Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival

Overview

The Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival is Finland's only annual film festival dedicated entirely to children and young people. The 45th edition will be held November 9 to 15, 2026, and is part of the official programme of Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture. The festival is organized by the Oulu Film Centre (founded 1973) and held at the Cultural Centre Valve in Oulu, Finland. In 2024, more than 170,000 people participated in the festival.

The festival runs four competition categories: the Children's Film Competition, the Youth Film Competition, the Finnish Competition, and the ECFA Short Film Competition. The Children's Film Competition is limited to 15 films. The festival also partners with the European Children's Film Association (ECFA), hosting the ECFA Feature Film Competition and ECFA Short Film Competition for the best European children's films. In November 2025, Finland's Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie presented the Child's Day Award to the festival, recognizing its work in promoting children's film culture and film education. The award came with a EUR 9,000 prize.

There is no submission fee. Films are submitted directly to the Oulu Film Centre, not through FilmFreeway. The submission deadline for the 2026 edition is August 5, 2026, with screening copies due in Oulu by September 18, 2026. The festival does not pay screening fees, but competition films are screened a maximum of three times plus one awards screening (the Children's Film Competition winner receives two awards screenings).

Key Sections

• Children's Film Competition - international feature films for children, minimum 60 minutes, limited to 15 films, jury of children selects the winner
• Youth Film Competition - international feature films for young audiences, minimum 60 minutes, youth jury awards the Global Future Award
• Finnish Competition - new Finnish films for young audiences, no running time restriction, awards the Look at Me... Award
• ECFA Feature Film Competition - best European children's feature film, minimum 60 minutes, selected in partnership with the European Children's Film Association
• ECFA Short Film Competition - best European children's short film, maximum 30 minutes
• Kaleidoscope - non-competitive international programming
• Nordic Junior Sessions - Nordic film screenings for young audiences
• Short Films - curated short film programs
• Special Programme - thematic programming, country focuses, and special events

Submission Details

Eligibility:

• Children's Film Competition, ECFA Feature Film Competition, and Youth Film Competition: minimum running time 60 minutes
• ECFA Short Film Competition: maximum running time 30 minutes
• Finnish Competition: no running time restriction
• Children's Film Competition limited to 15 selected films

Eligible formats: HD/broadcast-quality video file (ProRes, DNxHD/R, etc.), Blu-ray (disc or disc image), DCP, DVD, or film prints (35mm or 16mm)

Submission process:

• Submit directly to the Oulu Film Centre (not via FilmFreeway)
• Entry form must be accompanied by stills, posters, a link to the film trailer, biography, filmography, and a photo of the film director
• No submission fee
• No screening fees paid by the festival

Key dates (45th edition, 2026):

• Film submissions and preview copies due: August 5, 2026
• Screening copies due in Oulu: September 18, 2026
• Festival dates: November 9 to 15, 2026

Screening policy: Films in competition are screened a maximum of three times, plus one awards screening if the film wins. The Children's Film Competition winner receives two awards screenings. The sender is responsible for shipping costs to Oulu. Return shipping is covered by the festival organization within three weeks after the festival closes.

Contact: Antti Leimi, antti.leimi@oufilmcenter.fi, Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival, Oulu Film Centre, Villatehdas B Building, Pikisaarentie 15, 90100 Oulu, Finland

What Filmmakers Should Know

No submission fee, but no screening fee either: The festival does not charge filmmakers to submit, but it also does not pay screening fees for selected films. This is standard practice for children's film festivals in the Nordic region, where the exposure to young audiences and educational networks is considered the primary value. Filmmakers who require screening fees should not submit.

ECFA partnership and European exposure: The festival's ECFA competitions provide exposure to the European Children's Film Association network. ECFA is the leading European organization for children's film distribution and exhibition. Winning an ECFA award at Oulu means your film is promoted across the ECFA network of European children's film distributors, broadcasters, and festivals. This is more valuable for European children's cinema than a standalone festival prize.

Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture: The 2026 edition is part of Oulu2026, the European Capital of Culture programme. This means expanded programming, larger audiences, and additional cultural programming around the festival. Filmmakers selected for the 2026 edition benefit from the elevated profile and increased media attention that comes with the Capital of Culture designation.

Educational context is central: The festival's target audience includes kindergartens, elementary schools, and secondary schools throughout Finland. School screenings are a core component of the programme, not a side bar. Filmmakers whose work is selected should expect their film to be seen primarily by organized school groups and families, not by general adult festival audiences. This makes Oulu particularly valuable for films that have clear educational applications or that address themes relevant to children and adolescents.

Nordic children's cinema market: Finland, along with Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, has one of the strongest children's film traditions in Europe. Nordic public broadcasters (YLE, DR, SVT, NRK) co-finance many children's films that screen at Oulu. The festival is a key meeting point for Nordic children's film producers, broadcasters, and distributors. Filmmakers attending the festival can connect with Nordic buyers and co-production partners, though the festival does not host a formal film market.

Child's Day Award recognition: In November 2025, the festival received the Child's Day Award from Finland's Minister of Science and Culture, which came with a EUR 9,000 prize. This national recognition confirms the festival's status as a leading institution for children's film culture in Finland. The award has been presented since 1999 on World Children's Day (November 20) to organizations for their work in promoting arts education and activities for children.

Festival director: The festival is directed by Mika Anttolainen, who has built the festival's reputation over multiple editions. The festival has been organized since 1982 and is one of Finland's longest-running cultural events for children.

Major Awards

• Children's Film Competition Award - selected by a children's jury from the 15 competing feature films
• Global Future Award - selected by a youth jury from the Youth Film Competition
• Look at Me... Award - selected from the Finnish Competition
• ECFA Award for Best European Children's Feature Film - selected by the ECFA jury
• ECFA Award for Best European Children's Short Film - selected by the ECFA jury

Festival History

The Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival has been organized since 1982 by the Oulu Film Centre, making it one of Finland's longest-running cultural events for children. The Oulu Film Centre was founded in 1973 and is based at the Cultural Centre Valve in Oulu, Finland's fifth-largest city.

The festival was established to showcase new, high-quality international film production for children and young people and to increase the interest of Finnish distributors and broadcasters in children's films. Over four decades, it has built a reputation as the most important children's film event in the Nordic region, with particular strength in programming from Nordic and European countries.

The festival's November timing, during the dark Finnish autumn, makes it a significant community event for Oulu and the surrounding region. The Cultural Centre Valve hosts both Finnish and international filmmaker guests every year. In 2024, more than 170,000 people participated in the festival across screenings, school programs, and special events.

The 45th edition (November 9 to 15, 2026) is part of the official programme of Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture, which brings additional programming, expanded audiences, and elevated international attention to the festival. The festival's recognition with the Child's Day Award in November 2025, presented by Minister of Science and Culture Mari-Leena Talvitie, further confirms its national significance in children's arts education.

See Also

Use the Festival ROI Calculator to model the total cost of submitting to and attending the Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival, including travel to Oulu (accessible via direct flights from Helsinki), accommodation during the November festival, and the fact that there is no submission fee but also no screening fee payment. For children's filmmaking and Nordic co-production strategies, read Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For broader festival circuit planning, read Film Festival Strategy.