Young Horizons Industry takes place annually in Warsaw as a part of the Young Horizons International Film Festival. The goal of this forum is to help creators connecting with potential partners. By bringing together projects and industry players, they facilitate professionals to exchange ideas and build new partnerships.
Every year, over 300 international guests come to Warsaw for a three-day event. Among them there are experts representing companies such as Canal+ Poland, TVN/Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, Disney, Viacom, RAI Kids, Polsat, BBC, Global Screen, DeAPlaneta, Blue Zoo Animation, Attraction Distribution, Gebeka Films, KiKA, Ketnet, and many others.
Circa 20 projects are selected to pitching sections, titled In- Development and Work-in-Progress. Among the projects to be pitched there are different formats, as film and tv series, live-action, animation, documentary, transmedia; and for many targets represented, such as preschoolers, kids, teens, and young adults. All pitching sessions are followed by Q&A with industry experts. The aim is to help creators to learn more about the plus and minus of their project and its potential development.
Beyond pitching sessions, there are also Market Presentations screenings which highlight nearly finished projects seeking for distributors, broadcasters and festivals.
To maximise the attendance of international professionals, 1to1 meetings are organised as well. Each guest has access to an online platform where he can request a meeting prior to the event, as well as during the event.
Whereas the project presentations and matchmakings are the main pillars of this event, the forum always begins with a conference day, packed of panels and case studies. The conference allows attendees to discover new trends, get inspired and exchange experiences with like-minded professionals. The programme focuses on local and international case studies from Europe and CEE countries. Producers and screenwriters are also welcome to book a script or marketing consultancy with experts as well as receiving some tips on green friendly filming.
For the 2024 edition (30 September – 2 October), the organisers are working on some panels to talk about licensing within the media industry, publishing, A.I., and broadcasting related to kids’ movies.
Young Horizons Industry is not only a place for established creators. During the event, in fact, there are some initiatives devoted to emerging producers and young talents, to help them to extend their network.
Read the article on the first issue of The European Animation Journal.
