NFTVF’s theme year Animation Collaboration strengthened Nordic animation structures – Nordic Distribution next in line

Since 2021, Nordisk Film & TV Fond has organised theme years to shed a special light on current topics relevant to the Nordic industry. In 2025 the focus has been on collaboration within the animation industry.

The Animation Collaboration-year kicked off in Bordeaux in March at Cartoon Movie (CLICK HERE) during a meeting that summoned all Nordic delegates. The meeting’s fruitful discussions set the starting point for a rewarding year presenting new collaboration structures and strengthening existing ones. At the beginning of the year, NFTVF supported two animation networking projects – Nordic Animation and Northern Animation Network (NAN).

The Nordic Animation initiative, which started in 2018 as a volunteer effort by production companies, has used NFTVF’s financial support to build its current structure as a professional association with Clara Sætren as part-time project manager.

NAN solidifies networks between the animation festivals Fredrikstad Animation Festival (Norway), Viborg Animation Festival (Denmark), Rex Animation Festival (Sweden), and BLON Animation and Gaming Festival (Lithuania). NAN will launch its new, digital platform in 2026 on YouTube, where The Northern Animation Channel will unveil its first interviews with industry professionals at the beginning of next year.

Throughout the year, NFTVF has published at least one animation-focused article per month to increase the field’s visibility. These have highlighted Nordic animation productions and featured Q&As with industry professionals, to offer deeper insights.

Animation has been on the agenda at NFTVF’s strategic partner meetings – the Commissioners’ Meetings and Family Meetings. In May, Morten Skov Hansen, Head of Children & Youth at DR, presented the success the company’s Fredagstamtam (CLICK HERE) has had, underscoring the need for Nordic animation co-productions in the tough global market, where Nordics are not each other’s main competitors in our world of giant streaming services.

In early September, a Nordic Animation Summit was arranged in Copenhagen in connection to Nordic Talents. The event, co-organised by DR, Nordic Animation Association and NFTVF, brought together Nordic heads and commissioners, animation producers and funders to discuss shared opportunities and challenges within the industry, as well as long-term strategic collaboration in children’s content. BBC participated digitally by presenting an inspirational animation initiative.

The follow-up meeting was held during Fredrikstad Animation Festival in October, where producers and funders explored Nordic animation with a focus on co-producing national and Nordic funding.

Looking ahead, the 2026 theme will be Nordic Distribution, which will look into how Nordic productions – animation included – travel today and could travel even better tomorrow, within the region and beyond.