Call for entries Films & Series 2026

For Cinekid Festival 2026 we are accepting feature films, short films and Dutch episodic productions for children up to 14 years of age, with a preference for those that tackle social issues or stimulate creative thinking. Find the competitions for Films & Series below.

For Cinekid Festival 2026 we are accepting feature films, short films and Dutch episodic productions for children up to 14 years of age, with a preference for those that tackle social issues or stimulate creative thinking. Find the competitions for Films & Series below.

• Best Children's Film Competition: an international jury will present the Jury Award and the children at the festival will choose the winner of the Audience Award.

• Best Dutch Children's Film Competition: a jury of Dutch industry professionals will hand out the Jury Award, while the visitors of the festival decide which film wins the Audience Award.

• Sparks Competition: a professional jury consisting of international and Dutch members will decide which films are awarded Cinekid Lions in two categories: Best International Short Film and Best Dutch Short Film for children from 4 – 8 years old.

• Flames Competition: a professional jury consisting of international and Dutch members will choose a winner in two categories, who will receive a Cinekid Lion: Best International Short Film and Best Dutch Short Film for children from 9 – 13 years old.

• Youth Jury Competition: a jury of film lovers between 12 and 14 years old will pick the winner of the Youth Jury Award, from a selection of youth films from the festival programme.

• Best Dutch Series Competition: a professional jury chooses one winner in the following two categories: Most Original Series Production Award and the Craftsmanship in a Series Production Award, both fiction and non-fiction and made by Dutch producers and broadcasters since the last festival edition (2025).

The entry deadline for Cinekid Festival including the competitions mentioned above is 1 June 2026.

Image in header: filmstill from Olifantje in het Bos, 2025