The global film industry is packing its bags for Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM)—which is hosting a brand-new “Animation Days” initiative this year.

Running over the first three days (February 12 to 14) of this week-long market, it’s the event’s most significant addition to champion the animation sector to date. Nearly 40 years old, EFM attracts up to 12,000 attendees from 140 countries every year, and its most recent edition in 2025 broke an all-time record in ticket sales.

Berlinale Pro director Tanja Meissner

Featuring partnerships with orgs including Annecy, Cartoon, BFI UK and Telefilm Canada, the Animation Days program will feature more than 30 project pitches and WIP (work-in-progress) screenings, as well as several workshops and networking events. 

The response from attendees and the industry at large has already been promising. Tanja Meissner, director of EFM umbrella org Berlinale Pro, tells Kidscreen: “We’ve seen incredible engagement for this, which confirms that these initiatives respond to real market needs.”

It’s happening at a critical time, too. The animation industry continues to face some of its toughest market conditions in years, marked by broad declines in commissioning and sales. But Meissner says if this year’s program resonates, she wants to make Animation Days a recurring annual event supported by more domestic and international partner organizations.  

Family animation is key

The animation genre has established its presence at EFM over the years, with Meissner saying that animation sales companies make up a healthy component of the 600 global exhibitors the event attracts on average. 

But she hopes that Animation Days can make a case for strengthening public policy for this sector—and the deeper cultural importance of kids content is not lost on the organizers. “Animation is the first genre that young audiences discover,” Meissner notes. “In the European context, our children must have the possibility to discover homegrown independent animation in cinemas and on streaming platforms.”

Two case-study sessions on Saturday will decode the co-pro strategies and workflows behind family animated films The Amazing Maurice 2 and The Last Whale Singer. Importantly, family films from local German producers travel well, with Meissner estimating that three out the five best-exported German films are usually animated. So it made sense strategically to highlight the genre. (The country could see even bigger success on that front soon, based on new German government proposals to increase federal film funding and impose a levy on streamers to support the local industry.) 

Cross-sector opportunities

EFM’s scope puts it in a unique position to connect animators with other filmmakers, which may not happen as easily at purely animation-focused events, Meissner says. 

For example, “more and more documentary filmmakers and producers want to explore animation,” she says, pointing out that it’s now seen in docs as a higher-quality alternative to awkward live-action re-enactments. That’s why EFM created a dedicated matchmaking session to connect documentary producers and animation studios.  

Similarly, EFM 2026 is hosting cross-sector sessions dedicated to gaming, where animation plays a complementary role. Attendees who are interested can make time on Friday to attend Games to Screen: Showcase of French IPs and Film Meets Games. “I believe there is a real need for cross-disciplinary approaches in order to build long-term resilience for independents,” Meissner adds.

Global partnerships

A series of Animation Days pitch sessions on February 12 and 13 will spotlight regions both in and beyond Europe. And EFM has partnered with regional orgs to produce sessions dedicated to animation from Canada, Central and Eastern Europe, Germany and the UK. There will also be a broader spotlight session on international animation, featuring projects from Finland, Denmark, Spain, Taiwan, the Netherlands and Poland.

Europe remains a vital creative hub, but Meissner believes this level of global collaboration will help animation indies discover more co-pro pathways, production models and creative/aesthetic approaches. This focus on international partnerships “reflects the reality of how animation is developed, financed and circulated today,” she says. 

Projects to check out

Here’s a sample of interesting kids & family film concepts that will be featured in the regional spotlights:

Acorn’s Adventure 

Acorn’s Adventure (Courtesy of Pure Shore)

Event: Spotlight On: Central Eastern European Animation
Producers: Pure Shore (Czechia), Fabian&Fred (Germany)
Style: CG animation
Length: 80 minutes
Target: Ages six to nine
When and where: February 12 at 3:45 p.m. (Mirror Tent)
Storyline: Also heading to Cartoon Movie next month, this film (pictured here and also the featured image) is about a boy made of acorns living in Resinland, a village created and ruled by kids’ imaginations. When thieves break in to steal its most vital resource (resins), the boy decides to be a hero—even if it means lying to everyone about his purpose.

The Pirate King

The Pirate King (Courtesy of Submarine)

Event: Spotlight On: International Animation
Producers: Submarine (Netherlands), Studio2 (Taiwan)
Style: CG animation
Length: n/a
Target: Families
When and where: February 13 at 9 a.m. (EFM Cinemobile)
Storyline: Imagine Blue Eye Samurai for kids. This Taiwanese-Dutch co-pro aptly explores a moment of shared history during the era of Dutch Formosa in Taiwan. With the arrival of the legendary warlord Koxinga, an Indigenous girl from the Siraya tribe and a young Dutch boy form an unlikely friendship.

Granny is a Tree!

Granny is a Tree! (Courtesy of Dandelooo)

Event: Annecy Animation Showcase EFM
Producers: Laïdak Films (France/Germany), Dandelooo (France), Doghouse (Luxembourg)
Style: 2D animation
Length: 72 minutes
Target: Families
When and where: February 13 at 11 a.m. (Gropius Bau Cinema)
Storyline: A young girl sets out to help fulfill her Granny Onions’ last wish to return to the earth in the most natural way possible. This whimsical feature hails from Hugo de Faucompret, who made 2021’s Annecy Jury Award-winning special Mum is Pouring Rain.

Struwwel

Struwwel (Courtesy of Fabian&Fred)

Event: Spotlight On: German Animation
Producers: Fabian&Fred (Germany)
Style: CG animation
Length: 80 minutes
Target: Families
When and where: February 13 at 2 p.m. (EFM Cinemobile)
Storyline: When a nine-year-old girl comes across a book in her father’s collection, a spell turns her into the heroine of an unfinished magical story. She must band together with a group of misfit children and find a way to go back in time. 

Brambly Hedge

Brambly Hedge (Courtesy of Lupus Films)

Event: Spotlight On: UK Animation
Producers: Lupus Films (UK)
Style: CG animation
Length: 90 minutes
Target: Families
When and where: February 13 at 3:30 p.m. (EFM Cinemobile)
Storyline: Based on Jill Barklem’s best-selling book series that launched in the 1980s, this same-name film tags along with a pair of 10-year-old mice who are trying to save their cherished woodland home and stop an evil plot to sabotage the annual Snow Ball.