Cinekid Market

Cinekid Market
Name	Cinekid Market
Genre	Children's media industry market
Frequency	Annual
Location	Amsterdam
Country	Netherlands
First	1986
Organiser	Cinekid Foundation

Cinekid Market

Cinekid Market is an international children's media industry market associated with the Cinekid festival in Amsterdam. It convenes producers, distributors, broadcasters, funders, commissioners and creators from the film, television, interactive and digital sectors to present projects, exchange rights and commission new work. The Market acts as a business hub alongside the public festival, facilitating co-productions, co-financing and international sales across European and global institutions.

Overview

Cinekid Market operates as a marketplace and forum where representatives from European Broadcasting Union, Netflix, BBC, HBO, Disney, Amazon Studios and Canal+ meet with producers from Netherlands Film Fund, NTR (Dutch broadcaster), Bavaria Film, ZDF, Arte, RTÉ, SVT, Yle, NRK and independent companies. The Market brings together commissioners from organizations such as Eurimages, Creative Europe, Nordisk Film & TV Fond and commissioning editors from outlets like Channel 4 and PBS Kids, enabling pitching to rights buyers including WildBrain, StudioCanal, HIT Entertainment and Lionsgate. Participants include representatives from production companies like Studio 100, Illumination Entertainment, Aardman Animations, Cartoon Network Studios and Gaumont Animation as well as festival partners such as Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Berlinale, Sundance Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival.

History

The Market developed as an arm of the broader Cinekid initiative, which traces roots to the mid-1980s when cultural institutions in Amsterdam sought dedicated platforms for children's audiovisual work alongside organizations like Eye Filmmuseum and broadcasters such as NOS. Over successive decades the Market expanded, connecting early collaborators like MuFilm and Kemna with international players including StudioCanal and BBC Children’s. By the 2000s it formalized pitching sessions and co-production forums that mirrored activities at MIPJunior, Cartoons on the Bay and Gstin's Kidscreen Summit. Strategic partnerships formed with funding bodies such as Netherlands Film Fund, Fonds 21, Prince Claus Fund and European funds, aligning the Market with initiatives at Eurimages and Creative Europe MEDIA. Digital convergence brought representatives from Google, Apple and Facebook into conversations alongside traditional broadcasters, while animation studios like Walt Disney Animation Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studio influenced creative trends showcased at the Market.

Programs and Events

Programming includes pitching sessions, co-production markets, development labs, sales meetings and masterclasses led by commissioners and creatives from BBC, Cartoon Network, Netflix, Disney Junior and HBO Max. Events often feature panels with participants from EYE Film Institute Netherlands, NTR, IDFA, European Children’s Film Association and International Emmy Awards jurors, and mentoring from producers affiliated with Pathé, Studio Ghibli and Laika. The Market hosts focused strands on interactive media inviting exhibitors linked to Unity Technologies, Epic Games, Nintendo, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft Studios. Educational components bring together curriculum advisors from UNICEF, UNESCO and regional Ministries of Culture and collaborators from British Film Institute, Flanders Audiovisual Fund and Bavarian Film Centre. Networking events connect distributors from The Film Agency, Kino Lorber and Magnolia Pictures with festival programmers from Cannes Film Festival and Locarno Festival.

Industry and Market Activities

Cinekid Market facilitates rights negotiations, pre-sales, co-financing agreements and commissioning meetings between production companies and broadcasters such as RTÉ, SVT and ZDF. The Market’s business-to-business activity sees participation from sales agents like Fortissimo Films, The Match Factory and TrustNordisk, and legal, IP and format specialists from firms advising on clearance, format licensing and merchandising with links to Hasbro, Mattel, LEGO Group and Spin Master. Co-production pitches frequently involve public funds including Flemish Audiovisual Fund and private investors tied to media financiers like Bertelsmann, Vivendi and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The Market also showcases interactive prototypes tied to platforms such as iOS, Android and Steam, attracting publisher interest from Devolver Digital and Electronic Arts.

Awards and Recognition

While the Market itself functions chiefly as a trade event, projects and creators presented have gone on to receive recognition at institutions like European Film Awards, BAFTA, Academy Awards, Prix Jeunesse, International Emmy Awards and Annecy Award. Participants have garnered honors from national bodies including Netherlands Film Festival prizes and regionally from Gouden Kalf juries. Industry players attending Cinekid Market have used its platform to launch titles that later won awards at Berlinale Generation, Sundance, Toronto International Film Festival Kids Programme and Cartoons on the Bay.

Impact and Reception

Cinekid Market is credited with strengthening Europe's children's media ecology by catalyzing co-productions, enabling cross-border distribution and helping ideate digital-first projects that reached audiences through Netflix, YouTube Kids and public broadcasters. Analysts and trade publications such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily have covered deals and trends emerging from the Market, while cultural commentators from outlets like De Volkskrant, NRC Handelsblad and Trouw have noted its influence on Dutch and international children's media. Festival directors from Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Berlinale, Venice Film Festival and commissioners from PBS have cited the Market as instrumental in introducing innovative formats, fostering partnerships and advancing professional development for creators.

Category:Cinema festivals in the Netherlands