Cinekid proudly presents the programme for this year’s Cinekid for Professionals, taking place at the end of October at Pathé Amsterdam Noord, around the theme of  time travel. The Industry Forum will kick off with the opening keynote from Thor Svanholm Gustavfson, titled Telling New Futures, making the case for strengthening “Futures Literacy”—the ability to imagine and use the future in different ways—to prepare, adapt, and innovate in a world marked by uncertainty and constant change. This will be followed by ten thematic roundtables.

Cinekid for Professionals is set to welcome the international industry to the world’s largest children’s media festival. More than three hundred industry professionals are expected to attend this year’s edition (October 21–24), held during the Cinekid Festival at Pathé Amsterdam Noord.

The professionals programme kicks off with the Industry Forum, where in addition to the keynote, over twenty international professionals will share their experiences in their work, the challenges, and the roads to success. Industry Forum speakers include Ethan Shaftel (maker of Gargoyle Doyle), Melissa Vega (Co-founder, Head of Sales and Acquisitions - Folivari International) and Martijn Blekendaal (director of The Invisible Ones). Themes include: the audiences of tomorrow, strategies in educational distribution, and telling stories that feel authentic to children. Industry guests will be able to dive into conversation with the speakers in conversations moderated by Cinekid’s partners. Accredited guests will watch the latest projects being pitched, attend networking sessions, and gain access to Cinekid's online video library, the ScreeningClub. This programme promises a rich and educational experience for professionals in the youth content and audiovisual sector.

Fifteen new projects are currently in development through the twelfth edition of Cinekid’s Script LAB, a six-month programme supporting writers of children’s film and series. With nineteen participants from thirteen countries, the selection spans over different formats and genres, from live action and animation to stop motion. Themes include climate activism, magical realism, family dynamics and the relationship between humans and nature, and target audiences are aged 4 to 12+. The programme begins at Cinekid Festival 2025 in Amsterdam and will conclude at the Berlinale 2026, offering writers expert mentorship in a collaborative environment.

Participants of the fifth edition of the Producers LINK programme—following their visit to Young Horizons Industry in Warsaw—will continue their professional and personal development journey in Amsterdam. Producers LINK consultants include: Petra Goedings (CEO, Phanta Vision Group), Heather Millard (producer, Compass Films), Maria Villadsen (Will & Agency). Guided by these industry experts, 21 producers from 15 countries will explore the importance of audience awareness in today’s highly competitive youth content and audiovisual landscape and engage in sessions focused on international co-production and pitching skills.

Additionally, the producers will observe the Junior Co-production Market, where 22 projects will be presented; 16 films and 6 series of which these 8 are live action and 14 are animated. Four nearly completed projects will be presented in works-in-progress section. JCM pitchers include Frederike Migom (director of Everyone's Sorry Nowadays), Iris Otten (producer of Dreamscape) and project Ananda (from Special Touch Studios). A jury will decide which project will be granted with the below awards.

The best feature film project with European co-production potential intended for cinema release will receive the prestigious Eurimages Co-Production Development Award worth €20.000. The PUBLIKUM Audience Awareness Award, worth €9.000 in services, is given out by the Danish consultancy Will & Agency, who work in audience analysis and research for media projects. Lastly, the Filmmore Post-Production Award comes with a €5.000 prize and will go to the best live-action project and be awarded in services of the postproduction house. The award winners will be announced on Wednesday, 22 October at the Cinekid Awards at Oedipus Craft Space. 

Professionals working in the intersection of new media and children’s content will find much to experience in the programme, with speakers on the future of the immersive field in the Industry Forum, the Medialab Breakfast, and the Cinekid Medialab open throughout the industry days. Additionally, Cinekid’s video library for recently completed productions selected for the Festival, the ScreeningClub will be available for accredited guests until the end of the year.

Discover the full programme below!