D4K Alliance
Is a working group of professional creatives of associations, festivals, markets and freelance producers who would like to give a spotlight to documentaries for children and young people and ensure they are visible and accessible as well as taken seriously on a professional level in Europe and beyond.
Funding members of the working group 2024
- Anne Rethfeldt, DAE (Documentary Association Europe), DE
- Anne Schultka and Elisabeth Wenk, Golden Sparrow Festival / Kids Regio, DE
- Davide Tosco, AIACE, IT
- Gudrun Sommer, DOXS RUHR / ECFA, DE / BE
- Karolina Śmigiel, Andrzej Wajda Center for Film Culture / LET’S DOC, PL
- Margret Albers, ECFA / Förderverein Deutscher Kinderfilm, BE / DE
- Meike Statema / Marije Veenstra, IDFA, NL
- Viola Gabrielli, Young Horizons, PL
WHY
We
- believe in the power of storytelling.
- believe that creative documentaries are a fundamental tool to establish cultural awareness from an early stage.
- believe that creative documentaries can create and shape the cultural identity to challenge preconceived notions while sharing perspectives, and giving insight into the nuances of different lived experiences.
Activity Plan
Outcomes of YES! YOUNG EUROPEAN REALITIES Think Tank on Docs for Young Audiences – Defining Steps to Move Forward
1. National Funding:
- Prioritize national funding options, which offer flexibility and are often more tailored to children’s documentaries.
2. Mapping Industry Resources:
- Develop a map of European programs, labs, and co-creation initiatives to raise awareness of available resources supporting children’s documentaries.
3. Children’s Involvement in Development:
- Explore ways to involve children in the development process to better capture their perspectives while preserving creative storytelling flexibility.
4. Film Schools Database:
- Create a comprehensive database of film schools to facilitate collaboration and streamline access to expertise in children’s cinema.
5. Advocacy for Children’s Films:
- Advocate for greater recognition and support for children’s documentaries within broadcasters, festivals, funding bodies, and film schools.
6. Distribution Challenges:
- Target Different Gatekeepers: Engage with parents, educators, and communities to broaden interest and access to children’s documentaries.
- Shift the Narrative: Position children’s documentaries as a trending genre in filmmaking.
- Develop Impact Strategies Early: Integrate impact strategies early in production, especially for educational or community-driven projects.
- Collaboration Across Borders: Foster more international partnerships to expand global reach.
- Hybrid Forms & Formats: Experiment with hybrid formats (combining fiction and documentary) to increase appeal.
- Cinema and Streaming: Utilize film festivals and cinema screenings before distributing to broadcasters and streaming platforms to build momentum.
7. Visibility and Accessibility:
- Emphasize the importance of visibility and accessibility to ensure the success of children’s documentaries. Collaboration and advocacy are necessary to drive systemic changes within the industry.
Next Steps
2. Stronger Networks:
- Establish stronger networks among countries, broadcasters, and other key
stakeholders in the industry.
3. Ongoing Lobbying:
- Continue lobbying efforts for increased dedicated funding and support for children’s documentaries.
4. Exploring New Formats and Strategies:
- Investigate innovative formats and distribution strategies to reach a broader and more diverse young audience.