Estonia joins new international animation film development program

TALLINN - The Estonian Film Institute has joined CODA, a new international initiative for developing animation projects that supports the international co-development of animated films and series from their earliest stages.

The first call for applications is open until September 27.

CODA (Co-Development Animation Awards) is a collaborative project between Estonia, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Its aim is to encourage international cooperation in the animation sector from the very start of project development and to help establish strong partnerships.

It is often in the development phase that projects find it most difficult to secure funding, and CODA aims to fill this gap by supporting projects with potential for international distribution, festival circuits, or theatrical release.

Viola Salu, head of the production department at the Estonian Film Institute, said that Estonian animation has already gained significant international recognition, but this new initiative will help increase international cooperation from the development phase. "We invite Estonian producers to participate in the competition and hope that these development awards will lead to fruitful partnerships and noteworthy collaborative projects."

Independent producers from CODA member countries can participate in the first call for applications. A project must be a collaboration between at least two independent production companies operating in two different CODA member countries.

Grants will be awarded in four categories: €5,000 for the co-development of a short animation, €20,000 for a feature-length animated film, €20,000 for an animated series, and €20,000 for a special animated television project.

The total grant fund for 2026 is approximately €65,000. Applications can be submitted until September 27, 2026, and the recipients will be announced in November.

The Co-Development Animation Awards, announced at the 2025 Black Nights Film Festival, grew out of more than a decade of cooperation within the Central and Eastern European animation sector.

The program is organized by CEE Animation and the Slovenian Animated Film Association, with partners including the Estonian Film Institute, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the National Film Institute of Hungary, the Kosovo Cinematography Center, the Polish Animation Producers Association, the Slovak Film Institute, and the Slovenian Film Centre.