The New Shorts Competition at PRIX JEUNESSE

The New Shorts Competition at PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL 2026

In 2016, PRIX JEUNESSE had introduced a separate category for short formats of a duration of up to 4 minutes (which was back then called “Interstitials” category). The new category was well accepted, so it was decided to establish it as a regular festival element. 

In light of the growing importance of shorts, PRIX JEUNESSE has expanded the short film competition for 2026 and divided it into three age groups (up to 6 years old, 7–10 years old, and 11–15 years old).

64 shorts from 23 countries were submitted to compete in the shorts competition, reflecting a diverse and dynamic international media landscape and showing new storytelling approaches. A preselection jury composed of five children’s media experts selected 29 of them to compete in the final round. The jury’s task went beyond simply ranking the programmes; the final selection is intended to highlight not only outstanding quality but also innovation and new perspectives on what the future of children’s media might look like.

At the festival week (29 May – 3 June 2026 in Munich, Germany), the shorts’ finalists will be screened and discussed in moderated group discussions. Every festival attendee is invited to join the evaluation of the Shorts. There will be a winner in each shorts age-group category, and the prize trophies will be awarded at the ceremony on 3^rd June in Munich.

And a special feature: Not only the grown-up media experts will judge the Shorts. Teenagers in five countries  – in Chile, Germany, the Philippines, the Ukraine and the USA – will also screen, discuss and evaluate the finalists’ shorts, and will award their Youth Shorts Jury prizes.

Meet our Shorts Jury members who will also be the moderators of the discussion groups on the shorts’ finalists during the festival week in Munich: