YOUTH EXPERTS are part of the m:brane brand

Wanda Høgel

Filippa Krisby

Elle Moon Howard

Adam Löfvendahl

Sissi Nilsson

Senye Sundling

Wilhelmina Larsson

Tom Johansson

Tim Hilton-Brown

Sophie Crawshaw

Rufus Göransson

Emma Hallberg

Luna Björkander

Alba Zacharias

Amanda Cervera

Molly Hallbäck

THE YOUTH EXPERT CONCEPT

YOUTH EXPERTS 2026

We believe it’s absolutely crucial to experiment, to include the target group and focus on process in order to lift the field of Youths content creation as a whole. That’s the larger perspective, which we are putting on top of the agenda.
Youths are much faster to adopt new communication platforms, genres, narrative styles and possibilities than the industry, and they represent of course our target group. It seems not only logic to bring in the youths as sparring partners at an early stage of the creative process, more and more, we are convinced, that it will be necessary in many ways.

It started with REALYOUNG© in 2015, the m:brane initiative for producers to develop documentaries for and with young audiences. We have developed REALYOUNG© to meet the needs of younger audiences today. We want to offer them access to edgy, daring, stimulating and thought-provoking reflections on real life.

Before each workshop we dress the Youth Experts exactly as the Professional Experts to become familiar with each project and it’ s creators and background and context.

During the pre-pitch workshop project holders get direct feedback from the Youth Experts after the presentations, providing them with insightful and captivating opinions.

The point is to make producers and creators not only more professional in dealing with their target group but also to become much more aware of what it actually requires, to be able to catch the attention of Young Audiences. Which also underpin our outmost principle: to take Youths with their needs, interests, problems and ideas serious.

From 2024 it has been an invaluable part of also each pitching teams feedback panel.
This means, that:

ALL selected producers will benefit from an interaction with our Youth Experts.

In 2026 the Youth Experts are:
Alba Zacharias, Amanda Cervera, Emma Hallberg, Luna Björkander, Molly Hallbäck, Rufus Göransson, Sophie Crawshaw, Tim Hilton-Brown, Tom Johansson, Wilhelmina Larsson, Senye Sundling, Sissi Nilsson, Adam Löfvendahl, Elle Moon Howard, Wanda Høgel & Filippa Krisby.

The m:brane Youth Experts Selected / YES AWARD 2026

With the Youth Experts Selected / YES Award, m:brane 2026 introduces a new and distinctive recognition that places the perspective of young audiences at the heart of the forum. The award is conceived as both a symbolic and meaningful acknowledgement of a project that speaks convincingly to a young audience — with curiosity, originality, and the courage to experiment with form and storytelling. Hop over to the Project Catalogue on page 12 to read more about the award.

WHY YOUTH EXPERTS?

WHY m:brane FOCUSES ON YOUTH EXPERTS

The participation of Youth Experts throughout our events has grown to become one of the key factors to m:brane’s brand.

What we aim to create at m:brane is a space in which the young participants are regarded as fully human beings and therefore alone equal to adult experts. We mind ourselves, that they are just at a stage in life, that is different from where we, the adults, are.

In that stage, they are closer to the genuine, to the creative force and to their inherit intelligence. The younger, the closer.

Often, we realize quite a big gap between what our B2B participants think is “good, right or great content” for the young audiences – and what actually does speak to the current generation of young people at deeper levels.

And deeper levels are what we aim to enhance.

Youths often express existing ideas in unexpected and new ways and thereby bring important insight and energy to new concepts and edgy productions for Young Audiences.

Adult professionals taking part in our activities, experience that feedback coming directly from people being young today, guide and lift their projects towards new, more innovative and contemporary levels. Our professional workshop participants and pitching teams, often state that they have been overwhelmingly surprised by the feedback they receive.

So, after having worked more deeply in interaction with Youth Experts during workshops, we very often see that the project in the open arena pitching session two days later have become quite altered. And that the inherent potential redeemed differently, more clearly and even with other focus areas.

Since 2024, an invaluable part of each pitching team’s feedback panel incorporates youth experts. This means that all selected producers will benefit from interactions with Youth Experts.

We are committed to a quid pro quo arrangement, ensuring that the Youth Experts—who generously lend us their participation, insights, intelligence, personalities, and courage—are respected and supported in return. They also gain insight into how the industry works by engaging in discussions at eye level with decision-makers and experts. When they willingly become popular targets during networking opportunities, they gain valuable experience through debates and exchanges with industry professionals.
We provide each Youth Expert with a diploma that details their involvement in this highly professional setting, highlighting how it might contribute in a positive way to their personal growth as they transition into adulthood.

“We succeeded because we had the opportunity to test the interest of the kids and how they would prefer to watch and enjoy our project.”

Rebeca Sánchez LópezKepler Mission Films S.L., Spain (2017 participant)

“Your expert meeting with kids was very good. It is very valuable, and it should be even more important. Also for the Commissioning Editors to listen to at the table.”

Willemijn Ceruttiproducer, The Netherlands (2015 and 2019 participant)

“The pitch at the Forum was a boost, the feedback was overwhelming, and this made it easier for financiers to trust us for further funding.”

Ingvil Giskeproducer, Norway (2018 participant)

These apparent effects have convinced us of the importance of having Youth Experts participate at m:brane and from 2024 also we enlarge our corps with Youth Experts also becoming an important part of the feedback panels for each pitching team.