CODA - Where Animated Stories Begin

Where Animated Stories Begin

Empowering Cross‑Border Co‑development and Visibility.

ABOUT

Early‑Stage Animation Support

The CODA – Co-development Animation Awards mechanism supports the co-development of animated films in all formats, particularly during the early stages when funding is most difficult to secure. It is based on membership from participating territories and projects from these countries, aiming to provide them with international visibility.

Collaborative Cross‑Border Development

Early collaboration enables joint creative and production work, protects intellectual property, builds cross-border teams, and supports for long-term co-production planning. This leads to better planning, and budgeting, enhanced knowledge sharing, improved access to international markets, and smoother production processes. Ultimately, it fosters a more diverse, competitive, and sustainable European audiovisual industry and promotes European cultural identity worldwide.

Strategic Co‑Development Financial Awards

The awards mechanism encourages international collaboration, inclusion, and sustainability in the development of animated film. Its purpose is to address funding gaps and support the creation of diverse, high-quality animated films for a global audience.

International Exposure & Market Validation

It also provides international visibility and helps test proofs of concept through organisers’ selection, promotion, and award events. This enables co-producers and creators to access other support schemes, collaborate with international partners, and test markets early in the project’s development.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible projects include animated films of any length and animated series, both with international potential for distribution and cinema or festival release.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Joint
development

A deal memo of creative cooperation between co-development partners must be included in the awards application.

International
Collaboration

At least two independent production companies from at least two member countries must participate in the development of the project applying for the awards. Any additional development partners beyond these two may be from outside the member countries.

Content
Rights

All rights for the script and any other original and protected content or materials included in the awards application must be cleared, and proof of securing such rights must be available. In case of selection, the financial award may be invested in securing additional rights directly connected to the animated project (e.g. art design, sound, music, actors, storyboard, etc.).

Funding
Advantage

Any confirmed financing (including own or co-producers’ R&D investments in the project) at the time of submission will be considered an additional point in the evaluation process.

Legal
Responsibility

The applicant’s production company must be the sole legal entity responsible for all aspects of the project’s participation in the award.

If you have questions regarding eligibility, please email us at matija@ceeanimation.eu

Call

The first call for projects is open. The deadline for applications is:

27 September 2026

Eligible projects include animated films of any length and animated series, both with international potential for distribution and cinema or festival release. Applicants must be independent producers with a production company majority owned by nationals of the member states of the CODA – Co-development Animation Awards.

Please read carefully the eligibility criteria before applying and check the list of materials you need to submit.

AWARDS