CINEMINI EUROPE

From a very young age, children are open to many different forms of art. Film, as an audiovisual medium, is particularly attractive and accessible for almost all children. Children not only enjoy moving image and easily engage with narrative films and documentaries, but also actively respond to abstract and experimental films, which give them a lot of room for imagination. How can we make film watching a meaningful experience? How and what can we teach children in a very early age about film and media, since the early years are the most formative? We try to answer these questions on a practical way in Cinemini Europe, a film education project with films, activities and teaching materials for children between 3-6 years old.All partners of the project, Austrian Film Museum (Austria), Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, DFF (Germany), Eye Film museum (Netherlands, project manager), Kinodvor (Slovenia) and Taartrovers (Netherlands), recognise 3-6-year-olds as an important audience for film education.

Although different in approach and context, all partners have a shared view on the suitability of a variety of European, heritage-, experimental and art film to challenge the children to be creative with film. Every project partner has broad expertise, and each institution brought its individual know-how and “network” to the project, relating to film heritage, selection, screening, reflection, (inter)active workshops, development of a learning plan, training and dissemination. For two years the partners worked with each other and the target group itself to create a new cross-border film education approach. The aim of Cinemini Europe is to engage children from 3-6 yrs old in European film in varied forms to stimulate the development of creativity (by watching and making films) and critical thinking (reflection) and so to spark a love for film. To reach this goal we’ve worked towards a practical educational approach which can be used in many settings.All the content created within Cinemini Europe is gathered in the “Cinemini Europe kit”. This kit contains the following elements:- List of film selection criteria for 3-6 yrs (can be used as a guidance for adding films)- Film catalogue with 26 short films. – 4 prototypes of installations using all senses, with possible themes like shadow & light, moving images, story playing and watching. – Activity cards for children.- Videos, didactic and pedagogical blueprints for pedagogues and film educators.- Pilots with 9 groups and children from kindergartens, preschools or schools. An essential characteristic of this project is the pilots with children: all materials and films has already been tested in practice. Each partner developed, tested, researched and evaluated, together with several groups of children from kindergartens, preschools or schools, a part of the Cinemini Europe program. The programs carried out by each project partner included: film screenings, didactic and pedagogical blueprints, digital lesson materials / booklets and suggestions for activities at the location and at kindergartens / (pre)schools. The aim was to find a balanced mix of activities that involve playfulness, tactile sensation and fantasy while not being less cognitive. Pedagogues and film educators who want to use parts of CINEMINI can thus be assured that they have material at their disposition that already has successfully being used in groups of children aged three to six. The concept and content are accessible and replicable for local and international film and cultural organizations in Europe, see www.cinemini-europe.eu. So all children and pedagogues in Europe will have the opportunity to discover the diverse world of moving image in a meaningful and fun way.

Funded projects

LIVEUROPE – 2017–2021 (4. year)

LIVEUROPE – 2017–2021 (3. year)

LIVEUROPE – 2017–2021 (2. year)

Soft Control

Future Architecture Platform – 2017–2021 (4. year)

Future Architecture Platform – 2017–2021 (3. year)

Future Architecture Platform – 2017–2021 (2. year)

Future Architecture Platform / FuturA – 2015–2017 (2. year)

Aerowaves – 2017–2021 (4. year)

Aerowaves – 2017–2021 (3. year)

Aerowaves – 2017–2021 (2. year)

Aerowaves – 2014–2017 (3. year)

Aerowaves – 2014–2017 (2. year)

Story Time – Connecting People with the Power of Art

European film screening in 2024

European film screening in 2023

European film screening in 2022

European film screening in 2021

European film screening in 2020

European film screening in 2019

European film screening in 2018

European film screening in 2017

European film screening in 2016

European film screening in 2015

European film screening in 2014

European film screening in 2013

The Film Corner Clubs 2026-2028. From virtual to real (TFCClubs)

Here I am! (HIA)

EUthentic Detectives – Fostering Media literacy of people who face cognitive challenges, their caregivers and young volunteers

CEE Animation Workshop (CEE AW) – 2026

Film in Hospital 3.0 - a pan-European Film Initiative for Young Audiences in Healthcare Structures

First Dog

36. and 37. Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe)

The 22nd and 23rd Kino Otok - Isola Cinema International Film Festival in Years 2026 and 2027

The 12th and 13th edition of FeKK - Ljubljana Short Film Festival

Animateka International Animated Film Festival (AIAFF)

Young Stories from the Old Continent (YSOC)

Bookmark – Marking Europe's Best Narratives

No Person Is An Island (NPII)

Immersive European Cultural Heritage Outreach (Immersive ECHO)

European Media Art Platform Extended (EMAP Extended)

EHIN - European Hybrid Intelligence Network

W.Write – Women, Writing, Rights, and Rites: reimagining the ecosystem of Literary Arts

RE-MIND: A Mindfulness-Based Capacity-Building Model for Digital Wellbeing and Intergenerational Audience Engagement in Museums

New Steps: EU’s first steps towards career transition support for dancers

Brave Creative Producers (BCP)

stART point - a platform where performing arts and young people get connected (stART.)

Heritage Understanding & Participation Hackathon: Co-creating Cultural Heritage Experiences with and for youth (Hup Hackathon)

Artificial Intelligence for Artistic Futures and Creative Talents (ARTIFACT)

Cultivator – a cultural ecosystem for collective change

Architecture With an Approach to Regeneration and Empowerment (AWARE)

Upsala – SUITCASES

Invisible painting (IP)

BRIDGE: Building, Revising, Including – Diaspora and Gender Equality

Studio Virc – Mini Slate 2025: Izzvenelo bo, Dolasilla, princesa usode, Tujek, Pobeglo srce

NOSOROGI – Mini Slate 2025: Three Waters Meet, The Healers, Liar, Thief, Flea-Eater

Mono O – Mini Slate 2025: The Happiest Day, The Last Roast, After Sunday

Cvinger – Mini Slate 2024: Before the Eyes Turn Black, Reckoning by the Sea, Project North

Venice Eastern Gate

Innovation through media collaboration: Digital assets exchange platform (MEDEXCHANGE24)

Animation HUB (A-HUB)

Word: Enhancing European Graphic Novel Perception, Circulation and Market Development

Roma Soul Food (ROMASOUL)

Tying the European Cultural Landscapes with Knots and Patterns (Knots and Patterns)

Hiking Heritage Trails (INHERIT)

Sensory Artistic Experiences for the Blind (Multisensory Art)

PASS – Pass the Street (Art), Shake the Hand

Slow Performing Arts Festivals for Improved Wellbeing, Mental Health and Social Inclusion (Festival SPA)

Staragara – Slate 2024 (The Colour of the Doubt, Black Swan, Removal, We would have told each other everything, Kozmonavti)

PAGE: Project for Advancing coGnitivE accessibility in publishing

NEB COOLTOURS: Transforming Tourism Through Cultural Innovation and Environmental Stewardship in Alpe-Adria

Bridges

Transition to 8: European societies in flux

ENACT – Easy-to-understand News for Collaborative Transformation

THRIVE – Talent Harvest: Rural Intangible Heritage and Value Empowerment

CAFE: Redefining Historic Cafés as European Cultural Heritage

ArtElevate – Fostering Inclusive Cultural Expression in Europe

CARE – Culture for Mental Health

Glassmaking Between Tradition and Innovation (GTMI)