Zlín Film Festival

What Zlín Film Festival does

The Zlín Film Festival is an annual international film festival dedicated to children's and youth cinema, organized by FILMFEST, s.r.o., a private limited company based in Zlín, Czech Republic. Founded in 1961, it markets itself as the world's oldest film festival for children and youth, with its 66th edition held in 2026. The festival operates on a fixed annual cycle in late May to early June, delivering a multi-venue program that combines feature film competitions, short film sections, retrospective screenings, and supporting industry events across the city of Zlín.

Operationally, the festival executes a substantial live-event production each year. A recent edition attracted more than 120,000 visitors, recorded approximately 24,000 cinema admissions, and credentialed over 3,600 industry participants, with 160 film delegations representing 77 films supported by more than 100 volunteers. The program has expanded beyond traditional screenings to include dedicated industry offerings such as the ZLINFEST PRO professional program, the FILMTALENT ZLÍN pitching forum (which distributed 2.2 million CZK to emerging filmmaker projects in a recent cycle), VR cinema programming, regional "echo" screenings such as the one in Mikulov, and a half marathon that drew 2,078 runners from 12 countries. Leadership comprises Festival President Čestmír Vančura, CEO Dagmar Výlupková (jednatelka), and Artistic Director Markéta Pášmová.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of cinema ticket sales, professional accreditations, film submission fees, merchandise, a clapperboard auction (which produced 4.3 million CZK in a recent edition), and ancillary events such as the half marathon. The funding base is supplemented by public grants sourced from the Czech Ministry of Culture, the Zlín Region, the State Cinema Fund, and Creative Europe. Audience and industry engagement are extended year-round through a mobile application and digital platform, anchoring a recurring annual cycle rather than a continuous transaction-based revenue model.

Name

Zlín Film Festival

Legal name

FILMFEST, s.r.o.

Website

https://zlinfest.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zlín Film Festival, operated by FILMFEST, s.r.o. and founded in 1961, is the world's oldest film festival for children and youth, held annually in Zlín, Czech Republic. It serves public audiences, accredited industry professionals, and emerging filmmakers through screenings, pitching forums, and dedicated professional programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Film Festival / Cultural Event Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Campus & Educational Screenings (Universities, Schools) (MPADAKAI)

Keywords

• International film festival
• Children's cinema programming
• Youth film competition
• Festival management services
• Cultural event organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Zlin

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from cinema and event admissions through online platform, mobile app, and box offices. Free entry for children under 6; 50% discount for ZTP card holders.
2. Accreditation Fees: Professional industry accreditation for film professionals, delegates, and press.
3. Film Submissions: Fees for film submissions to festival competitions.
4. E-commerce / Merchandise: Sale of souvenirs, promotional items, books, and festival merchandise through E-shop.
5. Film Clapperboard Auction (Salon filmových klapek): Annual auction of painted film clapperboards raising funds for young filmmakers. 29th edition raised 4,314,000 CZK.
6. Festival Half Marathon: Festival half marathon event with gift vouchers for race categories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Zlín Film Festival is the world's oldest international film festival dedicated to children and youth, held annually in Zlín, Czech Republic. It operates an integrated event and digital platform providing international film competitions (Zlatý střevíček / Golden Slipper awards), public screenings at multiple venues, an industry program for film professionals (ZLINFEST PRO), a student pitching forum supporting young filmmakers (FILMTALENT ZLÍN), ticketing and accreditation services, and ancillary events such as a half marathon, charity auction, VR cinema, and educational programs for schools.

Product overview

Zlín Film Festival operates as a traditional international film festival for children and youth, organized by FILMFEST, s.r.o. The festival's digital presence centers on a unified web platform (www.zlinfest.cz) that serves as the primary gateway for all festival activities. The core digital infrastructure includes the main website with integrated ticketing, the MyZlinfest portal for film submissions and accreditation, an official mobile application for iOS and Android, TV ZLINFEST streaming platform, and a podcast series. Supporting modules and events include the ZLINFEST PRO professional industry program, FILMTALENT ZLÍN student film support with annual pitching forums, the Festival Half Marathon event, the Salon of Film Clapperboards charity auction, VR cinema experiences, and downloadable festival catalogues. An e-commerce store provides merchandise and souvenirs. The festival also maintains external video content on YouTube and manages dedicated microsites for specific programs and events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZLINFEST PRO: Professional industry program segment of Zlín Film Festival featuring conferences, pitching forums, and film industry networking events including FILMTALENT ZLÍN
• MY ZLINFEST
• ZLINFEST zóna
• Festival Café
• Salon filmových klapek
• Festivalový půlmaraton MONET+ Zlín

Products and services

• Zlín Film Festival (Main Annual Festival) The flagship annual international film festival for children and youth, featuring international competition sections, public screenings, awards ceremonies (Zlatý střevíček / Golden Slipper), accompanying programs, industry events, and educational initiatives. The 66th edition ran May 28 – June 3, 2026.
• ZLINFEST PRO (Industry Program) A dedicated industry segment featuring conferences (Média dětem, Média s dětmi, Kino za školou), pitching forums, masterclasses, and film industry networking events for film professionals.
• FILMTALENT ZLÍN Pitching Forum An annual student film support program where students from Czech and Slovak film schools compete for financial support distributed through the FILMTALENT ZLÍN foundation; 2.2M CZK was distributed to 28 student film projects.
• Festival Half Marathon (Festivalový půlmaraton MONET+ Zlín) An annual half-marathon event co-located with the festival, featuring multiple race categories with gift voucher purchases. The 2026 edition attracted a record 2,078 participants from 12 countries.
• Salon of Film Clapperboards (Salon filmových klapek) An annual charity auction of artist-painted film clapperboards, with proceeds supporting young filmmakers through the FILMTALENT ZLÍN foundation. The 29th edition raised 4,314,000 CZK.
• E-shop (Festival Merchandise Store) Online merchandise store selling souvenirs, promotional items, books, and festival-related goods, with delivery within the Czech Republic.
• VR Cinema (VR Kino) A virtual reality cinema experience offered as part of the festival's supporting program, providing immersive audiovisual content to attendees.
• MyZlinfest Portal Online portal that enables film submissions, accreditation requests, ticket purchases, and industry information access for festival participants.
• Festival Mobile Application (Zlinfest App) Official mobile application on Google Play and App Store providing access to accreditation information, invitations, accommodation details, reserved and purchased tickets, and e-ticket delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120,000+ total attendance per festival
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministerstvo kultury (Ministry of Culture)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Government ministry providing institutional support and funding for the festival as a major cultural event in the Czech Republic.
• Město Zlín (City of Zlín)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Host city providing venue access, infrastructure, and promotional support for the festival.
• Zlínský kraj (Zlín Region)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Regional government providing institutional support and funding for the festival.
• Kovárna VIVAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor providing support for festival operations.
• LidlminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Retail partner sponsoring activities including sidewalk painting competition for children.
• KFCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Fast food chain providing volunteer appreciation dinner at castle courtyard.
• Nadační fond FILMTALENT ZLÍNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Foundation supporting young filmmakers through pitching forums and direct financial support (2.2M CZK to 28 projects). Also receives proceeds from Film Clapperboard Auction (4.3M CZK).
• Nadační fond Kapka nadějeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Charitable foundation partnered with festival for Walk of Fame awards and donations (25,470 CZK from ticket surcharges for premature infants support).
• Mikulovská rozvojová s.r.o.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Partner organizing Mikulov echoes/offshoot screenings of festival content in South Moravia.
• Continental BarumminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Company organizing activities on náměstí Míru including creative workshops for children.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Giffoni Film Festival: Italy's internationally renowned film festival dedicated to children and youth, directly competing for the same audience segment, programming category, and industry recognition as Zlín Film Festival. Both target family and youth audiences with curated international cinema.
• Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: Another major Czech film festival, also based in the Czech Republic and focused on international cinema programming with industry accreditation, parallel sections, and similar sponsorship/partnership structures. Most direct domestic peer given shared country and film festival category.
• Schlingel International Film Festival: Germany-based international film festival for children and youth, screening international productions across multiple competition sections. Directly comparable in mission, audience, and content focus to Zlín Film Festival.
• Annecy International Animation Film Festival: World's premier animation film festival held annually in France, featuring competition, market, and industry programs. Comparable as a specialized film festival with strong industry accreditation, pitching forums, and animation focus that intersects with Zlín's animation categories (Cartoon Saloon, Maurfilm recognition).

Broad incumbents

• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF): A leading North American film festival with comparable industry accreditation, multi-venue screening, and year-round digital programming infrastructure. Broader programming scope but analogous operational model.
• San Sebastián International Film Festival: Major European film festival with industry programs, multiple competition sections, and comparable sponsorship/partnership model. Similar scale festival in continental Europe with general-audience focus.
• BFI London Film Festival: Major UK film festival with industry program, education initiatives, and family programming. Comparable structure combining public screenings, industry accreditation, and educational outreach.
• Cannes Film Festival: The world's most prestigious generalist film festival, providing a comparable flagship annual festival format, accreditation model, and industry networking platform, though with a general-audience rather than children/youth focus.
• Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale): One of the world's largest generalist film festivals featuring a dedicated Generation section for children's and youth cinema. Comparable festival format and industry program structure, though with much broader programming scope.

Emerging players

• Chicago International Children's Film Festival: North American children's film festival with competition sections for youth-made and professional children's films. Direct competitor in the same children/youth cinema category, though with smaller European industry footprint than Zlín.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/zlinfest
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZLINFILMFESTIVAL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/filmfest-s-r-o-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Zlín Film Festival