Other countries absolutely do produce children’s films. Most just never get distribution in the U.S., though there are children’s international film festivals in New York, LA, and Chicago.
I think it has something to do with the way that American culture is so splintered. In America they expect everybody to be off doing their own thing, so they always target specific niches, whereas in other cultures they expect a lot of totally different people to all be getting together and doing the same thing.
Also American culture infantilizes children.
Cody Hoskins
This site has opened up talk about all kinds of films from around the world, but one of the distinguishing traits I’ve noticed that differentiates Hollywood cinema from cinema in continents like Europe, Asia, and Africa is that it’s good about making films that appeal to a broad audience of adults and children. With all the kids films being made and having something to appeal to the young at heart, it’s amazing how international cinema doesn’t make any kids films. The only way they get access to kids films is gaining distribution of them from America and watching them in whatever native language of the country they are distributed to.
Other than that, international cinemas are not concerned about what films are suitable for children because they obviously think children shouldn’t be denied access to them because they deserve to see anything that is mature so that it teaches them and helps them grow up faster. Otherwise, kids don’t go to see the films made in their countries, they go to see the films distributed from America, while the films being made in France or Japan or Germany all get all the adult audiences into the theater.
Since I’ve never really explored any place around the globe except Italy, I’m not sure how it works in the film-going experience, it just raises speculation out of me as to why Hollywood cinema has this concern about what audience they’re aiming for and other cinemas don’t seem to care because apparently there’s nothing too inappropriate for whatever audience they’re aiming for. I understand that Hollywood likes making films for children, teenagers, and young adults because it helps boost the box-office, the merchandise, and the pop culture. Still, I wonder why that is such a major concern with Hollywood cinema and not such a concern with cinemas overseas. In America, there are MPAA ratings and limits as to what can be shown in films that’s appropriate for the specific audience and if those guidelines are not followed, social, political, and religious organizations make public outcries and try to boycott them. It’s been a long time since I studied Film History and I don’t think I was given a solid answer other than Hollywood is commercial and international cinemas are art-driven. Hollywood is concerned about what is morally appropriate and commercial enough for a mainstream audience, specifically the young age-groups, and most other cinemas don’t give a shit. For those of you on this site who live all around the world, the door is open for debate.