The PRIX JEUNESSE Suitcase at CCTV, China
After a break of 8 years the PRIX JEUNESSE Suitcase returned to China in December 2018.
Around 240 children’s department participants attended over the three days of screenings. A special Suitcase selection was put together for this event: Outstanding programmes from the last four PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL editions across all genres and age-groups were presented. The Suitcase workshop was moderated by Bernadette O’Mahony, Head of Development and Production at the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.
The screening of each age-group block led to a Q&A session in which the producers had an opportunity to voice their opinions and ask questions which they eagerly did. And they then voted on their ‘winners’ in each age-group at the end of the day.
Many participants were producers, directors and production teams – so as well as having thoughts about the programs, they were also very interested in the actual nuts and bolts of productions – how long they took to shoot, how they got performances from the cast, etc.
Some programmes were discussed more intensely, for example the non fiction How Ky Turned into Nils program about a transgender child. Some participants felt children that young would not know how they felt about being in the wrong body, that it was a decision for when they are older. The producers were interested in how other countries viewed these programs and what age would watch them. Also programmes on refugee topics raised a lot of interest and there was a discussion if there is room for more perspectives, as they felt most of these stories were on positive outcomes.
Overall, there was high appreciation of the opportunity to see so many programs from different parts of the world across fiction and non-fiction and see what children’s audiences in other countries are viewing and what other broadcasters are making for the child audience.