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CINEKID 2019 Cinekid for Professionals / Awards

Snot and Splash snags the Eurimages Co-production Development Award at the Cinekid Junior Co-production Market

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- Prizes were handed out to several projects selected for this year’s Junior Co-production Market, including Teemu Nikki’s exciting venture into children’s entertainment

Snot and Splash snags the Eurimages Co-production Development Award at the Cinekid Junior Co-production Market
Producer Jani Poso (second from left) holding the Eurimages Co-production Development Award for Snot and Splash

The Eurimages Co-production Development Award, €20,000 and the title of the Best Film Project presented during the Cinekid Junior Co-production Market – given out by the European support fund Eurimages – went to Snot and Splash, directed by Finland’s most surprising filmmaker, Teemu Nikki, of Euthanizer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Teemu Nikki
film profile
]
fame, who was recently seen in Cannes with his short All Inclusive. Written by Ilja Rautsi and produced by It’s Alive Films, it charmed jurors Dorien van de Pas, Derk van den Berg and Anette Unger thanks to its “entertaining take on a very urgent and important subject, which is relevant for the new generation of kids all over the world. The film explores different relationships: between the main characters, between them and society, and between them and nature,” went their statement. “The ecological message of this film is very strong, and is conveyed in both a natural and an imaginative way. The movie will be a mix of genres using adventure and fantasy, with a sense of humour as an important element in their storytelling.”

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“It’s an absurdist, sci-fi adventure-comedy hybrid, aiming to be smart enough for kids and dumb enough for adults. It’s loosely based on children’s books by [musician] Juice Leskinen – that’s where the title comes from and also the names of the lead characters,” screenwriter Ilja Rautsi explained yesterday to Cineuropa. “Basically, it’s a spiritual successor to Time Bandits and Top Secret!. It’s about two brothers who want to catch someone stealing ice-fishing holes from the lake, only to end up trying to save the entire planet from being sucked into a black hole. Oh, and an unhinged dentist with a disinfectant fetish.” Obviously. “It’s a pretty anarchic genre film for kids,” agreed producer Jani Pösö. “Two guys solve the mystery of disappearing holes and end up saving the world from collapsing into a black hole, with the black hole being a dysfunctional waste-disposal system. So we are making entertaining content for kids about a deadly serious subject – just like we have done for teenagers and adults before.”

A Special Mention was given to Totem, produced by Volya Films and directed by Sander Burger, while the brand-new Best TV Project Award and €10,000 in cash went to Art Mysteries by Martijn Blekendaal, produced by Cerutti Film. “We want to support the documentary genre for children because it’s a rare product in the world of kids’ content,” stated jurors Sabine Brantus-Lauffer, Viki Van Iseghem and Chrystel Poncet. “As the director said himself, this project doesn’t make any compromises for a young audience, and it invites them to learn more about art in a clever and cool way.” A Special Mention went to Folk Tales from Papua New Guinea, written and directed by Katherine Winfrey and Ursula Ulmi, and produced by Ulmi Film and Studio Epictus.

Another new addition, the Filmmore Post-Production Award for Best Live-action Project, endowed with a €5,000 prize, was given to The Summer Dad Went Gay, directed by Petter Naess and produced by Fabelfjord AS. The jury, with Stine Bomholt-Hansen, Judy Steenman and Greet Stevens on board, praised its story – one that managed to “touch on relevant subjects in a humorous way. Besides that, The Summer Dad Went Gay had a very specific and well-thought-out idea about how they want to tell this story visually and what role the post-production could play in this process. The team was convincing and had a strong presentation, in which they showed a clear vision for their film.” The Cinekid Honorary Award was handed to Bea Appels and Dick de Jonge, for their outstanding contribution to youth film with their distribution company Twin Films.

Here is the full list of winners:

Eurimages Co-production Development Award
Snot and Splash - Teemu Nikki (Finland)
Special Mention
Totem - Sander Burger (Netherlands)

Best TV Project Award
Art Mysteries - Martijn Blekendaal (Netherlands)
Special Mention
Folk Tales from Papua New Guinea - Katherine Winfrey and Ursula Ulmi (Switzerland/Papua New Guinea)

Filmmore Post-Production Award
The Summer Dad Went Gay - Petter Naess (Norway)

Cinekid Honorary Award
Bea Appels and Dick de Jonge, Twin Films (Netherlands)

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