Looking back: The 32nd PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL
On the evening of 3 June, the PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL 2026 drew to a close. The festival continues to make its mark. New connections and friendships have been forged, ideas for future projects have been developed, and the film screenings, discussions and information sessions continue to inspire people even after the grand finale of the award ceremony.
From 29 May to 3 June 2026, PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL took place in its new home at the Freimann campus of the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation in the north of Munich. A wonderful international community of children’s media experts from almost 50 countries came together, and from the very beginning brought in an inspiring creative atmosphere that makes PRIX JEUNESSE such a special, warm-hearted children’s media get-together. Throughout the week, the festival attendees watch outstanding children’s media content in the main and the shorts categories and meet in groups to discuss every one of them. The festival’s moderators for the main categories, Nils Stokke (Norway), Sevilay Bozdemir (Turkey), ICE/Len Ping (Taiwan), Alvaro Ceppi (Uruguay) and Marney Malabar (Canada), and for the shorts section Giselle Geney (Colombia), Jen Rodriguez (USA), Florencia Donarague (UK), Issada Aisiri (Thailand) and Jan-Willem Bult (Netherlands) made this international exchange a strong and inspiring learning experience.
This year’s festival theme, Media Literacy in Times of Polarization: The Role of Children’s TV, resonated strongly with current debates around the world. The festival’s engagement with the topic reflected both the challenges and the opportunities facing the industry. Building on its recent research, including data collected with children and young people, PRIX JEUNESSE’s partner institute, the IZI presented findings on the different ways children’s media can strengthen media literacy among young audiences. Other info sessions dealt with strategies on how to reach the teen and children’s audience in a rapidly evolving global landscape, or, what developments in artificial intelligence may mean for the industry. With a wide range of international speakers and experts taking to the stage throughout the week, there was no shortage of fresh perspectives and food for thought.
The 2026 edition was memorable not only because of its new venue, but also because of the many new faces from all around the globe who joined the PRIX JEUNESSE community and connected so well with the long-standing friends of the festival. PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL is a place where genuine connections can be formed. Beyond the screenings and discussions, participants came together on the football pitch, on a karaoke stage and during the Sharing Cultures Night, where they shared food from their home countries. PBS’s Director of Formative Research, Jen Rodriguez, one of the PRIX JEUNESSE 2026 newcomers, reflects: “There’s nothing like PRIX JEUNESSE that I’m aware of (…). In terms of camaraderie and community, I’ve just never been to anything like this.”
From the many outstanding programmes discussed throughout the festival, this year’s award winners were selected by the festival participants, the international youth and children’s juries, and the special juries. The festival concluded with the announcement of the winners at the Werk7 Theater in Munich. For a complete overview of all winning programmes and the Special Prizes jury statements, see the PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL 2026 Prize Winners’ Brochure.
As one edition comes to an end, preparations for the next have already begun. The 33rd PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONALwill take place from Friday, 9 June, to Wednesday, 14 June 2028. Deadline for entries will be in November 2027. Further details will follow in due course.We look forward to welcoming the international children’s and youth media community back in Munich, for another week of outstanding children’s media and lively discussions about the future of children’s media.
You can also revisit highlights from PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL 2026, including photos and festival news on our Instagram Channel.