique hand. Then he is called by a voice that leads him to a.wonderful new world.

JOSEPH HOH

AUSTRALIA, IRELAND | 2022

Dutch title Wonderschoon gemaakt Producer Joseph Hoh Production company The National Film School, IADT, info@iadt.ie

Brammetje Baas

Fidgety Bram Minoes

Miss Minoes

Brammetje Baas finally gets to go to Group 3 at primary school. He is looking forward to it because then he can learn Chinese. But school is harder than he thought because he has to sit still all day and pay attention. This is really hard for him. This gets him in trouble with strict teacher Mr P. Vis and he starts playing truant. Brammetje may even be sent to a different school. His parents argue about what should happen tot heir son. Then something happens that gives the boy another chance.

The film is about a smart boy with a lively imagination, who initially doesn’t get the opportunity to demonstrate what he is actually capable of. Animation provides viewers with an idea of what is going on inside him. When the grown ups understand Brammetje a little better, things are more fun for everyone.

Tibbe is a journalist at a local newspaper. He is about to be fired because he writes far too nice pieces about cats. Then he meets Minoes, a cat that has magically turned into a human. She knows exactly what is going on in the neighbourhood and helps Tibbe get real news. Then Minoes finds out that the town’s nenefactor Mr Ellemeet isn’t the good person people think he is. Tibbe wants to write an article about this, but then they will need proper evidence. They lay a trap for Ellemeet with all the cats in the neighbourhood and the girl Bibi.

Carice van Houten and Theo Maassen play Minoes and Tibbe in this delightful film about good and evil and the importance of friendship. Van Houten won a Golden Calf for her role as Minoes. This popular film from 2001 is an adaptation of the book by Annie M.G. Schmidt.

FACTS

Dutch title Brammetje Baas Director Anna van der Heide

Producer Burny Bos, Hanneke Bosman Screenwriter Tamara Bo Editor Michiel Reichwein Composer Fons Merkies Leading actors René Groothof, Katja Herbers, Egbert-Jan Weeber, Tjebbo Gerritsma, Coen van Overdam Production company BosBros, The Netherlands, info@bosbros.com, www.bosbros.com Sales company Attraction Distribution, Canada, info@attractiondistribution.ca, www.attractiondistribution.ca Distributor In The Air

VINCENT BAL

FACTS

Dutch title Minoes Director Vincent Bal Producer Burny Bos

Screenwriter Vincent Bal, Tamara Bos, Burny Bos Editor Peter Alderliesten Composer Peter Vermeersch Leading actors Sarah Bannier, Carice van Houten, Theo Maassen, Pierre Bokma, Olga Zuiderhoek Production company BosBros, The Netherlands, info@bosbros.com, www.bosbros.com Distributor In The Air

The Penknife

Het zakmes

Mees has a problem: he accidentally took Tim’s penknife home and can’t give it back because his best friend has just moved. The only thing Mees knows is that Tim has moved to Flevoland. Mees’ mother is almost never home and his father is preoccupied with running the household and all the mail for his famous wife. They don’t have much time for Mees, and so Mees sets off to find his friend on his own.

In collaboration with production company BosBros, Cinekid has organised a special screening for The Penknife to celebrate the incredible career of film producer Burny Bos. The film, directed by Ben Sombogaart, won both a Golden Calf for Best Direction and the Cinekid Film Award in 1992. In 1993, The Penknife won an Emmy for Best Kids’ Program.

Tow-Truck Pluck

Pluk van de Petteflet

Pluk is a small, fully independent boy with a blazingly red crane and a soft heart for little and big animals. When one day Pluk finds out they want to destroy the Torteltuin, he and his friends decide to do everything in their power to save the park and the animals that live in it.

With a combination of real actors, soft toy animation, imaginative backgrounds and fine songs, the unique world created in this classic story for the very young by Annie M.G. Schmidt (1911-1995) is brought to life. The story begins with a series of moving drawings in the style of the book’s illustrator Fiep Westendorp. Screened within the framework of the 25th anniversary of BosBros, the producer that meant a lot for the development of the Dutch children’s film and television.

FACTS

Dutch title Het zakmes Director Ben Sombogaart Producer Burny Bos Screenwriter Sjoerd Kuyper Editor Rimko Haanstra, Herman P. Koerts Composer Roger Verhaart, Karel von Kleist Leading actors Olivier Tuinier, Maxim Hartman, Genio de Groot, Verno Romney, Adelheid Roosen Production company BosBros, The Netherlands, info@bosbros.com, www.bosbros.com Distributor In The Air

BEN SOMBOGAART, PIETER VAN RIJN

FACTS

Dutch title Pluk van de Petteflet Director Ben Sombogaart, Pieter van Rijn Producer Burny Bos, Michiel de Rooij, Sabine Veenendaal Screenwriter Tamara Bos Editor Herman Koerts Composer Johan Hoogeboom, Fons Merkies, Arie van der Wulp Leading actors Janieck van de Polder, Suzanne Zuiderwijk, Hanneke Riemer, Arjan Ederveen, Jack Wouterse Production company BosBros, The Netherlands, info@bosbros.com, www.bosbros.com Sales company Attraction Distribution, Canada, info@attractiondistribution.ca, www.attractiondistribution.ca Distributor In The Air

Head in the Clouds

Hoofd in de wolken

Head in the Clouds is a fun and vibrant collection of short films for the youngest viewers. The shorts are from all over Europe and have been selected for their eye-catching animation style and heart-warming stories. The six shorts are:

Luce and the Rock: When one stormy night a gigantic rock destroys all the houses in Luce’s village, furious Luce decides to take the rock back to the mountain. Piropiro: Two little birds want to go on an adventure. But for one of them, this isn’t so easy... Boris over the Clouds: In this stop-motion film the dragon Boris lives on a mountaintop, high above the clouds. One day he is given an important task. Sand Pie!: Can Mina save her toy friend from the mean Totemites?

Franzy’s Soup Kitchen: Chef Franzy has to cross the universe in search of the perfect ingredient. Trails of the Morning : In this short, 2D animation a girl wants everyone to wake up so they can enjoy the new day.

Mini-Zlatan and Uncle Darling

Lill-Zlatan och morbror raring

Ella loves to play football, but only on her own. She finds most other people weird. They mimic one another, like her three uncles at her grandma’s. Sometimes they quarrel, like the girls on the football field, or her parents. She only feels at home with her favourite uncle and her best friend, Tommy. Until Tommy’s new love Steve from Amsterdam turns up. Together with her classmate Otto, Ella tries to side-line Steve. Or is Steve nice after all? The get-rid-of-Steve project quickly becomes the opposite, and Ella rushes to bring Steve back from the airport so that Tommy can pop the question.

Serious themes such as being different, conformism and attentiveness are addressed in this film with a light touch and humorous approach. For example, the scene in which Steve and Tommy sing a song, and singing out of tune suddenly isn’t such a big problem anymore. Inclusivity is natural and Ella finds out that people can get along just fine. Winner of the Audience Award at the Kristiansand International Children’s Film Festival 2022.

BELGIUM, FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS, SOUTH KOREA, CZECH REPUBLIC, SWITZERLAND, GEORGIA

FACTS

Dutch title Hoofd in de wolken

NORWAY,

FACTS

Dutch title Mini-Zlatan & oom Bestie Director Christian Lo Producer Petter Lindblad, Sara Sjöö Screenwriter Ella Lemhagen, Janne Vierth Editor Arild Tryggestad Composer Stein Berge Svendsen Leading actors Agnes Billie Colliander, Simon J Berger, Tibor Lukacs, Danyar Zeydanioglu Production company Snowcloud Films AB, Sweden, contact@snowcloud.se, www.snowcloud.se Sales company Dutch Features Global Entertainement, The Netherlands, sales@dutchfeatures.com, www.dutchfeatures.com

CHRISTIAN LO

My Robot Brother

Robotbror

In a utopian high-tech future, the climate crisis has been solved, people live in harmony with nature, parents are only interested in their smartphones and all children have a robot as an assistant. Unfortunately, eleven-year-old Alberte is ashamed of her old-fashioned teddy bear robot Robbi. But then she is given a hyper-modern, ultra-lifelike replacement called Konrad for her birthday. Just like a real brother. This makes her incredibly popular at school. Alberte even starts to have feelings for Konrad. But is that right, being real friends with a robot?

Packaged in an exciting science-fiction style and presented with lots of humour, My Robot Brother (based on the book by Morten Dürr) tackles a lot of themes that appeal to children. From philosophical questions about being human, to technology, to universal themes such as the relationship between children and parents, loneliness, jealousy and friendship. Alberte finds out that you don’t need the latest gadgets to belong.

FREDERIK NØRGAARD

FACTS

Dutch title Robotbroer Director Frederik Nørgaard Producer Jasmine Hermann Naghizadeh Screenwriter Jacob Tingleff, Frederik Nørgaard Editor Lars Wissing Composer Polv Kristian Leading actors Philip Elbech, Lise Baastrup, Kristian Ibler, Selma Iljazovski Production company Nimbus Film, Denmark, nimbus@nimbusfilm.dk, www.nimbusfilm.dk Sales company Sola Media, Germany, post@sola-media.com, www.sola-media.com

Night Forest

Nachtwald

“Take no notice of what people say,” Paul’s father always used to say. But that is far from easy. Paul’s father disappeared a year ago. According to the bullies at school he was a freak: he had discovered a legendary cave in the mountains, but no one believed him. Then Paul finds his father mysterious notebook. He secretly sets out with his friend Max, determined to find the cave. The journey through the mountains is both more difficult and more dangerous than expected but is a trip they will never forget.

This, the first feature film by documentary maker André Hörmann and scriptwriter Katrin Milhahn, combines the framework of an adventure film with a realistic, nuanced impression of friendship and processing loss. Paul’s mother wants to get on with her life, but the boy really misses his father, as is apparent from the moving flashbacks. Non-conformism is another theme.

ANDRÉ HÖRMANN, KATRIN MILHAHN

FACTS

Dutch title Nachtwoud Director André Hörmann, Katrin Milhahn

Producer Daniel Reich, Christoph Holthof Screenwriter André Hörmann, Katrin Milhahn Editor Vincent Assmann Composer Marian Lux Leading actors Levi Eisenblätter, Jonas Oeßel, Marc Limpach, Meike Droste Production company Kurhaus Production, Germany, office@kurhausproduction.de, https://kurhausproduction.de/ Sales company Bavaria Media GmbH

The Chameleon

De kameleon

Colourful animation about a chameleon who isn’t left in peace.

PIM TER BRAAK

THE NETHERLANDS | 2022 | 2’ | 3+

FACTS

Dutch title De kameleon Producer Arnoud Rijken, Michiel Snijders, Jeroen Zijlstra Production company il Luster, The Netherlands, info@illuster.nl, www.illuster.nl

Dog Days

Hondendagen

2D animation about a young man who literally can’t let go of his ex’s dog.

GEORGE HAMPSHIRE

THE NETHERLANDS | 2022 | 2’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title Hondendagen Producer Alex Dowding, Bruno Felix, Femke Wolting Production company Submarine, The Netherlands, info@submarine.nl, www.submarine.nl

Hooba

Hoeba

Funny claymation about how the passage graves ended up in the Netherlands.

SEM ASSINK

THE NETHERLANDS | 2022 | 2’ | 4+

FACTS

Dutch title Hoeba Producer Michiel Snijders, Arnoud Rijken, Sem Assink Production company il Luster, The Netherlands, info@illuster.nl, www.illuster.nl, Capybara Animation

Revelinho

Revelinho has to go on stage to save the traditional working class pop music of his parents.

IDRISS NABIL

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 12’ | 9+

FACTS

Dutch title Revelinho Producer Hannah Van Helden, Robijn Boekelman, Stan Egberts Production company Nederlandse Filmacademie, The Netherlands, hannahvanhelden@icloud.com

Luce and the Rock

Luce et le Rocher

When one stormy night a gigantic rock destroys all the houses in Luce’s village, furious Luce decides to take the rock back to the mountain.

BRITT RAES

BELGIUM, FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS | 2022 | 13’ | 4+

FACTS

Dutch title Luce en de rots Producer Perrine Gauthier, Joeri Christiaen, Tünde Vollenbroek Production company THURISTAR, info@thuristar.com Sales company Miyu Distribution, France, festival@miyu.fr, www.miyu.fr

SERIES

Series Programme

Once again this year, in its programming and its two series competitions Cinekid will showcase episodic productions. The landscape has changed rapidly during the past few years, and we are seeing more and more productions coming from local, independent producers, broadcasting episodes directly or wholly to streaming platforms or even free platforms such as YouTube or TikTok. We are very excited about collaborating with a wide array of platforms, producers and networks to once again provide a Series programme full of exciting premieres and special screenings of new episodic content.

Exciting premieres

This year, we will have some extra special premières of children’s favourite content. The brand-new pre-school series Katy and the Stolen Chickens will be presented, crammed full of all the petting zoo action you can imagine. During the season two premiere of The Big Data Show, our young audience will not only discover who the new presenter of this Cinekid Non-Fiction Series Award-winning show will be, but will also learn more about how they pay with their data for using social media.

Series Competition

It was especially hard this year to select the productions for the Best Dutch Fiction Series and Best Dutch Non-Fiction Series competitions. Many high-quality productions were submitted this year, including productions from local and independent producers, and even an interactive series. This competition therefore offers a very strong selection of children’s episodic content in both the fiction and nonfiction categories. For the first time, we also have an episodic independent production specially made for YouTube competing in our non-fiction category. This year’s selection for the series competitions will make life very difficult for our juries. We wish them luck in taking their decisions.

The future

Although series are becoming an ever more important part of the diet of young audiences, sometimes we still struggle with how to bring these to the big screens at our festival. Series for young audiences are increasingly being released in the summer, so children have the free time to watch them. We hope that presenting series more interac tively than ever this year will pave the way for more series premieres coming to Cinekid, and that this may also attract some exciting new international opportunities in the years to come.

Hidde de Vries

Head of Film & Series

Clutter in the Courtyard

Het herriehofje

Cheerful, curious Hiba (6) lives with her best friends in the Courtyard of Quiet and Regularity: a cosy courtyard surrounded by houses. The courtyard is better known locally as the Courtyard of Clutter. It is right in the middle of the city, and its residents are a colourful crew, with whom Hiba and her friends have all kinds of adventures.

Clutter in the Courtyard is a ten-part fiction drama series for toddlers. Each episode focuses on a different theme relevant to toddlers; from saying goodbye to being in love and from feeling lonely to being afraid of the dark. This gives parents tools with which to initiate conversations about complex feelings and situations.

Alongside the child leads, played by Ameya Sharma, Jayden Mvuama, Simone Canaris, Ailani Powel, Romy Heere and Ravi van Eijndhoven, actors including Waldemar Torenstra, Esmée van Kampen, Murth Mossel, Arjan Ederveen and Eva Van der Gucht appear in the series.

Dance Camp

For years, Kyra has been secretly in love with dancer Tom. At their high-school graduation ball, when he’s turned seventeen, she realises she will never see him again. Her friend Chelsea comes up with the solution: Kyra has to learn to dance so she can go to Dance Camp, the summer camp Tom attends every year. The trouble is, Kyra can’t dance. To pass the exam, she calls in help from rugged hip hop dancer Noah. After training like mad she is finally accepted – but not everyone is happy about this. Jill does everything she can to thwart Kyra.

This swinging fiction series covers themes such as love, friendship, jealousy and passion for music and dance. How to deal with insecurity? And what if you’re in love with the same person as your best friend? The cast is made up of young, talented dancers from, among others, Lucia Marthas Institute for Performing Arts and Codarts Rotterdam.

STEVE OEN

FACTS

Dutch title Het herriehofje Producer Leontine Petit, Tom van Blommestein Screenwriter Saar Ponsioen Editor Sandor Soeteman Composer Helge Slikker Leading actors Ameya Sharma, Jayden Mvuama, Waldemar Torenstra, Arjan Ederveen, Esmée van Kampen Production company Lemming Film, The Netherlands, info@lemmingfilm.com, www.lemmingfilm.com

Broadcaster KRO-NCRV

Dutch title Dance Camp Producer Kirsten Dechesne Screenwriter Arnout Vallenduuk Editor Ben van Maanen Leading actors Britt Gerrits, Jesse Stoop, Indy Correa, Sanilson Monteiro, Sterre Koning Production company AVROTROS dancecamp@avrotros.nl Broadcaster AVROTROS

Dilemma’s

Wadoeje

What do you do if someone takes a photo of you changing at the swimming pool when you don’t want them to? What if it’s your rich girlfriend’s birthday, but you’re too broke to buy an impressive gift? And what do you do if you’re ashamed of your mother in front of your new friend? In each episode of Dilemmas, we as viewers get under the characters’ skins, and see their dilemmas through their eyes. By making a choice, you can influence how the story turns out.

Dilemmas is an interactive web drama series about painful confrontations and difficult dilemmas in the lives of young people, in which the viewers determine the outcomes. Dilemmas is an experiment by broadcaster NTR in cooperation with NPO innovation, made by young makers with young actors.

Lena & Benedict

Aap

Orphan Lena (11) gets the shock of her life when one day a gorilla appears at the door. The ape is called Benedict de Groot and turns out to be her only living family member. Lena is ecstatic to be finally rid of her terrible foster parents, and moves in with Benedict. Of course, he’s very different from the others, but Lena thinks they belong together. Not everyone agrees with her, though. Some people are afraid; others tease her, and her foster parents do everything in their power to separate them.

Lena & Benedict is a slightly absurd ten-part fictional youth series that tells a funny, poignant story about the special bond between two completely different beings. The story is based on an idea by Maarten Koopman. The series is written and directed by Karin van der Meer and produced by Fiction Valley.

HANNA VAN NIEKERK

Dutch title Wadoeje Producer Yvonne Vetter, Ivo Siebum, Karo Kil, Derk Molijn Screenwriter Perla Vita Beerens, Wander Theunis Editor Inèz Poortinga Composer Kevin Biemans Music Kevin Biemans Leading actors Jeffrey Opoku Appau, Rami Kooti Arab, Katharina Justic, Jaleesha Deshaya Hernandez, Frida Heijmen Production company NTR info@ntr.nl Broadcaster NTR

KARIN VAN DER MEER

Dutch title Aap Producer Annemieke Van Vliet, Femke Bennink

Screenwriter Karin van der Meer Editor Michiel Reichwein Composer Alexander Reumers Leading actors Isa Jansen, Yaron Mesika, Eva Damen, Rein Hofman, Benjamin Mukadi Kanda van de Kamp Production company Fiction Valley, The Netherlands, info@fictionvalley.nl Sales company Beta Film

Broadcaster AVROTROS

Stop It Now

Er zijn grenzen

In the five-part vlog series Stop It Now, we hear the stories of five young people who have been sexually abused. The episodes are based on true stories.

In the first episode, Lara’s mother’s new boyfriend keeps touching her in places she doesn’t like. The second episode is about Jesper, who is made to perform sexual acts with his swimming coach. In the third episode, Samantha talks about how her grandpa always wants to shower with her, and touches her under her clothes. In episode four, Gio has a girlfriend who forces him to send her sexy photos. In the last episode, we follow Floor. Her babysitter Priscilla wants to kiss her, and touches her breasts.

This fiction series traces the course of the abuse – from friendship and trust to acts that go way beyond the young people’s boundaries. They tell their stories in a compelling way in the form of video diaries.

Swop!

Kop op!

Friends Sef, Wesley and Marjolein find a dumped washing machine that has mysterious powers. When they peer inside the machine’s drum, their heads get swopped over. This means they can each live as the other, which puts them in comical and also instructive situations. For example, what’s it like to live for a day as another gender? What’s it like living as part of a family with Dutch-Moroccan roots? And how is it to live for a day as a member of a more wealthy family?

This animated series shows what we can learn if we change places with someone else. The short film Swop!, on which this series is based, was made by successful animation studio Job, Joris & Marieke and has won many awards, including an International Emmy Kids Award for Animation in 2018. The voices in the series are performed by the likes of Nasrdin Dchar, Steye van Dam and Paulien Cornelisse.

CATHERINA IOSIFIDIS

FACTS

Dutch title Er zijn grenzen Producer Frank de Horde, Tim Vloothuis, Barend van Balen, Susan Hartsuiker Screenwriter Marije Willemsen Editor Tim van der Meulen, Inez Poortinga Leading actors Luna Cruz Perez, Willemijn Kroon, Bo Burger, Norah Luitwieler, Hassimiou Bah Production company Every Media, The Netherlands, info@everymedia.nl, www.everymedia.nl Broadcaster NTR

JOB, JORIS & MARIEKE

NETHERLANDS

Dutch title Kop op! Producer Marleen Slot, Pita De Leeuw Screenwriter Lotte Tabbers, Luuk van Bemelen, Job, Joris & Marieke Composer Job Roggeveen Leading actors Steye van Dam, Nasrdin Dchar, Paulien Cornelisse Production company Viking Film, The Netherlands, info@vikingfilm.nl, www.vikingfilm.nl Distributor Gusto Entertainment Broadcaster VPRO,

War Stories

Oorlog-Stories

Antje (13) is vlogging about how her life changes during World War II. She is training for the Olympic Games and is coached by her father, who she really looks up to. He also runs the household, as Antje’s mother is seriously ill. When her best friend Milly, who is Jewish, suddenly goes into hiding it turns out this is because of Antje’s father. He is a member of the NSB (Dutch Nazi Party). Not long after, he is assassinated. After the war, Antje is interned in Camp Westerbork because of his crimes. She wonders: is it my fault my father was wrong? How are others of my age responding to this?

In its series of War Stories vlogs, broadcaster EO shares war stories from the perspective of a teenager. The series was made for the NPO Zapp Instagram and YouTube channel. This second season is inspired by the true story of Ans Buursma-Backx. The first part won last year’s Cinekid Best Dutch Fiction Series Award.

Zenith II

When her father gets a new job as the headmaster of a school, Zoë (14), her parents and her younger brother move to peaceful Berg en Bos. There, she meets eccentric inventor Max, who tells her about the village’s dark past . Berg en Bos was once the location of the Zenith factory, which has since been demolished. This factory made incredibly lifelike robots, and Max is convinced that robots from back then are still living among the locals. Zoë thinks he is weird: until she comes face-to-face with a robot.

This fiction family series is the sequel to the Cinekid award winner Zenith from 2017. Zenith II can be watched independently of season I and has a brand new cast including Zoë Atsma, Josephine Arendsen, Henry van Loon and Horace Cohen. Joost van Hezik directs.

JOOST VAN HEZIK

Dutch title Oorlog Stories Producer Tim Agter Screenwriter Emily Reekers, Saar Ponsioen Editor Tim Straver Leading actors Noa Jacobus, Juda Goslinga, Chava voor in ‘t Holt, Lara Bakker, Reiky de Valk Production company Stepping Stone Producties, The Netherlands, info@steppingstone.nl, www.steppingstone.nl Broadcaster Evangelische Omroep

Dutch title Zenith II Producer Leontine Petit, Tom van Blommestein Screenwriter Joost van Hezik, Lotte Tabbers, Philip Delmaar Editor Bas Icke, Jasper Quispel Composer Alexander Reumers Leading actors Zoë Atsma, Josephine Arendsen, Raphael van den Andel, Henry van Loon, Horace Cohen Production company Lemming Film, The Netherlands, info@lemmingfilm.com, www.lemmingfilm.com Broadcaster VPRO

The Apple Core - Your Body Is Yours, Racism and World War II

Het Klokhuis - Je lijf is van jou, racisme en de Tweede Wereldoorlog

Unacceptable sexual behaviour is a serious social problem. Nevertheless, there has been no informative children’s television made dealing with this topic, even though research has shown that children who can talk about this are better able to recognise unhealthy situations. Het Klokhuis made an episode on this. In a second episode screening at Cinekid, presenter Sosha looks into where racism comes from. She goes to a primary school where someone gives lessons on racism, and she speaks about her own experiences. The third episode deals with World War II. Janouk reminisces with Chris, who was 14 when the war broke out.

Informative children’s programme Het Klokhuis (The Apple Core) by broadcaster NTR has been a feature of Dutch television for decades, and is broadcast every working day. It teaches children of all ages how the world works, in the broadest possible sense.

eXpedition

eXpeditie

An archaeologist and a YouTuber take a journey through the past. In short episodes on YouTube, they cover the big topics from the Canon of the Netherlands as well as smaller, local treasures. The first episode is about flint, or as they call it: the most important discovery ever. Another episode covers the Vikings, and a third is dedi cated to freedom.

eXpedition is a family series about our history and culture, archaeology, nature, science and more. Donna Dieperink is an archaeologist who previously worked for the National Geographic Channel, among others. Benjamin Peeters is a Dutch YouTuber whose most successful videos have been watched millions of times.

eXpedition works with many different local and regional government bodies, heritage and other organisations involved with archaeology, history and cultural heritage.

ROBIN PEETERS

FACTS

Dutch title Het Klokhuis - Je lijf is van jou, racisme en de Tweede Wereldoorlog Producer Stephanie de Beer Screenwriter Christel Voorn, Eef Cuijpers, Jurrian van Dongen Leading actors Nizar el Manouzi, Janouk Kelderman, Sosha Duysker Production company NTR, info@ntr.nl Broadcaster NTR

Dutch

eXpeditie

Förster

In Freud’s Name

In Freudesnaam

Children learn lots of things at school, from German prep ositions to Pythagoras’ theorem. But the really important things in life are not covered by the school curriculum. For example, Allysha really wants to know how to make sure someone falls in love with you. Sara is wondering how she can be funnier, so someone finally laughs at her jokes. And Jara wants to know whether people are good but do bad things, or bad but do a lot of good things.

In this documentary series, presenter Olga Zuiderhoek goes in search of answers using scientific experiments, centuries-old wisdom and a good dose of humour. The starting point for In Freud’s Name is that everything can be learned – including how to make sure someone falls in love with you, how to be funny and what makes people tick.

Junior Bake Off

(The Netherlands)

Heel Holland Bakt Kids

Junior Bake Off (The Netherlands) is a baking competition in which young bakers aged 9 to 11 undertake a series of challenges that involve baking cakes, cookies, bread and pastries. In each episode they are given a technical assignment, and then create their masterpieces. They are assisted in the kitchen by a baking assistant, who helps them blow away presenters Janny, Robèrt and Edson with their baking.

In the second season of Junior Bake Off (The Nether lands), six pairs set on this baking adventure together. Fleur is assisted by her father Jorrit, Mathias by his mother Marieke. Jalissa has brought her mother Eurydice along. Justus chose Matthieu, his father’s best friend, as his parents are no good at baking. Loàn is assisted by her father Demian, and Noor by her mother Caroline.

PIETER HULST, WILLEM REVIS, TEUS VAN

DOLF GERBERS

Dutch title In Freudesnaam Producer Marjolein Klooster, Jaqueline van Kollenburg Screenwriter Pieter Hulst Editor Pieter Hulst, Willem Revis Leading actors Olga Zuiderhoek Production company VPRO, The Netherlands, info@vpro.nl, www.vpro.nl Broadcaster VPRO

Dutch title Heel Holland bakt kids Leading actors André van Duin, Janny van der Heijden, Robèrt van Beckhoven, Edson da Graça Production company Blue Circle, info@bluecircle.nl Broadcaster Omroep MAX

The Magical Car

De magische auto

In each episode of The Magical Car, presenter Soy Kroon goes on an exciting adventure with a toddler in that child’s favourite toy car. It might be a fire engine, a tank, a racing car, a garbage truck, a digger or a coach. The storyline running through The Magical Car is that there’s a magical car in Soy’s grandfather’s dusty garage. If you get into the car and press a green button, you’re transported to a full-size version of your favourite toy car.

Lots of children have a favourite vehicle they love to play with. Toddlers’ series The Magical Car not only gives toddlers the chance to present their favourite vehicles to the world, but also to actually go for a ride. The Magical Car is a tailor-made fairy tale that comes true time and again.

Make-up Cup

In Make-up Cup, YouTube sensation NikkieTutorials goes in search of the best young make-up artist in the Netherlands. Every week, ten participants aged between 12 and 15 transform their faces from a blank canvas into an impressive artwork. From beauty looks to full-face creations, anything is possible in Make-up Cup

In each episode, Nikkie inspires the participants to take on technical and creative challenges. The participants get the opportunity to show their best side, but it’s not only about make-up. Nikkie’s make-up studio is also a place where they can really be themselves and share personal stories.

Nikkie assesses their creations with different celebrity guests. Each week one participant is pronounced ‘Beste Look’, and each week one participant is sent home.

REMCO WAGENAAR, MICHIEL DOEKES

JEFFREY MEIJER

FACTS FACTS

Dutch title De magische auto Producer Marc Pos Leading actors Soy Kroon Production company IDTV, The Netherlands, info@idtv.nl, www.idtv.nl Broadcaster AVROTROS

Dutch title Make-up cup Producer Marc Pos Leading actors

Nikkie de Jager Production company IDTV, The Netherlands, info@idtv.nl, www.idtv.nl Sales company All3Media International Ltd, info@all3media.com Broadcaster AVROTROS

Talk Is Cheap

Mondig Zuid

Talk is Cheap follows three young people in Rotterdam’s Zuid neighbourhood, all of whom are wrestling with the process of growing up. Tamia is an assertive young woman with strong opinions who wants to become a spoken word artist. This attracts a lot of mockery from her peers. Selena wears a brace, has a sister who lives far away and a father who is not good at showing love. She really wants the family to do things together, and for them to feel like a comfortable unit. Darlin was born on Curaçao and grew up in the Dominican Republic, and wants to work to support his mother, who struggles with ill health. Darlin also just wants to finish school and not get a criminal record.

This documentary series follows these young people through four episodes in which we see their day-to-day lives and they talk about their doubts, fears and dreams. The series reveals them as vulnerable, courageous and determined.

Talking Heads

Hoofdzaken - Seizoen 4

In Talking Heads, children take a seat in Marko’s barber’s chair. In the mirror, we watch their new haircuts take shape while listening to what is going on in their heads. They talk about how they see the world, their worries and what makes them really happy. So we find out not only what’s happening on their heads, but also what’s going on inside.

Whether they discuss anxiety, love, illness or the future: in this documentary series the children tell their stories candidly and without embarrassment. This often makes for funny, moving stories that will be recognisable to many children and their parents. The conversation doesn’t stop until the children are happy with their new hairstyles.

Talking Heads is back with four extra episodes, covering themes such as Ramadan, dealing with racism and the war in Ukraine.

RENÉ VAN ZUNDERT

MENNO OTTEN

THE

FACTS FACTS

Dutch title Mondig Zuid Producer Willem Baptist, Nienke Korthof Screenwriter René van Zundert Editor Albert Markus Production company Tangerine Tree, The Netherlands, info@tangerinetree.nl, www.tangerinetree.nl Sales company Tangerine Tree, The Netherlands, info@tangerinetree.nl, www.tangerinetree.nl Broadcaster Zapp, Evangelische Omroep

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Dutch title Hoofdzaken - Seizoen 4 Producer Derk-Jan Warrink, Koji Nelissen Screenwriter Menno Otten Editor Menno Otten Composer Benny Sings Music Benny Sings Leading actors Marko Suds Production company Keplerfilm, The Netherlands, hello@keplerfilm.com, www.keplerfilm.com Broadcaster VPRO

Clutter in the Courtyard

Het herriehofje

the Courtyard of Clutter,

never bored.

MEIKEMINNE CLINCKSPOOR

NETHERLANDS

Dutch title Het herriehofje Producer Leontine Petit, Tom van Blommestein Production company Lemming Film, The Netherlands, info@lemmingfilm.com, www.lemmingfilm.com Broadcaster KRO-NCRV

One Week To Go

Nog één week

powerful documentary series on children preparing for a life-changing event.

MARINKA DE JONGH

THE NETHERLANDS

Dutch title Nog één week Producer Carolijn Borgdorff Production company Moondocs, The Netherlands, info@moondocs.nl, www.moondocs.nl

JOOST VAN HEZIK

THE NETHERLANDS

Dutch

Zenith

Producer Leontine Petit, Tom van Blommestein Production company Lemming Film, The Netherlands, info@lemmingfilm.com, www.lemmingfilm.com

The Big Data Show

De dikke data show

On average, young people spend 3 hours and 40 minutes a day on apps, social media, watching videos and streams, and playing games. Screens are stared and data sent at for hours a day. What do the companies behind all these tools actually know about us? In De dikke data show [the big data show] Quinty Misiedjan tries to answer digital issues.

How do you become a virtual athlete? What to do when you go viral accidentally? Can chips make humans smarter? How do you create an instant hit for TikTok? Are you immortal online? New presentor and online creator Quinty tries to find all the answers by talking to all manner of scientists and journalists. The research alternates with funny sketches.

The third season of the The Big Data Show will be screened from late-October onwards on NPO Zapp and will première at Cinekid.

Katy and the Stolen Chickens

Katy en de gestolen kippen

One day, seven-year-old Katy’s mother and granny go on holiday. When Katy hears grandad has to look after the chickens, she worries. Her grandad only likes chickens in his soup and he might forget about them. Katy would rather look after them herself. Every day she goes to feed the chickens and collect their eggs until one day there are none in the coop. Toos and Betje, grandma’s favourites have gone missing. Katy has to solve the mystery quickly before granny gets back from holiday. She worries she won’t be allowed to look after them again if she doesn’t.

There are five, ten-minute episodes in this fiction series for toddlers. The KRO-NCRV [Dutch broadcasters] series will première at Cinekid. It has also been nominated for the National Audience Award – Juniors.

ANNEMARIE MOOREN

Dutch title Katy en de gestolen kippen Producer Annemarie Mooren Screenwriter Annemarie Mooren Editor Bas Galesloot, Composer Ronald Schilperoort Leading actors Annet Malherbe, Sabri Saad el Hamus, Maggy Mooren, Ródae Valentijn, Brin Orij, Nhung van Dam, Elbert Smelt, Anna Speller Production company Annemarie Mooren Productions, The Netherlands, annemarie@annemariemoorenproductions.nl, https://www.annemariemoorenproductions.com/ Broadcaster KRO-NCRV

Dutch title De dikke data show Producer Jeroen Mondria Broadcaster VPRO

André & Alfred: The Cardboard Time Machine

André & Alfred: De kartonnen tijdmachine

Smart André and his father Alfred travel back in time with their home made cardboard time machine. In the past they meet many different historical figures: Romans, monks, knights, barbarians and damsels. André and Alfred think their time travel adventures are great, but always end up in trouble. Together they have to come up with clever plans to get back home safely to the future.

André and Alfred have four exciting adventures through history including in the Roman era, during the Georgian era, the Middle Ages as well as the Second World War. This marionette film was entirely conceptualised and filmed by children in collaboration with professionals.

Kofi’s Tori

As a so-called futuboi the curious Kofi manages to survive on the plantation Buitenlust in Surinam, where his Dutch masters rule with an iron fist. Kofi works extremely hard without complaining and does his best to not get into trouble. Until, that is, his little brother Kwame is suddenly sold and Kofi has to risk it all to escape from the planation to find him.

After the vlog series Oorlog-stories , the EO and Step ping Stone Producties now present Kofi’s Tori. In it the enslaved teenager Kofi talks about life on the plantation, his brother, his master, his crush, his past and his escape attempt. He vlogs from his own perspective about the history of slavery for Zapp Instagram, Zapp.nl and YouTube.

LENNART DINJENS, TONNIE DINJENS

FACTS

Dutch title André & Alfred: De kartonnen tijdmachine Producer

Tonnie Dinjens Screenwriter Lennart Dinjens, Tonnie Dinjens Composer Andre Barnabas, Paul Arnold Leading actors Lennart Dinjens, Tonnie Dinjens, Victor Dinjens, Rimy Brouwer Production company Moving Characters, The Netherlands, info@andreenalfred.nl, www.tonniedinjens.com Distributor In The Air Broadcaster

Omrop Fryslan

ROBBERT DOELWIJT JR.

Dutch title Kofi’s Tori Screenwriter Shirley Gast, Sergej Groenhart Leading actors Nola Kemper, Roeland Fernhout, Daniël Kolf, Keisha Doest, Mandela Wee Wee Production company Stepping Stone Producties, The Netherlands, info@steppingstone.nl, www.steppingstone.nl Broadcaster EO

Zenith II

When her father gets a new job as the headmaster of a school, Zoë (14), her parents and her younger brother move to peaceful Berg en Bos. There, she meets eccentric inventor Max, who tells her about the village’s dark past. Berg en Bos was once the location of the Zenith factory, which has since been demolished. This factory made incredibly lifelike robots, and Max is convinced that robots from back then are still living among the locals. Zoë thinks he is weird: until she comes face-to-face with a robot.

This fiction family series is the sequel to the Cinekid award winner Zenith from 2017. Zenith II can be watched independently of season I and has a brand new cast including Zoë Atsma, Josephine Arendsen, Henry van Loon and Horace Cohen. Joost van Hezik directs.

Knofje

For a four-and-a-half-year old girl everything about life is an adventure. Knofje lives in a nice house with her father and pregnant mother. Every day she experiences something new. For instance, she plays hide and seek with her mother and all her cuddly toys in the kitchen. And her father build’s a hut in the attic where Knofje can spend the night; super exciting! Work also has to be done on the baby room for her new brother and sister. End even the dead fly she finds on the way back from the bakers is interesting. She and her granny give the insect a funeral.

The little adventures of Knofje are set in a colourful, imaginative world. Thanks to viewing the world through her amazed eyes, you look at everything around you in a new way. In Knofje’s universe there is no boredom, everything is special. The series is based on the book by Burny Bos.

JOOST VAN HEZIK

FACTS

Dutch title Zenith II Producer Leontine Petit, Tom van Blommestein Screenwriter Joost van Hezik, Lotte Tabbers, Philip Delmaar Editor Bas Icke, Jasper Quispel Composer Alexander Reumers Leading actors Zoë Atsma, Josephine Arendsen, Raphael van den Andel, Henry van Loon, Horace Cohen Production company Lemming Film, The Netherlands, info@lemmingfilm.com, www.lemmingfilm.com Broadcaster VPRO

RITA HORST

Dutch title Knofje Producer Burny Bos, Michiel de Rooij, Sabine

Veenendaal Screenwriter Tamara Bos, Burny Bos, Rita Horst

Editor Ot Louw Composer Alan Purves Leading actors Sterre Herstel, Yvonne Jaspers, Hugo Konings, Kitty Courbois Production company BosBros, The Netherlands, info@bosbros.com, www.bosbros.com Distributor In The Air Broadcaster KRO-NCRV

Otje

Otje

Otje is eight. She lives with her father Tos in the attic at Hotel Koperwiek. They live there because Tos is a cook. He works hard, but doesn’t get paid well because he lost his papers. He is also not very good at containing his anger. Otje is an only child and loves animals. She is always outside and makes friends with Betsie the cat, Boef the dog and all the birds in the woods. She has long conversations with the animals, but Tos says that is all rubbish.

Otje is a 13-part series based on the book by Annie M.G. Schmidt. Three episodes will be screened at Cinekid. The story revolves around Tos’ problems at the hotel which get worse when Otje hosts a dinner for the animals and her father is fired. Together and with the animals they go in search of a solution.

JORAM LÜRSEN, SIMONE VAN DUSSELDORP

FACTS

Dutch title Otje Producer Burny Bos Screenwriter Tamara Bos, Hans Lubberding, Loes Wormmeester Editor Herman P. Koerts, Peter Alderliesten Composer Johan Hoogeboom, Maarten van Roozendaal Leading actors Nico de Vries, Anne Rats, Carol van Herwijnen Production company BosBros, The Netherlands, info@bosbros.com, www.bosbros.com Distributor In The Air

Creative Europe invests in quality children’s content!

CREATIVE EUROPE MEDIA

My

NEW MEDIA

We are Generation Symbiocene!

The present generation of children and young adults are hugely concerned about the state of the world and their futures. And with good reason. The influence of human activity on the climate crisis we are currently undergoing is ‘indisputable’, and seismic changes will be required to reduce the impact of this crisis. Our lifestyle has an influence on the natural world, and therefore also on our own lives.

We need to adjust our view of humanity and tell a new story, to ensure that we are mentally behind the changes that are essential to prevent the worst case scenarios becoming reality and to preserve a liveable, sustainable place for future generations on this planet.

We need to find a system of effective cooperation with the natural world. In nature, cooperation means organisms working together: they often even do so in a way that involves conflict. They need one another, even if they don’t necessarily love one another. It is in their own interest to cooperate. This is symbiosis.

It’s time to herald a new era of cooperation: the Symbiocene. An era in which humankind finds its place as part of the greater whole, within a system made up of a complex network of different needs. In which humans live, just like all other living beings, within an intrinsic web of interrelationships and an essential cooperative model. Our technology will be allocated a major role within the Symbiocene: to facilitate the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.

Now more than ever before, it is crucial that from an early age we give children a different vision of humanity in the form of this new Story, in which humans are no longer dominant but part of a greater whole, allowing life to continue in a balanced way. This will give this new genera tion the hope and positivity they need to face their future, as well as those of the generations who come after them.

Cinekid MediaLab takes children and their parents / guardians by the hand and helps them reflect on their own place through exceptional, active and interactive storytelling. In the MediaLab, we present a broad range of interactive installations, games, apps and workshops from the Netherlands and the wider world. All of these promote innovation in media technologies, while also offering the freedom and scope to ask questions in an active, creative way, to seek adventure, try things out, learn and create.

The programme is divided thematically into 3 strands:

1. The world around us: visitors experience through exceptional stories what it’s like to adopt the point of view of another, non-human being;

2. Looking at ourselves: visitors find out how media tech nology, and in particular social media, can lead us astray as we form our image of ourselves.

3. Internet of Everything: visitors can experience how our living spaces are becoming a hotchpotch of nature and architecture; living spaces, assisted by interactive technology.

Siuli Ko

AR Graffiti

AR Graffiti is an interactive installation in which graffiti art is combined with animation and augmented reality. The user determines what the work will look like. In addition to the four classic layers of graffiti: font, 3D effects, background and additions, AR Graffiti enables users to animate their graffiti. The painted elements are augmented with video projection of the various digital layers over the graffiti. The paint conducts electricity. When you touch details with your hand, the video projection comes alive, changing the image.

The members of WERC have visualised the limitless choices a (graffiti) artist has to make and have transformed graffiti, that is normally static, into an interactive, dynamic image. The makers are of the opinion that it is a fascinating time to study dynamic spaces and their sociological, psychological and ecological implications.

The Groninger Museum has asked the collective to further develop AR Graffiti

Biodiversiteit in Augmented Reality

Although biodiversity on earth is so high that many species haven’t even been discovered yet, others are threatened with extinction by human activity. The disappearance of just a single plant species can create enormous ecological damage, making insects lose their habitat.

The interactive project Biodiversiteit in augmented reality focuses on Dutch flora threatened with extinction. Think of plants used as food, medicines or dyes. Every plant has a story, a history and its own sound. Thanks to this AR piece you can listen tot he symphony of biodiversity.

AR technology can help us visualise the impact of biodi versity loss as well as show us alternative futures. This is the point of departure for Chantalla Pleiter who combines art, science and technology in her work a continuous exploration of how new technologies can help humanity reach a new equilibrium with nature.

Creative programmer Jip de Beer Music Bram Bosteels, Raphael de Cock, Jurgen de Bruyn Research Lisa Biesot

Critical Distance

Deep Blue

Killer whales use echolocation, a technique that involves bouncing sounds off objects to swim in the dark, navigate, hunt, recognise both friend and foe and avoid obstacles. Unfortunately, these days this is crudely interrupted by the noise from ships and maritime industries. This has made it much harder for killer whales to hunt and find their way.

Critical Distance is an augmented reality experience that takes audiences to the killer whales’ world. You view life through the eyes of Kiki, a five-year old killer whale. Thanks to the HoloLens2 technology, you can ‘see’ sound so you can experience how echolocation works. This helps you experience their current challenges. You will also be invited to protect Kiki and her pod.

The British production company Vision3 uses new technology to tell innovative stories. In Critical Distance , the makers utilise their knowledge for environmental storytelling.

Deep Blue is an installation featuring four augmented reality games that raise consciousness about our relationship with the sea and its inhabitants. XR Lab transforms contemporary disasters into challenges that can be overcome. The AR games give children the opportunity to take responsibility and to fight for a cleaner planet.

In Waste Catcher it is your task to catch as much waste as possible before it contaminates the sea floor. Saving the Fish involves getting rid of hooks and nets so no fish are caught. In Koraal (Coral) you defend the latter from robots. And, in Turtle Race, you are a newly hatched turtle trying to reach the sea.

Deep Blue was developed for Cinekid by XR Lab where students, lecturers and companies cooperate on hyper-modern experiments for exploring new media technologies.

Concept Justin Sollman, Justin Sollman, Surijan Bakker, Alicia van Altena, Lucas de Kuyper, Vivian Dijkstra, Floris Harmsen, Olivia Smit, Max Bakker, Nils Visser, Zakaria el Ghoul Aadi Bjorn Oudkerk, Desley Oord, Milan Sietsma, Sterre de Wit, Emile Davidson, Dennis Luf, Anna van der Weijden, Kelly van Peer, Calvin Davidson, Bjorn Ravensbergen, Diego Ramon, Bob Hoogeboom, Bertan Otun, Nanne van Zanten, Fenna Blazer, Joost van der Knaap, Sarenka Calis, Noa Doreenspleet, Sophie de Groot, Samantha Ettekoven, Lynn Hiep, Rens Hoedeman, Anne Bijker, Tycho Mengels Jantine de Vroome, Adriana Maradiaga Reyes, Merel Booleman Rufus Baas, Richard Ram, Robin Schuur

Producer

Earth: a Primer

Life of Us

Earth: a Primer is a science book for those who love to play. This installation helps children discover how the earth works on their iPad. They can create volcanoes, shape mountains, raise sea levels, paint with the wind and make glaciers.

Because although we learn about the earth, study its ecosystems, experience its vulnerability and are aware of its beauty we still don’t care enough to protect it from us. The makers say interactive technologies can help us strengthen our ties with the earth early on in life.

Earth: a Primer pushes the boundaries of existing genres, combining aspects from science texts, toys, simulations and games. This results in a new interactive experience that combines the quality of a book with a game.

Chaim Gingold is a designer and theoretician who creates powerful representations to play with, learn about and reshape the world.

In Life of Us the player experiences the story of life on earth. You blow bubbles, breathe fire, fly over volcanoes and run from dinosaurs. This helps you evolve into various creatures, allows you to view our world through their eyes as well as survive for millions of years.

Life of Us is a shared multiplayer VR game that you can play with a friend. According to the makers, this experience is a first step towards a new relationship with the planet. Because, although technology is inextricably tied to humanity, it is the way humans have forced the former onto the earth that has proved catastrophic.

This is why we need to find new stories to restore our relationship with nature, transforming the existing power dynamic into a cooperation. One which both humans and nature benefit from. Technology may possibly enable this transition, according to Aaron Koblin and Chris Milk. They view it as their mission to utilise virtual reality to engender increased empathy.

AARON KOBLIN, CHRIS MILK,

FACTS

Music Cliff Caruthers Title design Michelle M. Lee

Music Pharell Williams, McKenzie Stubbert Producer Megan Ellison, Chris Milk Executive producers Chan Park, Sammy Scher, Priya Swaminathan

Match the Expression

Match the Expression provides an introduction to motion capture using portraits in art. Motion capture is the technology used to copy human movements so realistic animations can be created. In Match the Expression children can play with this technology by mimicking the expressions on AI-generated paintings using their mouths.

Humans are constantly trying to understand other people’s expressions by reading them e.g. the raising of an eyebrow or mouth shapes or eye rolling. Motion and face tracking are used to attempt to teach artificial intelligence these minor motions. Motion tracking is used in films and videogames to make CGI characters and face tracking is the key technology behind face filters.

Andreas Refsgaard is a creatieve coder and digital artist who uses playful processes to experiment with and learn about algoritmes and machine learning. He enables new relationships to develop between users and computers turning them into co-creators.

ANDREAS REFSGAARD

DENMARK | 2022 | 3+

Paint With Your Nose

Interaction with our screens has developed dramatically in recent decades. From keyboard to voicce control, from mouse to stylus, from game controllers to Kinect and VR, the options keep increasing. If computers are our main means of communication, we should adapt them to the variety of bodies, generations, languages and levels.

Andreas Refsgaard is a creatieve coder and digital artist who uses playful processes to experiment with and learn about algoritmes and machine learning. He enables new relationships to develop between users and computers turning them into co-creators.

His work invites people to curiously and critically examine artificial intelligence. Long enough to play together and draw as friends.

ANDREAS REFSGAARD

DENMARK | 2022 | 3+

The Social Media Bodies

The Social Media Bodies is an interactive virtual reality experience that explains the pitfalls and dangers of social media for a young audience. The message is that the playground is open and colourful, but watch out for the puppeteers who want to control your behaviour.

Many young people are on social media, play online games and subscribe to streaming platforms, but aren’t always aware of the unspoken contracts they have entered into. Hyping trends, unrealistic beauty standards, datamining, filter bubbles and media technology all have a major influence on how we perceive ourselves. All too often these play tricks on us. This is why it is crucial to recognise and deconstruct the influence these things can have on us as well as learn how to distinguish real from fake.

The Social Media Bodies was made by Zofia Krzyżanowska & Luiza de Miranda Rosa Awad in cooperation with Interactive / Media / Design at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (NL).

LUIZA MIRANDA ROSA AWAD, ZOFIA KRZYŻANOWSKA

Virtual Growth

In this installation, virtual life is overgrowing the real world. However, the ‘vegetation’ can only grow along edges, so some areas remain untouched. Visitors can use their bodies to transfer ‘life’ to new places where it can spread from. It can also be wiped away, but only if every thing is removed. Otherwise it immediately grows back!

This installation makes visitors part of the physical environment and the digital animation. The infrared projector captures every object in front of it, even a body, and forces visitors to interact in this way.

Modern societies set themselves outside nature, instead of being part of it. The idea behind this work is that new technologies can support a change in perspective and offer the opportunity to study new relationships from the inside out.

Lieven van Velthoven is a creative coder. He plays with projection mapping, using it as a connective layer that overgrows us, our environment and technology itself.

LIEVEN VAN VELTHOVEN

Dier in Zicht

The interactive installation Dier in Zicht (Animal in View) allows visitors to explore microscopic worlds using an endoscopic camera. These miniature worlds are stored in four wooden chests. Their exteriors do not reveal what lies inside. The insides allow you to experience how various animals see their environment. How does a fish see its environment or a monkey? And what is that like for a chameleon or an owl? The only way to find out is to use the endoscope.

In the future Symbiocene era, humans and all other organisms will live in symbiosis. Not in a hierarchy but as equals, aware of the mutual benefits. To reach this new era we will have to change our perspective and learn to see things the way other creatures do. Dier in zicht offers Cinekid visitors the first step in the right direction.

The Living Room

In The Living Room visitors create their own interactive games and stories using objects and furniture from a post-apocalyptic living room. The installation reveals how nature has tried to retake man-made objects. Visitors can explain what has happened, and what will yet happen, by changing and photographing objects. In this way they create their own stories.

The Living Room uses Downpour, an app that was recently developed by v buckenham. Using the app you can easily make your own games without any prior knowledge or a computer. The only thing you need is a smart phone with a camera. This allows you to photo graph yourself and others, but you can also use drawings and objects. These are linked which rapidly creates a game. You can share it with others so everyone can play your game.

Commissioned

ZOE REDDY

Commissioned by Cinekid Game Design V Buckenham

REDDY

The Meta Morph

This installation invites you to transform yourself using mode filters. Your metamorphosis is physical and virtual, taking you on an educational journey through the metaverse.

Augmented reality bridges the physical and the virtual worlds. Augmenting reality can be viewed as a process without end. It enables the development of new stories as you can connect with your environment in multiple ways. However, these technologies can also become ensnared in physical, capitalist rules according to the makers.

Fascinated by the multitude of AR applications in daily life, Dutch AR pioneer Sander Veenhof has been experimenting with this technology for over 15 years. He does so using computers, the HoloLens, Snapchat filters and, since last year, with the augmented reality glasses Snap Spectacles. Together with Zoe Reddy, an artist and cultural project developer, he utilises AR to help us find alternative ways of becoming ourselves.

Symbio Animo

Stop-motion is almost as old as cinema itself. It was one of the main special effects before the advent of digital animation. However, the basic principle has always remained the same: create a series of stills with minimal changes between each; played back at speed a fluid motion develops.

In the Animatie Zone (Animation Zone) visitors will learn stop motion’s basic techniques from professional animators. During the sessions, the children will animate specially designed characters and objects. The scenes will be hand made and shot with a camera hanging over the the large green space. They will subsequently be shown live on screen. Afterwards, participant scan view their short films at home.

This year, the Animatie Zone was designed by Levi Jacobs. His work consists of paintings, digital illustrations, prints and murals. His style is conspicuous primarily duet of his use of colours and textures with an escapist quality that lure you to his surreal planet.

Cinekids Animatie Zone, which was developed over a decade ago, has since had many guises and is popular in the Netherlands and abroad.

CINEKID, LEVI JACOBS

Beasts of Balance

Doomsday Vault

Beasts of Balance is a stacking game with a modern twist in which the tangible and the digital world augment one another. Stacking animals and magical artefacts creates a colourful digital world and helps the animals there evolve. A warthog and a shark together become a ‘shoggle’. The aim is to create as fantastic a world as possible by strategically caring for animals and evolving them until they can do miracles. Before the tower collapses at least.

Beasts of Balance can be played alone or with a maximum of five players. You can work together in Co-op mode or fight one another in Battle mode. A tower can be constructed by staking animal-shaped objects on a plinth. Every item has an RFID tag that is read by the plinth. Bluetooth is used to pass every turn on to the accompanying app that keeps score and sets challenges. If the tower falls, a countdown starts: the game ends if the players can’t rebuild the tower before the timer runs down.

Doomsday Vault players have an important task: to save the valuable plant life on earth. It is up to you to find hidden seeds in the earth’s ruins and make them healthy again. With this goal in mind, you navigate the flooded city in a robot suit, break into an underground chamber and explore ancient pyramids. En route you collect seeds that you try to safely transport to the vault. In the meantime you also learn about the crops you are trying to save.

Doomsday Vault teaches young gamers more about crops and the global seed bank. This resource in Spitsbergen is of fundamental importance to humanity’s future. The seed bank also known as the Doomsday Vault, a ‘safe’ containing over 930,000 varieties of food crops. It is the planet’s largest collection of agricultural biodiversity.

SENSIBLE

FLIGHTLESS

Frog Chorus

Frog Chorus is a new social network for frogs and a place you can only croak. Frog Chorus is set in a pond full of frogs. Putting your cursor on a frog and holding it down makes the frog inflate its cheeks. When you let go of the cursor the frog will start to croak.

There are already too many words online creating fuss, noise, hiss and controversy. Sometimes you are too tired for all that and at other times it may be overwhelming. However, the desire for contact remains. You want to be in the presence of others, but you just don’t want to have to talk. In Frog Chorus you can croak a bit and sometimes hear a croak back. You can leave a tab open with the pond so you hear a frog go plop or croak every now and again. Now you know there is someone around.

Frog Chorus was created by v buckenham and Viviane Schwartz.

MiSH MASH

MiSH MASH is a drawing game in which you create a picture with others. You just don’t know what the others have drawn. All you see is a tiny piece that you have to use for your part. This creates an enormous drawing. And shows you what can be achieved by working together with so many children.

GAME & APP AWARD

Game & App Award

To underline the growing role that games and apps play in contemporary children’s lives, Cinekid launched its Game & App Award in 2021. This year will therefore be the second time Cinekid has awarded the best children’s games and apps of the year.

Cinekid acknowledges that gaming has become an integral part of daily life for many people, not just children. Games have the ability to connect, entertain and enlighten us. Nearly everyone with (access to) a mobile phone or tablet plays games every now and then, even if most don’t see themselves as gamers.

By launching its Game & App Award, Cinekid aims to point children towards games that are more than simple click-and-swipe games, and seeks to offer an alternative to the popular shooter and fighting games. In addition, Cinekid aims to stimulate and encourage the field of indie game design.

This year, a professional panel made up of Yannis Bolman (Little Chicken Game Studio, Winner of the 2021 Game & App Award), Zuraida Buter (A MAZE./Berlin, Playful Arts Festival) and Annelies Termeer (VPRO Medialab) selected eight titles from a very diverse range of entries from the Netherlands and abroad submitted following an open call. The criteria used were innovation, authenticity, design and gameplay. In the years to come, Cinekid will strive to make this a flagship award for new game and app titles that are suitable for younger audiences and that excel in the criteria stated above. A children’s jury made up of members of the Cinekid Junior Crew will choose this year’s winner, which will be announced at the Cinekid Awards ceremony.

Tess de Ruiter

Interim Head of New Media

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

Chicory, the brush’s carrier is missing and this is why all the colour has been lost from the country. It is up to you as a player to take her place. Painting allows you to discover new places, solve puzzles and help friends to change the world.

GREG LOBANOV, ALEXIS DEAN JONES, MADELINE BERGER

| 2021

the Page

Lost Words: Beyond the Page is an atmospheric puzzle game in which you enter the imagination of a young girl. The game is set in her diary. You use words and drawings to solve puzzles. Returning to her fantasy world Estoria at the end of every page.

MARK BACKLER

KINGDOM | 2021

Hoa

In this hand-painted puzzle platformer Hoa experiences the magic of nature. She takes an adventurous trip, jumping on flowers and swimming through the water. On her way she makes friends and enemies, but the atmosphere remains friendly thanks to the wonderful images and the classical music soundtrack.

LE SON TRA, SON TUNG CAO VIETNAM | 2021

Milo and the Magpies

In this game you help Milo the cat find his way home. Annoying magpies make that difficult. You can outsmart the birds by solving puzzles thereby helping Milo sneak through the gardens. This wonderful adventure game was hand-painted and animated.

JOHAN SCHERFT

|

Artist Greg Lobanov, Alexis Dean Jones, Madeline Berger Composer Lena Raine Design Emily Liles, Em Halberstadt, Finji

Artist Le Son Tra, Son Tung Cao Production company PM Studios, inc.

Search ARound

In Search ARound you search for the objects hidden in the 3D space around you using augmented reality. The objects are hidden in an environment full of colourful, hand-drawn items. You game yourself fit by moving in this beautifully designed augmented reality puzzle.

LIDWIEN VEUGEN

NETHERLANDS | 2022

The artisanal adventure game Wytchwood is set in a land of Gothic fables and fairy tales. As the forest’s elderly witch you explore a bizarre landscape, collect magical ingredients, cast spells and judge a group of unusual characters.

Webbed

In this 2D adventure you control a peacock spider swinging from tree to tree and weaving sticky webs. She wants to save her friend who was taken by a snowbird. On her way she is helped by insects though not always equally well.

WHITETHORN GAMES

| 2022

Production company

RILEY NEVILLE

| 2021

Ynglet

In Ynglet you jump around between hand-drawn bubbles and creatures in the air. Like a sort of space dolphin you swim and bounce around in this meditative floating game that excels in minimalism. All while you become one with the soundtrack that responds to your movements.

NIFFLAS, SARA SANDBERG

| 2021

Lidwien Veugen

Artist Riley Neville Composer Stijn van Wakeren Design Noah Seymour

FACTS

Artist

L

F E I S I N

CINEKID FOR PROFESSIONALS

Cinekid for Professionals

Dear friends,

Having attended Cinekid for years as a professional, I am thrilled to be the new Head of Cinekid for Professionals. Cinekid 2022 is all about building worlds that continue to enchant and enrich. Our programme again caters for every corner of the industry. Creators, producers, buyers and sellers will pitch and persuade funds, decision-makers and future partners. We are delighted that leading international professionals still see Cinekid as an essential platform for sound, profitable business. Our aim is to be present, facilitate and adapt to the needs of our industry, while recognising the need to work together on making the future sustainable.

The success of previous Junior Co-Production Markets is reflected in the 2022 festival programme, with five titles previously pitched here, including opening film Totem. We also present 20 beautiful new projects at the JCM, and you can check out each of these before requesting one-to-one meetings.

We are excited to welcome 14 Script LAB representatives, who will work on the development of their projects throughout the week in Amsterdam, with their designated coaches and other experts.

In addition to the projects in development, we select completed productions for the Screening Club, our digital video library which showcases 500+ recently completed children’s productions from all over the world.

We will welcome 27 young producers to Amsterdam as part of Producers LINK, which we organise together with Kids Kino Industry. Each will spend a week working on their professional development.

We are also looking forward to welcoming you to the Industry Forum, a melting pot of ideas and discussions. This year we will dive into the future of

synthetic creation and how it compares with authentic creation. We will explore what it’s like when kids are at the helm, how to get them more involved and process their feedback. We will also introduce you to the S(ymbiocene) generation, the first to explore the relationship between mankind and nature.

Little of this rich programme would be possible without support from our funders and partners, such as Creative Europe and the Netherlands Film Fund. But Cinekid for Professionals wouldn’t be the same without the professionals – so most of all I want to thank you for returning, making our programme richer every time. And of course, the fantastic CfP team who work round the clock to make it all happen.

We look forward to welcoming you to our new Cinekid for Professionals location in Amsterdam North, which is also the central festival location, where you can amaze and be amazed!

Sara Juričić

Head of Cinekid for Professionals

Market Activities

ScreeningClub

Available online from Wednesday 12 OctoberSaturday 31 December 2022.

English language or subtitles

Access: ScreeningClub badge

Cinekid’s digital screening facility offers a selection of all the latest productions for children from the past year.

Professionals can watch these productions online for programming or acquisition purposes.

Junior Co-production Market

Pitch training: Tuesday 18 October 14:00 - 17:30 CEST, Pathé 3

Access: Selected project representatives only

Pitch Film projects: Wednesday 19 October 14:00 - 15:15 CEST, Pathé 7

Access: Market badge

Pitch Series projects: Thursday 20 October 09:30 - 10:45 CEST, Pathé 7

Access: Market badge

One-on-one meetings: Wednesday 19 October until Friday 21 October 09:3017:30 CEST

DatSchool!

Access: Market badge

The Junior Co-production Market (JCM) is an integrated co-production market held during Cinekid for Professionals. It enables financiers, broadcasters and producers to find new, innovative projects under development for young audiences across film and television. A total of 20 projects currently being developed will be presented in a unique, nurturing environment designed to encourage international cooperation.

More information on the projects selected can be found at cinekid.nl/en/professionals and in the JCM booklet, available at MyCinekid.

Producers LINK

Tuesday 18 October until Friday 21 October DatSchool!

Access: Selected participants only

Once again, Kids Kino Industry and Cinekid for Professionals join forces in organising Producers LINK, a programme for emerging producers of children’s content. The 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 autumn.

The 27 producers selected for the second edition of Producers LINK are nominated by the following international partner organizations: Catalan Films, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Film Centre of Montenegro, German Children’s Media Foundation - KIDS Regio, Greek Film Center, Kids Kino Industry, National Film Centre of Latvia, National Film Institute Hungary, Netherlands Film Fund, Norwegian Film Institute and Slovak Film Institute.

The programme will start in September and have its first residency at Kids Kino Industry (27 to 29 September 2022), finishing at Cinekid for Professionals (18 to 21 October 2022).

Ask your Audience

Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 October DatSchool!

Access: Selected participants only

Industry experts attending the Junior Co-Production Market and Script LAB get the chance to pitch their projects in development to a group of international (English-speaking) children. A unique opportunity for professionals to see how the target audience responds to their projects. In this programme children are the experts, and their feedback might just influence the final outcome of these productions.

Industry Forum

Wednesday 19 October 10:00 – 18:00 CEST

Pathé 8 & 1

English language

Access: Industry Forum ticket

Get up to speed on children’s media trends during Cinekid’s Industry Forum, with professionals from all over the world sharing their experiences.

How do we protect the legacy of iconic children’s media?

To which new creative realms will AI bring us? Where do we stand with diversity and inclusion in children’s content? These are but a couple of questions raised and discussed during Cinekid’s Industry Forum. Through keynotes and a panel in the morning and interactive round table sessions in the afternoon, the Forum’s programme aims to inspire and challenge the audience to explore a variety of current topics in the field of children’s media.

Cinekid Script LAB

Sunday 16 October - Thursday 20 October DatSchool!

Access: Selected participants only Cinekid Script LAB is a six-month script-training programme for writers with a children’s film project. The programme was initiated by Cinekid in 2014, and takes place during Cinekid in October and Berlinale the following February. For the 9th time Cinekid welcomes 19 writers presenting 14 projects from 11 countries. Script LAB is funded by the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme and organised in close collaboration with international partner organisations, such as Athens International Chil dren’s Film Festival, Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Finnish Film Foundation, Icelandic Film Centre, Netherlands Film Fund, Norwegian Film Institute, Polish Film Institute, and Swedish Film Institute.

Networking Events

Daily Industry lunches

19 October until 22 October from 12:00 - 14:00 CEST

Access: Market badge, ScreeningClub badge, Industry Forum ticket

Industry drinks

Tuesday 18 October 17:30 -19:00 CEST

Wednesday 19 October 18:00 - 19:30 CEST

Access: Market badge, ScreeningClub badge, Industry Forum ticket

Cinekid Awards

Thursday 20 October 19:00 - 22:00 CEST Pathé

Access: Market badge, ScreeningClub badge

The award ceremony of the Cinekid Festival, where we celebrate international children’s media content, followed by drinks in our spectacular MediaLab, our interactive playground!

Eveline Aendekerk, Errol Nayci, Guido van Nispen, Jeroen van Dijk, Marlene Wickel

Heleen Rouw Manager Finance & Operations JeanMarc van Sambeek

Coordinator Development Lisa Schmidt Trainee Maud Brandsen

& SERIES

Head of Film & Series Hidde de Vries Producer Film Chloë van Baar Producer Series & Specials Noa Selles Selection Committee Film Merel Gilsing Selection Committee Film Gwyneth Sleutel Selection Committee Film Jazzy Taihuttu Trainee Irene de Jong Trainee Sanne Ottenhof Coordinator Best Children’s Film Jury Lieke Heil Coordinator Best Dutch Children’s Film Jury Ayla van Kessel Coordinator Youth Introducers Rachel van Bruggen Coordinator Youth Jury Tara Richard

Head of Marketing & Communication Mirella Boumans Coordinator Marketing & Communication Laura Bos Marketing & Communication Elin Boijens Coordinator Copywriting Max de Valck Campaign LamaLama Online Campagne Femke Akkerman Festival Design Randi de Vries Graphic Design Tess Semin Press De Wolven Ticketing Coordinator Lotte Laan

Head of New Media Tess de Ruiter Curator Siuli Ko Assistant Producer MediaLab Stelios Manousakis Assistant Producer MediaLab Luc Berendsen Copywriter Marie Janin Producer Workshops MediaLab Renée Bonte Producer Workshops MediaLab Zoë van der Kust Technical producer MediaLab Rik ‘t Jong Workshop Developer Zoe Reddy

CINEKID FOR PROFESSIONALS

Head of Cinekid for Professionals Sara Juričić

Project Manager Talent Thijs van der Laak

Producer Junior Co-production Market & Producers

LINK Mauricio Tunaroza Romero

Cinekid for Professionals Officer Nino Kovačić

Producer Industry Forum Johanna Fuhler

Producer Hospitality Eva Loguercio

Hospitality Officer Laura Velásquez

Executive Producer Cinekid for Professionals Silke Bongers

Head of Studies Script LAB Esther van Driesum

EDUCATION

Head of Education Rianne Vogel

Producer Education Eva van Ravensberg

Producer Masterclasses Linde Dorenbosch

Project manager Community & Participation Richard Soesanna

Trainee Jose van Hierden

FESTIVAL PRODUCERS

Head of Festival Production Lisa Luijten

Producer Nationwide Festival Locations Jessie van Vreden

Executive Producer Nationwide Festival Locations Marc Selanno

Executive Producer Festival Amsterdam Judith Rigter

Producer Opening and Award show Babs van Houten

Programmer Amsterdam-Noord Massih Hutak

Coordinator Volunteers Cindy Pielstroom

Assistant coordinator volunteers Renée Spees

Trainee Iris Vanderheyden

ONLINE

Concept & Digital Development Cinekid Play Next Empire

Concept & Digital Development MediaLab Community Site Jan Misker

Project Manager Online Nathalie Scholten

Project Development online Indyvideo (in cooperation with Medialoc, Filmfetch & Marteco)

Webdesign MediaLab Community Site Noemi Biro

OFFICE MANAGEMENT

Office Manager Stephanie Boode

CREW

ICT FMO Solutions, Tinus Nijmeijer

Jury Coordination Ayla van Kessel

Youth Jury Coordination Lois Richards

JURY SUPPORT OPERATIONAL PARTNERS

Database Filmchief

Ticketing Ticket Engine Film Transport Gofilex

Technical Facilities Film*Techniek Rotterdam, BeamSystems, Triple Showtechniek Legal Bremer & de Zwaan

Chief editor Max de Valck Copywriters Govrien Oldenburger, Nicole Santé, Maricke Nieuwdorp, Leo Bankersen Design Tess Semin

Translators & Editors Mark Baker, Titus Verheijen Photo Credits Bete van Meeuwen, Corinne de Korver, Melanie Lemahieu

Kidsweek, Jean Mineur Mediavision, NPO Zapp, VPRO Cinema, AT5, blowUP media.

Creative digital bureau Lama Lama Creative director Imraan El Marnasi (Junior Crew)

Creative director Jort Boot (Lama Lama) Editing Maarten Berkers (Marbl.tv)

3D animation Koen Koopman Music and sound design Soundsright Voice Jahlay Sergio van Bossé

Daan de Haan Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, Amsterdam Art Fund, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, Netherlands Film Fund, Fonds 21, VSBfonds, The Cultural Participation Fund, Municipal Office Amsterdam North, AMVJ Fonds, Fiep Westendorp Foundation, Janivo Stichting, Amarte Foundation.

Partners Eurimages, Filmmore, SEE NL, Creative Europe Desk NL, Kids Kino Industry, Catalan Films, Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Czech Film Fund, Film Centre of Montenegro, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Poland, Film Commission Sardegna, German Children’s Media Foundation, Gigant Films, Greek Film Center, KIDS Regio, Netherlands Film Fund, Norwegian Film Institute, Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce (KIPA), Producers Guild of Poland and Slovak Film Institute, ACE Producers, NAPA, Rose Stories, The Children’s Media Conference.

Partners KABK Interactive Media Design, XR Lab, VPRO, BeamSystems, STRP, Nou & Herkauw.

Bijlmerparktheater, Cinema Middelburg, Chassé, Concordia, Corrosia Theater Expo & Film, DAT!school, de Modestraat, De Koornbeurs, De Lawei, DNK De Nieuwe Kolk, Filmhuis Alkmaar, Filmhuis Bussum, Filmtheater Cinebergen, Filmtheater Fraterhuis, Filmhuis Gouda, Filmtheater het Kruispunt, Filmtheater Hilversum, Filmhuis Lumen, Filmhuis MIMIK, Filmschuur, Focus Filmtheater, Forum, Hoogt in Bieb Neude, Ketelhuis, LantarenVenster, LUX, Luxor, Oxville, Pathé Amsterdam Noord, Podium ‘t Beest, Rialto,

Stadsschouwburg Velsen, Stichting Bio, Teatro Luna Blou, De Nieuwe Bibliotheek, Schouwburg Amstelveen, Veghel Industry, Pathe Tilburg, Filmhuis de Spiegel, Vue Kerkrade, Tribe Amsterdam City Hotel.

Pathé Amsterdam Noord, Bremer & de Zwaan, Squla, Storytel, Kanteen25, IMC Weekendschool, Stiching Studiezalen, Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam, Mokum Maakcoalitie, Netwerk Filmeducatie, BYOR, Winkelcentrum Boven ‘t Y, In Sync Media, FLX, Eyrie Entertainment, Fasten Films, Lemming Film, Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany, Lumières Films, Nordiks Film Production, Viking Film, Westside Filmproduktion, Rothkirch Cartoon Film, Indi Film, Phanta Film, Phanta Basta!, BosBros, East Films, FPT Play, Snowcloud Films, Filmbin, Senca Studio, Wady Films, objectif, Studio Dim, Nimbus Film, Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion, Volya Films, Artémis Productions, Vivement Lundi!, Les Films du nord, ...Productions, Nuts & Bolts Film Company, Submarine, 3 Minutes West, Doxy Films, Johan Neijenhuis & Co, Tangerine Tree, 2CFilm, Rinkel Film, Ostlicht Film produktion, In The Air, Gusto Entertainment, Dutch Features, Periscoop Film, Sola Media, Miyu, Dutch Film Works, Cinema Delicatessen, Bavaria Media, AvroTros, VPRO, KRO-NCRV, EO, NTR, Omroep Max, Omrop Fryslân, ZAPP, Stichting de Vrolijkheid, Stichting Nieuwe Helden, Tamara Bos, Signe Zeilich-Jensen, Mijke Roos, Els Kuiper, Burny Bos, DjHayrettin, Straat museum, Xplctstudios, Little Miss Kwakoe, Boogieland,

DAT! School, I Am Aisha, Claudia Boon, Djelle, Dirty Sprite, Meltjoo, Melv!ee, Colourful Goodies, Zin in zappelin, Story tel, Rabia Omanette, Verdedig Noord, Cinéart Nederland, Square Eyes, Miyu, Kaboom Distribution, Kaptein Kort, JEF, Wim Pel Productions, Mondriaan Fonds.

And all other organisations, volunteers and individuals that helped realise the 2022 festival with their artistic, organisational, scientific or technical contributions.