Cartoon Forum celebrated DR triumph, showcased four bold projects from the Nordics

The Nordic countries once again made a strong mark at the 36th edition of Cartoon Forum, the leading European co-production and pitching event for animated TV series, which unspooled in Toulouse from 15–18 September. With four new projects from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden on show, and with Denmark’s DR crowned Broadcaster of the Year at the prestigious Tributes, the region’s talent and public service commitment to animation received well-deserved international recognition.

DR honoured as Broadcaster of the Year

At this year’s Tributes, France’s Mediatoon Distribution and Belgium’s Creative Conspiracy were crowned Investor/Distributor of the Year and Producer of the Year, respectively.

The Broadcaster of the Year award reflects DR’s ongoing investment in Nordic animation, particularly through its prime-time weekly slot FredagsTamTam on DR1 and its streaming platform DRTV. For commissioning editor Julie Lind-Holm Hansen, the recognition signals the broadcaster’s ability to connect with audiences at home while keeping a strong European outlook.

Speaking to NFTVF, she noted that Nordic viewers respond best to family-oriented stories with emotional depth and humour, especially those blending “local cultural touchpoints such as friendship, everyday life or mystery” with a universal appeal. DR’s strategy balances international IPs with original, locally rooted shows, aiming to create content that offers “a break from everyday worries” at a time when audiences crave escapism and community.

Hansen stressed that co-productions are not only a financial necessity, but also a creative strength: “Animation is expensive, and at DR we cannot carry the budgets for our projects alone. Partnerships are therefore both a necessity and a real strength which benefits both us and the projects.”

She added that trust is essential in these long-term collaborations, with the best co-producers being “equally committed to creating high-quality content that resonates both locally and internationally”.

When it comes to formats, DR continues to look for series of 7, 11, or 22 minutes – durations that work well for both linear and streaming platforms. While shorter formats dominate pitches, Hansen emphasised her interest in longer story arcs that encourage family co-viewing.

Humour, she said, remains a decisive factor: “When we laugh together, it creates a sense of community, and community makes people feel safe… And that is a core value for us.”

Looking at broader trends, she described Cartoon Forum 2025 as proof of the “breadth of animation – from high budget to low budget, from simple to complex and edgy”. The clearest development, however, was “the talks, and acknowledgement of the need for new collaborations across borders”.

For DR, diversity and representation also remain central: “Representation is just as important in animation as it is in live action, and we are committed to making sure our content reflects the wide range of audiences we serve. More representation means more kinds of stories – and in the end also better and more fun content.”

During Nordisk Film & TV Fond’s 2025 theme year Animation Collaboration, DR’s Head of C&Y Morten Skov Hansen has been a very active partner in uniting Nordic broadcasters at partner meetings organised by NFTVF or summits co-arranged by DR, NFTVF and the likeways active party nordicanimation.com.

Four new Nordic projects on show

Beyond industry recognition, Nordic producers showcased four fresh projects across genres and age groups, underlining the region’s creative diversity.

From Copenhagen-based Nice Ninja Aps, Creature Combat (26 x 11’, 2D computer animation, target 6–9) is a lively and educational competition format. Each episode pits extraordinary animals against each other, with two hosts debating who has discovered the “coolest creature of the day”. Whether it’s the wombat with its square droppings, the Mexican walking fish that regenerates its body, or the tapeworm burrowing into intestines, the series combines surprising zoological facts with a humour-driven, kid-friendly tone.

Helmed by Lowe Haak, with scripts by Emil Poulsen and Line Friis Frederiksen, the series is staged by Mette Valbjørn Skøtt and Thomas Borch Nielsen. Its mix of science and comedy fits perfectly with DR’s tradition of engaging children through curiosity-driven storytelling.

Next, Helsinki-based Gigglebug Entertainment presented The Underglow (50 x 7’, 2D animation, target 2–4), a magical pre-school adventure led by Riley, Brewster, and a quirky group of woodland friends. Originally developed within the BBC Ignite scheme, the series is co-created by Sam Morrison and Tanya J Scott, who also directs.

Producers Anttu Harlin and his team emphasised the show’s focus on fun, discovery, and inclusivity, blending Finnish production expertise with strong UK creative roots. The Underglow positions itself as a warm and imaginative addition to the European pre-school landscape, with strong international appeal.

From Animation Studio Iceland, Alfie’s Alright! (26 x 11’, 2D animation, target 9–11) follows a young elf navigating her new life in the city with her adoptive family. The show explores themes of identity, friendship, and fitting in, while balancing comedy adventure with emotional honesty.

Created by Conor Leech and produced by Heather Millard and Gudny Gudjonsdottir, the project launched a teaser in Toulouse and actively sought co-producers, distributors, and broadcasters.

The Swedish pitch came from producers Caroline Drab and Oliver Guerpillon, presenting Puck (26 x 7’, 2D animation, target 3–5), a preschool series adapted from the popular books by Anna-Karin Garhamn. Co-written by Garhamn and Drab, the series gently portrays Puck’s everyday adventures with her bunny as she tries things for the first time.

Thematically, Puck addresses gender identity and modern single-parent life, all through the lens of a relatable four-year-old. Currently in financing, with a tentative release in 2027, the project already has Yle (Finland), ERR (Estonia), and Folkets Bio (Sweden) attached, and is backed by Film i Skåne, the Swedish Film Institute, Lindholmen Science Park, the City of Malmö, and the Council of Europe (Development Award from Cinekid). Its budget is set at €1.6 million.

Taking stock of this year’s edition

With four diverse projects pitched and DR securing one of the event’s highest honours, Nordic animation continues to punch above its weight in Europe. From scientific humour to preschool wonderlands, urban elf adventures to heartfelt family tales, the projects reveal a common emphasis on humour, inclusivity, and emotional resonance – qualities that define the region’s storytelling DNA.

For Nordic companies, the event reaffirmed their ability to compete and collaborate on the international stage, further strengthening the region’s reputation as a powerhouse in children’s and family animation.

For the other Nordic pubcasters, business seems to be as usual.

For SVT, for example, attending Cartoon Forum remains key to spotting projects early, giving feedback on content, and supporting promising titles through pre-buys. “We want to follow projects from an early stage,” said Linda Granath, adding that the broadcaster is especially interested in comedy and adventure targeting children aged 2–8.

Granath observed that while animation performs strongly for pre-schoolers in Sweden, it has become less successful with older age groups. Recent hits on SVT include Bluey, Mystery Lane, and Rubble & Crew. She explained that the broadcaster mostly acquires content, but often commits to pre-buys as well.

SVT also embraces the coexistence of linear and streaming, with Granath stressing that “we don’t have a problem sharing the same content with other streaming platforms. Popular series tend to be successful with us as well.”

For NRK, Cartoon Forum is “a priority event”, offering the chance both to discover fresh pitches and to follow projects already in development. Irene Pothecary-Huse explained that the forum allows the broadcaster to “observe how far projects have progressed”, and noted that several titles broadcast by NRK in recent years first originated as pitches in Toulouse.

She also underscored NRK’s involvement in the EBU collaboration, where European broadcasters join forces to highlight and support selected projects. “We’re on the lookout for content aimed at both children and teenagers,” she said, adding that the broadcaster expects to follow up on several of this year’s presentations.

This year, Cartoon Forum featured 75 animated series from 20 European countries, representing a total budget of €339.53 million and 396 hours of animation. The 2025 edition was also marked by the return of Animated UK Meets Europe, an initiative born of the need to rebuild bridges with continental markets following Brexit, and the introduction of Fill the Gap, an effort designed to help producers bridge financing shortfalls and propel projects into production through enhanced networking and visibility activities.