09/02/2015 - The initiative reinforces the recently signed treaty between the two countries in order to enhance co-production schemes

Following the German/Netherlands co-production treaty signed last Saturday (read more), the 65th Berlinale has witnessed the establishment of another agreement linking the two countries: a co-development fund aimed at supporting script development for original children’s projects, jointly promoted by the Netherlands Film Fund and MDM Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung GmbH.

MDM director Manfred Schmidt and Netherlands Film Fund CEO Doreen Boonekamp launched the initiative today at the Berlinale Coproduction Market.

The initial budget of the new fund amounts to €100,000, with each party contributing €50,000. Proposals for original, live-action feature films for children in the age groups of 4-6, 6-9 and 9-12 years old are eligible. Projects must focus on contemporary topics and are to be told from the perspective of children. There are no limitations regarding style or genre. 

Applications should originate from the Netherlands or from the region of Central Germany (Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia). Projects will be chosen by a selection committee comprising the CEOs of both funds or their representatives. The first application deadline is 14 April 2015.

Several German/Dutch children’s films have already been produced in the past, among them Tamar van den Dop’s Supernova [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2013), Mischa Kamp’s Tony Ten [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2012) and Willem van de Sande Bakhuyzen’s Lepel (2004).