Impressions of the PRIX JEUNESSE Pre-selection 2022
On Wednesday, January 26, the PRIX JEUNESSE Pre-selection 2022 ended after two weeks of intense screening of 111 hours of children’s programmes! The special challenge of this year’s pre-selection was that it had to take place digitally. After many online meetings and discussions which took place across world regions and time zones, our jury with all their expertise decided on 97 finalists from 41 countries.
The UK is in the final with nine programmes, making it the country with the most finalists, closely followed by the Netherlands with 8 shows in the final round. Germany is also well represented and shares fourth place with Norway, each with 6 finalists. But it is exciting to also see countries represented in the final round from where we haven’t see programmes at PRIX JEUNESSE often, for example Haiti, Montenegro or Bhutan.
Groups of three judges per category (Up to 6 Fiction / Non-Fiction, 7 – 10 Fiction / Non-Fiction and 11 – 15 Fiction / Non-Fiction) screened, discussed and judged the almost 400 entries from 60 countries. Do the programme have a fresh, new approach that we haven’t seen at PRIX JEUNESSE before? Do they reflect the world of today’s young people, while also respecting what is timeless in childhood? And would kids like it, or is it more appealing to us, as adults? These and many more questions were rigorously debated by our group of judges. In the end, the hardest part: Of the almost 400 entries only around 90 shows can make it to the final round of the June festival. We sadly must say goodbye to many, many fascinating and outstanding efforts.
To illustrate the judging process and to get a glimpse of the challenges of digital screening, here are some statements from the jurors:
“Of course, screening the entries alone isn’t as enjoyable as watching them together as a jury, but I think the online process has given the jury members the opportunity to consider the entries in great depth. When we meet online to discuss the programmes I’ve found the conversations enlightening and extremely rewarding and it’s such a pleasure to see everyone and share our thoughts – even though we’re in little boxes!” – Alison Stewart
“I miss the experience of screening together, watching each other’s reactions, debating while a show is fresh in mind. But the heart of #PRIXJEUNESSE is the programs, and together or apart it’s a joy to see such enormous creativity and respect for kids from all over the world. “ – David Kleeman
“I am very honored to participate in this festival which has such a long and impressive history. As a mother of two babies, I could not have been able to visit Munich physically, but I can do this virtually! So, this online process is a wonderful opportunity for me to take part in such a great contest and discuss with jurors from around the world. – Saimi Suzuki
“Even if screening all the PRIX JEUNESSE entries online by yourself isn’t all that fun, the online jury meetings have been a true pleasure this year. I’m happy to report that our jury’s discussions and deliberations have often been more thorough than during the traditional physical meetings in Munich, and all shows have gotten the full attention they deserve.” – Nils Stokke
“The Pre-Selection is like fizzy candy for the heart, stomach and brain: delicious, sparkling and surprising. I was an extremely curious and excited Prix-Jeunesse newbie! For me, the pre-selection is a challenging experience: it is enriching to deal with the projects in detail. Exciting to see how stories are told around the world in different ways. And last but not least, it is a real challenge to do justice to each piece. Because one thing unites the projects: they all try hard to tell special and valuable stories for children.” – Lene Neckel
On the last day, all jury members came together again for a final discussion. After endless hours of watching children’s TV programmes and online discussions and of course hundreds of litres of coffee, everyone was happy to come up with impressive finalists which represent highest quality in children’s television worldwide. We very much look forward how the festival participants at PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL 2022 in June will react to this final choice of programmes.