Cinekid Script LAB

Cinekid for Professionals is excited to announce the selection for the upcoming edition of our Script LAB programme, featuring thirteen projects from twelve countries. This six-month programme offers screenwriters a unique opportunity to develop their children’s films or series in a safe and professional environment. The eleventh edition of the programme launches in Amsterdam during Cinekid Festival this October and ends during the Berlinale in February. In total nineteen writers will join, guided by internationally acclaimed script coaches.

• Villa Victoria Participating writers: Sara van Oostrum, Arne De Loore (Belgium) Nominated by: Flanders Audiovisual Fund
• Home Court Participating writers: Elpida Nikou, Rodrigo Hernandez (Greece, The Netherlands, United States)
• My Name is Lulo! Participating writer: Effie Pappa (Greece)
• Night Mare Participating writer: Aevar Thor Benediktsson (Iceland)
  Nominated by: Icelandic Film Centre
• Chetak Participating writer: Bhuwan Somani (India)
• Two Sisters Participating writer: Antonio Bigini (Italy)
• Tongues Participating writers: Lote Eglite, Tina Zarina (Latvia, Estonia)
• Sammy Participating writer: Caya de Groot (The Netherlands) Nominated by: Netherlands Film Fund
• Movies Showing Nowhere Participating writer: Martijn de Jong (The Netherlands)
• How to deal with shattering geists Participating writers: Kajsa Næss, Marta Huglen Revheim (Norway) Nominated by: Norwegian Film Institute
• Handbook for Superheroes 2 - The longest night Participating writer: Anoo Bhagavan (Sweden) Nominated by: Swedish Film Institute
• The Island of the Great Yellow Ox Participating writer: Seamus Murphy-Mitchell (Ireland)
• Tiny Fox and Great Boar Participating writers: Rafał Skarżycki, Berenika Kołomycka (Poland)

• How to write for young audiences
• How to develop a new (and better) draft of your script
• How to connect and share knowledge and experience with writers who are working on scripts for young audiences
• How to broaden your international network

You’re a writer who has a project in development for a children’s feature film or children’s series. You have some experience, but this isn’t necessarily related to screenwriting or writing for children’s media.

• 12 to 15 writers
• Aim: develop a new (and better) draft of your script
• First workshop week takes place during Cinekid Festival in Amsterdam in October
• Second workshop week takes place during the Berlinale in Berlin in February
• Coaching sessions, workshops, and training during the workshop weeks
• Attend events, screenings, and informal networking opportunities during Cinekid Festival and the Berlinale
• Interim online session with your coach between the two workshop weeks

Cinekid Script LAB takes place from October to March.

Please e-mail any questions to professionals@cinekid.nl

You can submit your entry for Cinekid Script LAB from 1 March to 26 May 2024.

Please include at least the following information in your application:

• Project details and specifications
• A treatment
• Brief description of all characters
• Your motivation to join the programme and what you hope to gain by participating
• An artistic statement describing the vision for your film
• A link to previously directed work

There are two routes to participate in Cinekid Script LAB. The main one is nomination by one of our international partners (see list below), who will cover the full costs of your participation. You can also submit your project through an open call, in which case you must cover the costs of participation.

Cinekid also offers scholarships to participants from low-capacity countries in Europe, as defined by the European Commission. If you’d like more information, please e-mail professionals@cinekid.nl.

Cinekid organises the Cinekid Script LAB with the Athens International Children’s Film Festival (GR), Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (BE), Icelandic Film Centre (IC), Nederlands Filmfonds (NL), Norwegian Film Institute (NO), and Swedish Film Institute (SE).