Project
The pan-European project FILM IN HOSPITAL is an online platform dedicated to film screenings and audience engagement for children at the hospitals, revalidation centres and children recovering at home.
How it all started
Launched in 2017, Film in Hospital began with three organizations – JEF (Belgium), Kids meet Art – DSU (Croatia), and BUFF (Sweden) – developing national platforms to deliver European films to children in hospitals.
These early efforts revealed a strong need and desire for high-quality cultural experiences among young patients — and showed that film could offer moments of joy, connection, and imagination in clinical environments.
With the support of Creative Europe MEDIA, these three organisations created Film in Hospital — an international platform dedicated to film screenings and audience engagement for children and youth in hospitals, revalidation centres, and home recovery.
The platform features age-appropriate sections (3+, 6+, 9+, 12+), content for parents and hospital staff, and is presented in each country’s native language, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.
How it all started
Launched in 2017, Film in Hospital began with three organizations – JEF (Belgium), Kids meet Art – DSU (Croatia), and BUFF (Sweden) – developing national platforms to deliver European films to children in hospitals.
These early efforts revealed a strong need and desire for high-quality cultural experiences among young patients — and showed that film could offer moments of joy, connection, and imagination in clinical environments.
With the support of Creative Europe MEDIA, these three organisations created Film in Hospital — an international platform dedicated to film screenings and audience engagement for children and youth in hospitals, revalidation centres, and home recovery.
The platform features age-appropriate sections (3+, 6+, 9+, 12+), content for parents and hospital staff, and is presented in each country’s native language, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.
Broadening the Network
In 2020, the network grew with the addition of Kinodvor (Slovenia), Il Nuovo Fantarca (Italy), and Pack Magic (Spain). Together, we expanded the platform’s reach and catalogue, available year-round, with additional highlights during festival periods.
In 2024, two more partners joined: Neaniko Plano (Greece) and Sächsischer Kinder- und Jugendfilmdienst (Germany). This expansion marked an important step toward our mission of reaching not only hospitalised children but also young people in juvenile detention centres and other care settings.
Today, the consortium spans eight countries, working with nearly 200 hospitals to make film accessible to children who cannot attend cinemas, festivals, or school screenings.
How We Select Our Films
Each film is chosen with care, based on criteria that ensure cultural, aesthetic, and emotional richness:
By offering alternative, exclusive, and carefully curated European films, we ensure children in care have access to high-quality culture — a fundamental right. The platform complements commercial VOD, DVDs, or uncurated online content by adding depth, diversity, and interaction — giving children a chance to experience their own European film festival, no matter where they are.
Beyond Streaming: Engagement and Education
Film in Hospital isn’t just a film platform. We provide a fully interactive, curated experience through:
These tools promote film literacy, encourage creative expression, and help children feel connected — not just to the films, but to each other.
In 2020, the network grew with the addition of Kinodvor (Slovenia), Il Nuovo Fantarca (Italy), and Pack Magic (Spain). Together, we expanded the platform’s reach and catalogue, available year-round, with additional highlights during festival periods.
In 2024, two more partners joined: Neaniko Plano (Greece) and Sächsischer Kinder- und Jugendfilmdienst (Germany). This expansion marked an important step toward our mission of reaching not only hospitalised children but also young people in juvenile detention centres and other care settings.
Today, the consortium spans eight countries, working with nearly 200 hospitals to make film accessible to children who cannot attend cinemas, festivals, or school screenings.
How We Select Our Films
Each film is chosen with care, based on criteria that ensure cultural, aesthetic, and emotional richness:
- Told from a child or youth perspective
- High cinematographic quality
- Age-appropriate for viewers from 3+ to 15+
- Diverse in themes, genres, authorship, and cultural backgrounds
- Encourage reflection, action, and emotional resonance
- Adapted to the specific needs and comprehension levels of children in medical care
By offering alternative, exclusive, and carefully curated European films, we ensure children in care have access to high-quality culture — a fundamental right. The platform complements commercial VOD, DVDs, or uncurated online content by adding depth, diversity, and interaction — giving children a chance to experience their own European film festival, no matter where they are.
Beyond Streaming: Engagement and Education
Film in Hospital isn’t just a film platform. We provide a fully interactive, curated experience through:
- Educational materials and activity guides
- Interactive tools such as quizzes, reviews, and creative prompts
- Behind-the-scenes content from filmmakers, cast & crew
- Opportunities to vote, share stories, and connect with peers across borders
These tools promote film literacy, encourage creative expression, and help children feel connected — not just to the films, but to each other.
Our Mission
Imagine if all children had access to quality European cinema — even those who are unable to leave their hospital bed.
That’s the heart of our mission.
We are building a qualitative, inclusive cultural experience for young patients by offering:
We also invite other festivals, distributors, and institutions to join us in creating an even broader platform with a shared vision.
Imagine if all children had access to quality European cinema — even those who are unable to leave their hospital bed.
That’s the heart of our mission.
We are building a qualitative, inclusive cultural experience for young patients by offering:
- Exclusive festival films not available on commercial platforms
- Rich interactive content to enhance engagement
- A sense of community and participation across countries
We also invite other festivals, distributors, and institutions to join us in creating an even broader platform with a shared vision.
Our Goals
- Provide a multi-age platform (3+, 6+, 9+, 12+, 15+), including content for parents and staff
- Maintain and grow a catalogue of European feature and short films, updated yearly
- Promote interactivity — voting, reviewing, storytelling, peer engagement
- Inspire collaboration across Europe to build a wider, more inclusive platform
- Promote film literacy and cultural access as a basic right for all children
- Complement commercial and passive content with exclusive, thoughtful film experiences
Partners:
Supported by:
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.