DISCOVERING THE neXT generation of film lovers

@ New York International Children’s Film Festival John-Paul Pierrot

Classified somewhere between the first day of school and the first time riding a bike, a first trip to the cinema sits firmly in the memory bank.

For me, it was Jurassic Park (aged five and far too young!) in a cinema in South East London. I was completely captivated: the creatures, John Williams’ score, but more than anything, the experience itself. The dark room where alchemy exists. The scale of the screen and the sound. The smell of popcorn. My mouth hanging open in awe, while my sister shrieked and squirmed in the seat beside me.

Over three decades later, I find myself in New York, in a sold-out movie theatre filled with toddlers and parents. Popcorn is being scooped into tiny hands, eyes are wide with anticipation. Festival Director Nina Gurlnick is on stage, and asks the audience, “Whose first trip to the cinema is this?”

A sea of hands shoots up.

In that moment, it’s clear: lifelong memories are being formed right in front of me. A whole new generation of cinephiles has arrived.

Moments like this are exactly what New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) does so well. It’s the best possible entry point into experiencing cinema - not just as entertainment, but as something immersive, communal and lasting.

This is the third successive year I’ve worked alongside the brilliant team at NYICFF, and it was a real pleasure to attend the first two weekends of the festival in-person in NYC. The 2026 edition saw 30% year-on-year growth in admissions.

I supported the festival with marketing strategy, social media management, partnerships and outreach, and advertising.

curating globe-trotting cinema for kids

NYICFF boasts a beautifully curated programme each year, with films selected for audiences ranging from tots to late teens. The festival opened with a mainstream appetiser - in Pixar-shaped form - with a special preview of Hoppers, but the main course is served with international flavours.

From the colourful, dialogue-free story of a wandering piece of fruit in the Amazonian rainforest - Papaya, a delightful Brazilian animation - to the beautifully hand-drawn French film My Life in Versailles (La vie de château), with a sensitivity and panache that would make Truffaut proud; and the Urdu-language Ghost School from British-Pakistani filmmaker Seemab Gul, which perfectly blends magical and social realism - the programme is a globe-trotting selection of premieres.

It not only entertains, but connects young audiences with intelligent, nuanced filmmaking.

Two personal favourites from the programme were the debut feature from turntablist-turned-filmmaker Kid Koala, Space Cadet - a heartfelt, dialogue-free CG animation that deserves to be widely seen - and Remaining Native, a powerful documentary tracing the coming-of-age story of a promising track athlete as he explores his Native identity.

Read this great IndieWire interview with executive director Nina Guralnick and programming director Maria-Christina Villaseñor to find out more about the selection process.

A GROWING AUDIENCE. LITERALLY.

With its 30th edition approaching next year, NYICFF is firmly established - families return year after year. Why wouldn’t they? It’s an inclusive, joyful environment with exceptional films, and, crucially, a programme that caters to every stage of childhood while remaining a treat for adults too.

The audience strategy for the festival placed a strong emphasis on acquisition. There’s an ongoing mission to introduce NYICFF to new cohorts of parents, cutting through the constant noise of “things to do” in New York. The team does tremendous work within local communities, maintaining a year-round presence in schools and building partnerships with aligned organisations. This foundation is vital - but it also makes clear, compelling positioning essential.

Sold out screening at the 479 seater auditorium at SVA Theatre | @ New York International Children’s Film Festival John-Paul Pierrot

Across marketing communications, the focus was on capturing the experience of attending the festival: the excitement, the sense of wonder, and its fleeting nature. These are not films that can be seen anywhere, at any time - there’s a unique window to experience them together, on the big screen. Time is of the essence in oder to create those lasting memories.

VIDEO, EVERYWHERE

One of my biggest takeaways from this year was just how vital video has become.

Across both paid and organic channels, short-form video consistently outperformed everything else. Content that captured attention within the first few seconds - and stayed around the 15 second mark - drove the strongest results. Longer trailers struggled to hold attention in fast-moving social feeds. Fast-paced reels with simple messaging consistently won the algorithm race.

Ad creative was refreshed throughout the campaign with new assets introducing urgency to maintain engagement.

30% YEAR-ON-YEAR GROWTH

It’s not an easy moment for the film industry - but this is a good news story. This year, the festival saw a 30% increase in admissions, a clear sign that audiences are still seeking out shared moviegoing experiences.

Sitting in those theatres, watching that excitement ripple through both children and their parents, it’s hard not to think back to that first trip to the cinema - the sense of awe, the immersion, and the beginnings of a lifelong love of going to the pictures.

PROJECT: NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL 2026