THE EUROPEAN ANIMATION JOURNAL - FALL 2024

Animation Highlights at MIPJUNIOR and MIPCOM

Spotlight on Italy Talents in Animation

ALL ABOUT ANIMATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

Dear Reader

Welcome to this new issue of The European Animation Journal, which made its debut last June in Annecy and has been receiving enthusiastic support from key players in the European animation industry, as you will read in the following pages. This issue is being released on the occasion of the main autumn industry event, namely MIPJUNIOR/MIPCOM, where we are present not only through the distribution of the magazine but also with a dedicated stand in the Palais. Furthermore, this issue takes an interesting tour of industry events, starting with the MIA Market in Rome—where animation is one of the pillars of their rich programme—and, following Cannes, embarks on a European tour, covering important events such as Cartoon Sprinboard, Cartoon Business, CINANIMA, CEE Animation, and Animar, and concluding in Asia at the Asia TV Forum. This highlights the two core principles of this publication: to showcase the richness of the European animation industry and to bring this community and its content to the main global business events.

All that’s left is to wish you happy reading! As always, we invite you to share this magazine with colleagues and partners, and follow us on our website, newsletter, and social media profiles to receive daily updates and discover where to meet us!

PUBLISHER

BM Srl

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Davide Abbatescianni

EDITORS

Cristina Angelucci, Rossella Arena

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Francesca Wolfler

SPECIAL THANKS TO Marina Richter, Mariana Hristova, Marko Stojiljković, Silvia Rigotto, Lucas Fillon, Kévin Giraud, Christophe Erbes, Emiliano Fasano, Serena Previderé

PUBLISHING, ADVERTISING AND ADMINISTRATION

BM Srl - Via Po, 14 - 10123 Torino, Italy Ph. +39 011 1921 1996 - info@brands-media.com

PRINTING

Casma Tipolito - Via B. Provaglia nn. 3/B-3/C-3/D 40138 Bologna - Italy

europeananimationjournal.com

SOCIAL

europeanaj The-EuropeanAnimation-Journal The European Animation Journal the_european_ animation_journal

WATCH NEXT MEDIA

At the forefront of the European Animation Industry

STUDIO 100 INTERNATIONAL

Expanding Horizons: How Studio 100 International is shaping the Future of Animation

BAYARD JEUNESSE PRODUCTION

Quality content for children

GRUPPO ALCUNI

Combining innovation and new projects

OUTFIT7

From gaming to animation: building fresh content

BANIJAY KIDS & FAMILY

The Strategic Role of Banijay Entertainment in Animation

BANIJAY KIDS & FAMILY

Questing & Frolicking

TOON2TANGO

Talking entertainment with Toon2Tango

PEYO COMPANY

Transforming timeless franchises

RAINBOW

Rainbow celebrates a Colourful 2024

NJ WORLD

Nelly Jelly Show inspires Kids to navigate Life Challenges through Fun Adventures

MOBIPICTURES

Quo Vadis. Love and Faith in Ancient Rome

LANIAKEA PICTURES

Mechozaurs: The Voice from Afar

MIAM! ANIMATION

An evolving animation portfolio

METAXILASIS

New projects from a talented young studio

MONDO TV FRANCE

Mondo TV France explores new horizons with Wonder Pony and Grisù

IBRIDO STUDIO

A hub of young talents

BEAKUS

UK animation studio Beakus is riding high

BVXI&P

INFiNiXANiUM: dreams come true

LYNX

Lynx celebrates the cinema release of its first feature film, Bartali’s Bicycle and focuses on new projects

EASYACTION

Exploring the potential of VR

ANIMATION IRELAND

Ronan McCabe takes stock of the health of Ireland’s animation sector

FORTICHE

Fortiche: a French success story

ORF

Zoe Hauer on ORF’s programming and acquisition strategies

DR

Julie Lind-Holm Hansen unpacks DR’s animation strategies

MIYU PRODUCTIONS

From France to Japan: Behind the scenes of Miyu Productions’ Ghost Cat Anzu

NEW CHALLENGES

Between Culture and Commerce, a new global Animation cycle starting soon?

OVERVIEW

Animating the future of Europe’s Animation industry

TAIWAN

From succulents to entrepreneurs: new animated adventures from Go Go Studios

HOSHKEE FILM

Between imagination and empathy

MUSIC

David Reyes’ Journey: From Music to Animation

BIVROST

Trond Jacobsen on Roach Coach, Bivrost’s future endeavours

MUTA ANIMATION

Describing reality through animation

MIPCOM

The future of animated storytelling for children

SPIELWARENMESSE

Connecting animation with toys

CARTOON FORUM

France, Ireland, and Italy: the most represented countries at the Cartoon Forum 2024

MIP AFRICA

A Hub for African Film, Television, and Animation. Takeaways from MIP Africa 2024

CINANIMA

A flurry of animated gems to screen at this year’s CINANIMA

CEE ANIMATION FORUM

The CEE Animation Forum elevates Central and Eastern European animation to global heights

NEW MOVIES

A look at two upcoming films, Olivia and the invisible earthquake and Akiko - The Flying Monkey

SÖRÄNGENS FOLKHÖGSKOLA

Immerse yourself into Animation at Sörängens Folkhögskola

The Italian animation industry, between new challenges and quality content

RAI

Rai Kids, a beacon for European animationInterview with Luca Milano and Annita Romanelli

EUROPEAN AUDIOVISUAL OBSERVATORY

Legal developments in Europe: Metaverse Challenges and Moldova’s Media Subsidy Fund

MIA

MIA at 10: Gaia Tridente discusses the impact of the Market on animation and coproduction

SAVE THE DATE

The next events to follow!

WATCH NEXT MEDIA

At the forefront of the European Animation Industry

By Cristina Angelucci

EAJ is very pleased to open the Autumn issue with an exclusive inteview with Philippe Alessandri, founder and owner of Watch Next Media, the French leading animation studio specialised in TV series productions.

Philippe Alessandri

Founded in 2015, Watch Next Media is a production company specializing in animated TV series. Year after year, they have expanded to enrich their editorial catalogue and to control every step of the production process, from the concept to distribution, managed by the group’s company Kids First Part of the group are also the service studio and production company Je Suis Bien Content (JSBC), and the Italian subsidiary Animato.

In this talk, Philippe discusses about Watch Next Media projects and strategy, but also about his vision regarding the role and positioning of the European Animation within the global industry scenario.

IDENTITY CARD NATE IS LATE

Format: 104 x 11’(Season 1 & 2), 52 x 11’ (Season 3)

Status: Season 1 and 2 already produced, Season 3 in Production. Delivery in 2025

Target: Kids 6-10 y.o.

Commissioned by: France Télévisions and Super RTL

Synopsis: Every morning, 8-year-olds Nate and Malika leave home early to go to school, and yet every morning they arrive late! That’s because every morning, something AMAZING happens on the way. But even though their stories are always true, the school’s principal never believes them… A comedy ahead of its time!

Can you give us a vision about the positioning of Watch Next Media within the European Animation market?

Watch Next Media is active in the production and distribution of animation series. According to the annual chart of the CNC, Watch Next is the third largest French producer of animation series and therefore one of the leading production companies within Europe. We will celebrate our 10th anniversary at the beginning of next year.

Who are your major partners?

Regarding broadcasters, in recent years we have been working with leading players in France such as France Télévisions and Gulli, and in Europe, including SuperRTL, BBC, Rai Kids, and ZDF, among others. We also co-produce extensively with independent European producers, such as the Irish Studio

IDENTITY CARD

BOY GIRL DOG CAT MOUSE CHEESE

Format: 104 x 11’(Season 1 & 2), 52 x 11’ (Season 3)

Status: Season 1 and 2 already produced, Season 3 delivered in July 2024

Target: Kids 6-10 y.o.

Commissioned by: Gulli, CBBC, Super RTL

Co-Producers : CloudCo Entertainment, Kavaleer Productions

Synopsis: Welcome to the crazy universe of the most unlikely blended family, which includes two human kids (Boy and Girl), three anthropomorphic animals (Dog, Cat and Mouse) and even… a talking piece of cheese? Living together under the same roof is a daily challenge for our six siblings, but they are determined to prove they can form a true family, even if it’s unlike any other!

Kavaleer, the Spanish producer Peekaboo, and the Bulgarian studio Zmei.

Can you also tell us more about the performance of your TV series internationally?

At the very beginning of Watch Next Media’s activity, we developed two series which became returning shows, thanks to their high performance. Now in their third season, they are Nate is Late and Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese.

Nate is Late is an action comedy produced for France Télévisions and Super RTL. The show has been running daily on France TV, without interruption since its launch in 2018, and we are now producing the third season, which will air next year.

Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese is also an incredible success

Nate is Late

story. This is a family comedy commissioned by Gulli and CBBC that we have co-produced with Kavaleer in Ireland. Since its launch at the end of 2019, the show has ranked among the top five shows on BBC.

We are also achieving global success with the TV series Hello Kitty Super Style! We’ve been fortunate to be the first European studio to convince the Japanese brand owner Sanrio to produce a new adaptation of this iconic worldwide famous character. Unlike previous animated series inspired by

IDENTITY CARD

HELLO KITTY SUPER STYLE

Format: 52 x 11’

Status: Launched in September 2023

Target: Bridge 4-7 y.o.

Commissioned by: Amazon Kids+, Canal+, Rai Kids, M6, Super RTL

Co-Producers: Monello Productions, Maga Animation

Synopsis: Hello Kitty is one of the world’s most beloved and recognizable cartoon characters. She’s back for new adventures with her new besties! In this quirky, actionpacked new series, Kitty stars as the friendliest face in Cherry Town – a kindhearted character who doesn’t stop at nothing to help a friend and get them smiling. On any given day, Kitty finds one of her friends experiencing some set of obstacles that can spoil their mood and set them on a not-sosuccessful path to doom and gloom. They need help. And what they get is a friend, who is Hello Kitty!

this IP, we have been able to reach global success. We have been ambitious with this project commissioned by Amazon Kids+ for the English-speaking market, Rai Yoyo, Canal+, M6 and Super RTL. So far, we have sold the series almost globally. We have combined the culture of Japanese anime with that of US cartoons, all mixed with a European touch that comes through in the writing and content development. It’s an entertaining series that also focuses on caring for others and girl empowerment.

Last but not least, Audrey’s Shelter, which has just been delivered, is very promising. It is an upper-preschool show about the passion for animals, which has been sold to many public broadcasters across Europe and Canada.

Do you think European animation always has to balance entertainment content with added values required by commissioning broadcasters?

Absolutely. We must always consider that any entertaining series should convey positive values, and that there should be a life lesson in each episode. Moreover, European content is probably less “black and white” when discussing socially relevant topics. A villain, in a European series, will usually not be simply evil as there will always be some additional level of complexity to consider.

Which are your aims in terms of expansion strategy throughout Europe?

From the very beginning of Watch Next Media, I had a plan to create a European studio. I started in 2021 in Turin, Italy, because of its cultural background, public funding and tax credit policies, and, not least, because it is home to one of the best Italian animation schools. After Italy, we would like to have a presence in the English-speaking market due to its strategic importance. I am still considering whether to pursue this expansion in partnership with others or independently.

What about scouting content in Europe, and how much it is relevant for your business development strategy?

If we aim to be international, we need to scout projects with global appeal. When creating new concepts, we ensure from the very beginning that the graphic direction and the concept itself can attract a global audience. That’s why we pitch and test projects at a very early stage with our potential partners, such as commissioning broadcasters and co-producers. This allows us to receive genuine feedback regarding the project’s relevance, potential competing IPs in the market, international appeal, and more.

When it comes to acquiring the rights to an existing property, either a book or a famous character, we prefer to select something that already has international awareness rather than overly local IPs.

Focusing on your recent novelties, can you tell us more about Dungeons & Kittens and Wild Kat?

With Dungeons & Kittens, Watch Next Media is aiming at producing a premium show to be an event programming on linear broadcasters and an addictive content to boost their audience online. Also, the 12 half-hour serialized show will be

IDENTITY CARD AUDREY’S SHELTER

Format: 52 x 11’

Status: Delivered in June 2024

Target: Bridge 4-7 y.o.

Commissioned by: France Télévisions, ZDF, Clan, TVO Kids, TFO, Radio Canada and Knowledge Network

Synopsis: Have you ever heard of the saiga? Or the kakapo? Or the northern hairynosed wombat? No? That’s ok. Audrey will introduce you! These are some of the most endangered animals in the world… and they just so happen to be her best friends! That’s because 8-year-old Audrey lives at her family’s Refuge for endangered species. She knows first-hand that caring for a menagerie of wild animals isn’t easy but is always worth it. It just takes a little empathy and a big sense of humour. From figuring out how to make a baby rhino happy, to feeding a whole colony of bats, together Audrey and her best friend Tommy can handle anything! Welcome to Audrey’s Shelter!

repackaged as three 80-minute movies that could be aired in a primetime slot for children and families. It’s an epic saga about four kittens banned from their city, who have to survive in a wild forest.

Wild Kat is an action-comedy series that is also a new challenge for us, because it’s digital 2D animation, but with a more realistic style than any of our previous productions.

According to you, which is the uniqueness of the European Animation industry?

Europe is a unique market with private investment from broadcasters and public funding which allows independent producers to create original content and retain part of the copyright. These rights are crucial as they generate revenues year after year, helping producers to invest in the development of new projects. This model is specific to Europe, as in North America (the US and Canada), most of the shows, if not all, are commissioned by media groups which own all rights. The counterpart to this is that US-based series benefit from much higher budgets than European ones. However, as European producers have smaller budgets, they have developed a specific skill to produce high-quality series with less money. While it’s impossible to completely bridge this gap, the quality standard of European productions is definitely high.

European producers can also access some of the best talents available in Europe. There are many skilled professionals because of the excellent schools in numerous European countries. In contrast, in the US, the best artists often work for the movie industry rather than TV series. The animation movie industry in the USA is so strong that top artists work for big studios on feature films whereas, in Europe, we can access the best talents for series as well.

What about the European Animation Industry positioning within the global market?

The European animation industry is certainly a challenger, not the leader. The reason for this is that, except in Europe where there are strong national broadcasters, in other parts of the world such as South America, Africa, and Asia, the biggest networks are American. These American networks are not

IDENTITY CARD DUNGEONS & KITTENS

Format: 12 x 22’

Status: In production

Target: Kids 6-10 y.o.

Commissioned by: France Télévisions

Synopsis: Fib, Precious, Suds and Ruffles have been banished from the Kingdom of Cats, after a terrible misunderstanding! They will have to survive a thousand dangers to find a treasure, their only hope of going home…

only our clients but also our main competitors. Disney is one of the biggest animation producers in the world, and the same is true for Paramount, and Warner Bros. They buy European content when they need to complete their programming; otherwise, their priority is to exploit their own content. When a European show breaks through, it will have less exposure and less time to perform than American shows. This is why we are still only challengers. It’s not so much a matter of quality, but of opportunities. Despite this unbalanced competition, it’s important to highlight that some European shows are really big in the USA, such as Miraculous, PJ Masks and others. As for the rest of the world, other competing territories for us are South Korea and Japan. The latter is the leader in adult animation. On the kids’ side, the Japanese market is driven by toy-driven shows such as Pokémon. South Korea is improving animation quality standards and growing rapidly on the distribution side. China is very protected and hard to access, while South America has creativity but with different quality standards compared to Europe.

According to you, which will be the next steps the European animation industry should follow?

I think we need to be able to trigger more financing to produce our shows. Our budgets are usually under 10 million, whereas in the US, they will be between 15 and 20 million for the same series format. To address this, we need to ensure that one project can trigger financing from at least three major European countries. That’s why we always try to co-produce. We need to make sure that on each project, we have at least two or three European broadcasters on board to raise our budget as close as possible to commercial standards. The second point is to try and open up the American market. Two of the US players, Netflix and Amazon Kids+, don’t have a studio which should generate opportunities for us in the future.

IDENTITY CARD WILD KAT

Format: 26 x 22’

Status: In production

Target: Kids 6-10 y.o.

Commissioned by: Gulli, Super RTL

Synopsis: The lives of Idris and Dimitri, two ordinary teenagers, take a dramatic turn when they discover that Kat, who has recently been fostered by Idris’s mom, is actually a cat-girl with superhuman abilities! She’s been sent to Paloma to work as a Tracker, an undercover operative tasked with stopping other human/animal hybrids (known as Werelings) from using their powers for evil purposes. Having uncovered Kat’s secret, Idris and Dimitri become her teammates. Together, the three friends go on secret missions to protect Paloma, but also help some of the Werelings they meet find their place in society… all while trying to navigate their own complicated teenage lives.

Expanding Horizons: How Studio 100 International is shaping the Future of Animation

Studio 100 International, a powerhouse in global children’s entertainment, has made significant strides since it was founded in 2007 in Germany as part of the Studio 100 Group.

Over the last two decades, the company has transformed from a distribution-focused entity into a diversified studio, driving the international success of beloved brands like Maya the Bee, Vic the Viking, and Heidi. These classic characters were STUDIO 100 INTERNATIONAL

revitalized into CGI-animated TV shows, reaching audiences around the world. Studio 100 International has also garnered acclaim with original series such as Mia and me and Wissper, known for their rich storytelling and high-quality animation.

In 2019, the company expanded its creative capabilities by launching Studio Isar Animation in Munich, a state-of-the-art production facility that has further solidified its position as an innovative leader in the animation industry, by allowing greater creative control and innovation in the projects. With a commitment to developing, producing and distributing toptier content, Studio 100 International continues to shape the landscape of children’s entertainment on a global scale.

EAJ interviewed Martin Krieger, CEO at Studio 100 International to learn more about the strategy and next plans of this European content factory key-player.

Global partnerships are important for a steady production

Martin Krieger

expansion. Is this resulting in a broader program portfolio?

We not only have access to various animation studios across the globe, but we also collaborate with international producers and co-producers, ensuring a steady stream of high-quality output. Last year, Studio 100 International further bolstered its production and distribution capabilities by partnering with Gaumont Animation and acquiring a stake in the 3 Doubles Producciones animation studio. These strategic alliances highlight our commitment to innovation and global reach in the animation industry.

The current program portfolio, encompassing both feature films and series, demonstrates a broader approach in terms of storytelling and target audiences. Studio 100 International is gradually shifting its focus from solely preschool and children’s content to include content for teens and families. This diversification allows us to cater to a wider audience, addressing the entertainment needs of various age groups and our numerous stakeholders on the industry side, while enhancing our market presence. All current projects in development or production follow this new direction.

How has Studio 100 International’s feature film production evolved over the last years in order to meet increasing market demands?

This path began over 10 years ago with one movie production with international talent, consequently leading to more international productions which now attract more renowned creatives. For instance, Hollywood writer Carlos Kotkin (Rio 2) wrote the script for Giants of La Mancha, while Rob Sprackling (Gnomeo & Juliet, The Queen’s Corgi) developed the idea and script for Flamingo Flamenco, currently in production for a 2026 release. Sprackling also wrote the script for Heidi –Rescue of the Lynx, set for a 2025 release. Our commitment to excellent storytelling continues with a focus on high production value for co-viewing audiences, where our aim is not only to entertain children, but the whole family alike.

Can you tell anything about new film projects?

Studio 100 International’s current European co-productions lineup includes the aforementioned Heidi movie, co-produced with 3 Doubles Producciones; Flamingo Flamenco, with partners 3 Doubles Producciones and Telegael; Dougie Dolittle, a co-production with Caligari Film, 3 Doubles Producciones, and Telegael, scheduled for delivery in 2026; On the Edge with production partners On the Edge and Telegael, planned for early 2027; and Arnie & Barney, a hilarious spin-off feature of the Maya the Bee movies, targeting kids and families, being available by beginning of 2026. While until recently we had distributed 2-3 feature films per year, we now have 10 films in the pipeline. These include both our own and third-party productions represented by Studio 100 Film. This growth has already been positively received by the market and further establishes our strong position within the film industry.

What’s new regarding development and production of new series content?

Our series strategy focusses on partnering with best-in-class studios and outstanding creative talent. The general goal remains to focus on animated properties targeting preschool up to school-aged kids, while also being open to content for the 12 and up age groups. We aim for every project to codevelop and co-produce content, handling distribution and licensing rights, with a focus on IPs that feel international and appeal to various broadcast and streaming partners. Studio 100 International has a first-look deal with Gaumont Animation, regularly sharing project slates to align on new initiatives. We also have access to various animation studios operating in both 2D and 3D with entities in Australia (Flying Bark Productions), USA, Germany, Spain and in Belgium (for live action content).

Are you embracing input from new creative talent?

We are open to working with studios or creatives in the kids and family space interested in co-producing and offering distribution rights, maintaining a constant exchange with big

creative players in the market. Together with our Executive Producer Richard Rowe and Creative Producer Manuela Lumb, we have set a scouting process in motion to discover fresh talent and content. Currently more than three new projects are co-developed between well-known and new market players and Studio 100 International.

Any new projects that you are bringing to MIPCOM?

Enriching an extensive library, which already ranks among the largest in the kids & family entertainment sector, we aim to add new content with various genres and animation styles, far beyond what has been traditionally associated with the company. Thanks to our parent company Studio 100 NV, we are also able to introduce a new live-action series to the market. Currently, Studio 100 NV in Belgium is producing the series Waiko together with VRT Ketnet, which we will showcase this MIPCOM. The series transforms a cozy retro fairground into a hotspot for aliens. Additional new shows debuting at MIPCOM include the brand-new productions DINO MATES and BFF, as well as the existing series Momonsters, for which a new season will soon be available.

What is special about Studio 100 International’s strategy?

Studio 100 International is not only developing, producing and distributing content, we also have a very strong presence on YouTube. With more than 7 billion views, Studio 100 International is one of the largest European kids’ content suppliers on YouTube, providing the platform with a vast array of content from our catalog and operating over 100 dedicated channels. This extensive presence ensures that children worldwide have access to our engaging and high-quality content outside of streaming and TV.

And on top, all the content we produce and distribute benefits from our unique 360-degree strategy, leveraging our exceptional infrastructure across licensing and merchandising, live entertainment, and brand experiences in our theme parks in five European countries , which are part of the Studio 100 Group.

BAYARD

JEUNESSE PRODUCTION

Quality content for children

Bayard Jeunesse Production is the Bayard group subsidiary dedicated to the creation and production of audiovisual and video content for children and families, offering a lineup of highquality content aimed at an international audience.

IDENTITY CARD I LOVE ENGLISH WITH ESSIE

Format: 25 x 3’

Target: Kids 6-10 years old

Production: Bayard Jeunesse Production, Réseau Canopé

French Broadcaster: France TV, Lumni, BayaM

Synopsis: Essie and her faithful companion Neko make learning English lots of fun! A simple magic formula opens the doors to the heroine’s boundless imagination. This edutainment series invites children to listen, sing and express themselves in a foreign language. While Essie invites French children to learn English, the concept was designed to be international: it allows children who speak Spanish, German or any other language to learn English. With Essie, everything is possible!

I Love English with Essie © Bayard Jeunesse Production and Reseau Canopé

Zouk Saison 2 © Bayard Jeunesse Production and Caribara Production

IDENTITY CARD ZOUK – SEASON 2

Format: 52 x 11’

Target: Preschool

Genre: Comedy, Magic

Production: Bayard Jeunesse Production, Caribara Production

Distribution: Mediatoon

French Broadcaster: Canal+

Synopsis: Discover the new adventures of a high-spirited witch’s apprentice. With her magic spells, Zouk is bound to delight children and spark their imagination. Always accompanied by her best friends, she will take you on a journey through her magical world, where wizards, humans and other extraordinary creatures meet.

Drawing on a catalogue of iconic characters such as Petit Ours Brun, SamSam, Tom-Tom et Nana, and Zouk (Little Brown Bear, SamSam, Tom and Lili and Zouk), Bayard Jeunesse Production has been developing audiovisual series for over 20 years. Their programs are broadcast on television and SVOD platforms in France and around the world.

Bayard Jeunesse Production (BJP) combines discovery of the world, the quest for meaning, and comedy to offer original entertainment for young and old alike, reflecting the values that Bayard has upheld for generations among its readers. In France, Bayard Jeunesse is the leading publisher of children’s comics and children’s press, with 8 million readers every month. It is also the second-largest audio publisher in the country, with 3 million children connecting daily to its digital offerings.

Bayard Jeunesse Production’s mission is to adapt Bayard Jeunesse and Milan universes into audiovisual content with two development axes: entertaining children and helping them grow with confidence by providing keys to better understand themselves, others, and the world around them.

What’s new at Bayard Jeunesse Production

In terms of business positioning, BJP is a delegated producer. For every project, they commit the best partner to produce their content, always as a service partner of the project. They work on projects that are 100% produced by them or in coproduction with French or foreign co-producers.

In terms of offerings, Bayard Jeunesse Production has launched about ten audiovisual series developments to accelerate the deployment of Bayard Jeunesse universes on screens within 5 years. After delivering SamSam: Cosmic Adventures to France Télévisions (co-produced with Folivari) and launching the digital series I Love English with Essie for Lumni (France.tv’s educational platform) and co-produced with Réseau Canopé, there are three productions in progress in 2024 and one series in development, commissioned by France Télévisions. Following the success of the first season, Zouk will soon be back on the small screen with new episodes (52 x 11’) co-produced with Caribara Production for Canal+. Additionally, Vampirette & Me (Vampirette et Moi) (52 x 13’) is under development, thanks to a production partnership with France Télévisions, and it will be presented in early 2025. Edutainment productions are a significant part of BJP’s catalogue. Among them, we can mention Nature Chaser

(Enquête de Nature) (25 x 3’) and SamSam Adventures (SamSam mission vivre ensemble) (30 x 2’), both for Lumni.

A more central role for YouTube

The iconic character Little Brown Bear has become a YouTube star with 1 million subscribers and 850 million video views. To strengthen this visibility and align with the distribution of linear rights, Bayard has decided to entrust the channel management to Mediatoon. The same approach has been taken for SamSam, another milestone IP of the group. Furthermore, impressed by the talent of the Soupir teams, BJP has entrusted them with two high-potential channels, exclusively for the international market outside of France: Toto and Polo

Distribution Strategy

Long-term partners support the distribution of BJP titles. Among them are Mediatoon, France TV Distribution (FTD), and Newen. The goal is to find the best partner for each project, tailored to each catalogue.

The distribution catalogue of the digital series has been entrusted to Bayard Rights, in addition to its mission to sell the group’s IP rights.

Vampirette & Me © Bayard Jeunesse Production

GRUPPO ALCUNI

Combining innovation and new projects

EAJ interviewed Francesco Manfio, General Manager and Founder at Gruppo Alcuni to learn more about their next plans.

Gruppo Alcuni is one of the most important European animation companies. What strategies do you intend to implement in the coming years to further strengthen and develop your position in the market?

The entertainment industry, specifically animation, is undergoing significant changes in production and distribution methods. I’m convinced that the key word for the coming years should be innovation: only those capable of guiding this shift will see growth in their business. In this context, Gruppo Alcuni is purposefully investing in research and development, shaping new talent, and training skilled managers to supervise the various departments of our company.

Francesco Manfio

Based on what you’re saying, it seems that the first innovation to implement concerns the product itself. Can you elaborate on which aspects you intend to develop?

We are enthusiastic about exploring new stories to tell and innovative ways to produce them, with the goal of engaging new audiences. I believe our brand-new project, The Black Diamond Race, definitely moves in this direction.

“I’m convinced that the key word for the coming years should be innovation: only those capable of guiding this shift will see growth in their business.”

How does The Black Diamond Race meet the end results you want to achieve?

First of all, The Black Diamond Race targets tween audiences, which is a new demographic for Gruppo Alcuni and has very little tailored content currently available on the market.

Additionally, the production boasts a novel format with a serialized story unfolding over an arc of nine 45-minute episodes. Lastly, one of its most captivating aspects is the plot, which blends elements of crime, adventure, and mystery against an exceptionally compelling backdrop: Europe and India in 1929.

“We

chose to create a park that’s like no other, particularly because of its location. It isn’t a suburban space at all, but rather an eighteenth-century villa with an ancient park that we renovated and filled with content, without altering its character.”

Can you tell us more about the production process and the story of this series?

The Black Diamond Race is a co-production involving Italy’s Rai Kids, Spain’s RTVE and Motion Pictures, and India’s Broadvision Perspectives. The series is set in the world of car racing, which was taking Europe and India by storm in 1929. Rani, our young heroine, takes the lead in her pursuit to become a professional race car driver. She finds herself up against Mister K, an elusive criminal who has concocted a reckless rally race to coerce Rani’s Maharaja father into gambling a precious family heirloom.

The story unfolds with an enterprising search across Europe for crews and state-of-the-art race cars. Three worldfamous diamonds disappear from their museums, and an old mystic with a bizarre prophecy adds to the intrigue. These are just some of the twists and turns in Rani’s riveting quest to beat the bad guys to the finish line across the stunning landscape of mystical India.

What’s new for your pre-school target audience?

We’ve just completed our brand-new Mini Pet Pals & MiniDinos series, once again in co-production with Rai Kids. In this series, the Mini Pet Pals meet a group of cute mini dinosaurs. This addition brings the total number of episodes dedicated to our little heroes to 234.

Can you give us some hints on what happens when the Mini Pet Pals meet the MiniDinos?

Besides the idea of having our Mini Pet Pals enter a mysterious cave that takes them to the hidden prehistoric MiniDinos land, the series is really about the meeting of two worlds that, at first glance, seem to have very little in common. In fact, they appear to be polar opposites. Their respective lifestyles, habits, games, and ways of thinking surprise both Mini Pet Pals and MiniDinos. While resisting the urge to convince the others that their way is better, they all learn the true value of diversity.

Do you anticipate that the MiniDinos might have their very own series?

Well, it certainly might look like I prompted this question. And the answer is: definitely yes! The mini dinosaurs will now take the lead in their very own show, MiniDinos. Each 2D animated episode (26x6’) will see the little heroes (Attila, Dactyla, Bump, Trill, Smash, Toothy, Ego and Smilla) come up against a gang of Dumdumsaurs (Dilophosaurus), who wreak havoc on their prehistoric valley by enforcing methods that are environmentally destructive, totally nasty, and just plain unfair!

The MiniDinos use their smarts and imagination to neutralize them, with the assistance of incredible Diluviana, a prehistoric tree who always bestows just the right animal superpower

“The mini dinosaurs will now take the lead in their very own show, MiniDinos.”

for the situation at hand, such as a chameleon’s skill for camouflage, the workforce of ants, or an owl’s 3D eyesight. These superpowers last just long enough to overcome the obstacle at hand, while giving young viewers an opportunity to experience creative problem-solving. MiniDinos is also coproduced by Gruppo Alcuni and Rai Kids.

What about your award-winning series Leo da Vinci. Do you

have any updates for us?

Gruppo Alcuni is very proud of the acclaim from audiences and critics alike for the two series honoring young Leo da Vinci. The series have garnered awards, including Best Director for Sergio Manfio at the New York Animation Film Awards (NYAFA), enjoyed successful runs on worldwide television channels, and received incredibly enthusiastic responses from boys and girls all over the globe.

How is the second season of Leo da Vinci different from the first one?

In the new episodes, co-produced with Rai Kids, HR, ARD, and Cosmos Maya, we focused on modifying the narrative structure. The first 52 episodes are stand-alone, and all the adventures of Leo, Lisa, and Lollo take place in Florence. The second season revolves around a long journey across Europe with many perils, as our heroes attempt to track down the exceptional ruby described by Marco Polo in his Travels.

What other series are you launching at MIPCOM?

We have Gateway 66 (26x6’), a brand-new animated live-action production which is a perfect blend of adventure and real science, thanks to the help of the science team from MUSE, the Trento Science Museum. We are very excited about this series since, through the story of scientist Teodora Teodoriwho disappears and gets lost in a parallel universe - we have the opportunity to address a number of scientific topics in an interesting and cutting-edge way.

Gruppo Alcuni has also recently established a school to train new talents in the field of animation. Can you tell us something more?

As I have already mentioned, we are always looking for new talents. Yet, those who apply to our studios and are enthusiastic about animation often mention the lack of schools where they can develop their skills. This is exactly why we created the Cartoon Artist training, in collaboration with the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Trentino Film Commission, and the Artigianelli Institute. It’s a course that gives approximately 20 young people the opportunity every year to improve their skills in the field of animation. Thanks to these courses, finding new talents to work with our existing staff at Gruppo Alcuni and Green Ink Animation has become less challenging.

Gruppo Alcuni doesn’t just produce animated content. It also expands into other areas. Can you tell us something about that?

Of course. Our Talking Tree theme park is an important part of our activities. It’s a captivating place where youngsters (and their parents) can meet all our animated characters. We chose to create a park that’s like no other, particularly because of its location. It isn’t a suburban space at all, but rather an eighteenth-century villa with an ancient park that we renovated and filled with content, without altering its character. With over 150,000 visitors a year, everyone has the opportunity to spend time within this artistic masterpiece setting and enjoy themselves with the Mini Pet Pals, the MiniDinos, Leo da Vinci, and others.

I know you’re also quite involved in licensing, publishing and merchandising.

We have our own department that manages those aspects with great results. In fact, these are fields we also like to focus on since figures show that promoting Gruppo Alcuni’s brand is an excellent investment. We are also quite active in on-stage performances with our characters, and the summer of 2025 will see a Mini Pet Pals live tour, organized with our other licensee companies.

Lastly, what is the value of creativity for you?

We often run the risk of downplaying the term. Creativity is definitely intuition, fun, and the ability to elicit wonder, but it is first and foremost a means of providing our young audiences with the tools to go beyond stereotypes and embrace change, to learn how to listen, to recognize mistakes... in short, to develop their creative thinking skills.

“Creativity is a means of providing our young audiences with the tools to go beyond stereotypes and embrace change, to learn how to listen, to recognize mistakes.”

OUTFIT7

From gaming to animation: building fresh content

Established in 2009, Outfit7 quickly gained global recognition with the release of the viral Talking Tom Cat app in 2011. The app introduced the world to Talking Tom, a virtual pet friend who captured the hearts of millions.

What started as a simple virtual pet game soon turned into something much bigger as the Talking Tom & Friends universe expanded into mobile games, animated series, and beyond. Initially, Outfit7 was primarily known as a mobile gaming company, but with the continued success of Talking Tom & Friends, the company shifted its focus towards becoming a global entertainment brand. The brand’s transformation accelerated with the launch of multiple games and an animated series that brought these beloved characters to life, attracting a group of dedicated fans of all ages from around the world. The brand’s anticipated animated series Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super will introduce a vibrant new universe with familiar characters, distinct personalities, and visuals crafted to appeal to a new younger audience.

Produced in collaboration with Epic Story Media, this 52-episode series follows the iconic characters as they discover newfound superpowers and embark on heroic

adventures. Outfit7 partnered with ReDefine Originals—a division of DNEG dedicated to high-quality CG animation— and Epic Story Media to ensure that Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super stands out in today’s competitive children’s entertainment landscape.

The added values of the TV series

The Talking Tom & Friends brand began with the Talking Tom Cat app, where players could engage with Talking Tom in a

variety of fun and humorous ways. As the world expanded to include characters like Talking Angela, Talking Ben, Talking Hank, Talking Becca, and Talking Ginger, these personalities quickly became beloved by fans. Their charm and relatability helped the brand grow across multiple forms of media, offering something for everyone and capturing the hearts of millions of fans from around the world.

In Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super, the series takes a fresh and comedic approach by building a new universe tailored for younger audiences. Each character gains unique superpowers that reflect their individual strengths and personalities, with the action unfolding in the vibrant metropolis of Peak City. The show follows the group as they protect their city from a group of comical yet clever villains, blending fun and adventure in a way that naturally resonates with younger viewers. The city itself plays a central role, serving as a dynamic playground where the heroes can test their abilities, solve problems, and ultimately grow as individuals and as a team. One of the standout features of Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super is its focus on character development and meaningful storytelling. Rather than relying solely on flashy superpowers, the series teaches children that true heroism comes from within. It emphasizes that persistence, teamwork, and problem-solving are just as important as any superpower. The characters learn that being a hero means working hard and supporting one another, offering the series audience life lessons in every episode.

The creative process, balancing educational and entertainment

To ensure that Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super was both entertaining and educational, Outfit7 collaborated with Cheryl Gotthelf, a seasoned expert in children’s media. Cheryl’s career in children’s media took off with iconic projects like The Magic School Bus and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Both shows deeply influenced her approach to creating content that entertains and educates. “What the three projects have in common is that their stories have a meaningful purpose,” she explains. Her work on Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super continued this tradition, with stories that emphasize teamwork, problem-solving, and the importance of a growth mindset. “Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super helps children understand that superpowers are developed through hard work

“Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super helps children understand that superpowers are developed through hard work and persistence.”

Cheryl Gotthelf

and persistence.” Cheryl’s involvement in the project was essential in ensuring that the series not only entertained but also nurtured a growth mindset in children. She believes that the key to a successful children’s show is “understanding and respecting your audience—right down to their funny bones.” For Cheryl, Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super offers children valuable lessons in perseverance, teamwork, and problemsolving, all within the framework of fun, engaging stories. When it comes to creating successful children’s shows, Gotthelf believes it starts with the basics: “Great, relatable characters and relevant stories always come first. They are the road into the audience.” But beyond that, she emphasizes the importance of blending entertainment with education, what she calls “the delicious with the nutritious”. For Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super, this meant ensuring the characters’ adventures were not only fun but also delivered valuable lessons. Reflecting on her initial reaction to the Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super project, Cheryl says, “I was impressed by the potential of the property and the open-mindedness of the team.” As the series developed, she worked closely with the production team to ensure that educational content was always a priority. “At each stage of development, I reviewed ideas, outlines, and scripts from the child development and learning point of view. My participation meant that the child always had a seat at the table.” The educational objectives of Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super focus on three key areas. “We wanted to contribute to children’s growth mindset, model teamwork, and inspire problem-solving and creativity,” she explains. The series emphasizes persistence, showing characters who learn from mistakes and thrive on challenges. “They cope with failure, managing frustration and

In these pages: Images from the TV series Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super

disappointments, and reframe mistakes as opportunities for growth,” Gotthelf says. Another core message of the series is the idea that anyone can be a hero. “Heroes aren’t born, they are made,” Gotthelf shares, explaining how Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super helps children understand that superpowers aren’t about magic but about effort, kindness, and courage. “Every child has the qualities of an inner hero just waiting to be discovered.” For Cheryl Gotthelf, Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super is more than just entertainment—it’s a way to help children grow, learn, and discover the hero within themselves.

ReDefine Originals, a division of DNEG, played a pivotal role in bringing Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super to life. As an expert in CG animation, ReDefine Originals worked alongside Outfit7 and Epic Story Media to ensure that the series delivered high-quality animation while also pushing the boundaries of real-time technologies. According to ReDefine, “We collaborate with independent creators and producers from early concept development, through financing, and all aspects of production. Our global team of artists and talent work across design, storyboarding, editorial, and all stages of CG animation production. With Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super, we brought innovation to the adventures of

“We

focused on humor, high-octane action, and heartfelt moments, making sure that the show would keep children engaged and entertained.”

ReDefine Originals

our heroes throughout the pipeline—from colorful designs to entertainment animatics, precise layout, and playful animation.” The team also highlighted how ReDefine Originals worked closely with partners to create a truly unique show. “By partnering with talented creators and companies, we were able to cater solutions to the unique strengths and requirements of each property. For Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super, we implemented new approaches, such as Unreal Engine for real-time lighting, to maintain consistency across challenging sequences.” ReDefine Originals emphasized how the team worked to bring the characters to life. “The acting and animation of the heroes are fun and dynamic, with each hero showcasing their unique personality. We focused on humor, high-octane action, and heartfelt moments, making sure that the show would keep children engaged and entertained.”

ReDefine Originals has been involved in numerous animated projects before Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super, including Rally Road Racers, 100% Wolf (co-produced with Flying Bark Studios), and Eureka! for Disney Junior. In the case of Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super, ReDefine’s innovative use of these technologies allowed for seamless animation and dynamic action sequences that captivated viewers. One of the challenges the team faced involved creating a consistent look for water in an underground tunnel chase scene, which they resolved by adjusting real-time lighting in Unreal to maintain a smooth, consistent appearance throughout.

Building multiplatform and long-term franchises

Whether it’s through their games or their animated series, Outfit7 strives to create experiences that leave a lasting impression. This dedication to quality extends beyond the content itself to include merchandise, licensing products, and digital experiences, all of which are carefully crafted to meet

the expectations of the brand’s diverse global fanbase.

Talking Tom & Friends has been capturing the hearts of fans of all ages for the past decade as it has evolved into a multi-platform franchise. From mobile games with billions of downloads to animated series watched by millions, Outfit7’s commitment to innovation and excellence has allowed them to reach audiences in new and exciting ways. In conclusion, Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super will build on the success of the franchise while introducing a completely new world built for a new audience. With storytelling crafted for a younger audience, the series is committed to quality and will offer children valuable life lessons while keeping them entertained.

Through its partnerships with industry leaders like Epic Story Media and ReDefine Originals, Outfit7 has created a show that sets new standards for animated children’s content. The blend of relatable characters, thrilling action, and valuable lessons ensures that Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super will maintain

its appeal over time, further solidifying Outfit7’s status as a global entertainment leader. For now, audiences can look forward to the thrilling adventures in Peak City, where heroes are made through hard work, teamwork, and the occasional superpower, reminding all that the potential for greatness lies within everyone.

“Heroes aren’t born, they are made. Every child has the qualities of an inner hero just waiting to be discovered.”

Cheryl Gotthelf

BANIJAY KIDS & FAMILY

The Strategic Role of Banijay Entertainment in Animation

By Delphine Dumont, Chief Commercial Officer, Banijay Kids & Family

Part of content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, Banijay Kids & Family is a global leader in the children’s entertainment industry. Delphine Dumont heads up the division’s commercial arm, which is responsible for the exploitation of the rights for Banijay Kids & Family’s content on linear and non-linear television, and driving ancillary activity across all platforms, and through brand licensing and digital exploitation.

In the last decade we have witnessed seismic change in the kids’ content industry. It’s no secret young audiences’ viewing habits have significantly shifted, but although they are not watching content in the same way, they are consuming more than ever.

Local broadcasters are integral for our business, and we have good relationships with them – we operate a fairly traditional distribution model in this sense, but what we are expanding on is how we nurture our brands beyond the screen. To future

proof our business, we need to be nimble and adaptable to how we broaden the impact of our IPs.

Over the last few years, we have built a fantastic team at Banijay Kids & Family, incorporating exceptional marketing, led by Lizzy Gray, digital, under Dan Lewsey, and licensing and merchandising expertise, headed by Roubina Tchoboian, which allows us to deliver impactful 360 multiplatform brand strategies. We are significantly growing our FAST, social media and AVOD audiences, driving digital revenue growth, establishing a burgeoning licensing and merchandising business, and experimenting in new areas like social gaming. But… premium content is central to any brand strategy – you only have to look at the content investment by companies like Mattel and Crayola to see how valuable this is to a brand’s ecosystem. We are proud to be home to some of the best producers in the world and content that still has the power to engage young audiences.

2024 has been a fantastic year for Banijay Kids & Family; we came off the back of our most successful year-to-date, with 2023 seeing our highest-ever number of shows in production and as a result, we head into MIPCOM with an extremely strong slate of diverse titles, spanning new seasons of established franchises like Totally Spies!, to brand new titles which are gaining significant international interest, such as Super Happy Magic Forest and Miniheroes of the Forest.

Delphine Dumont

BANIJAY KIDS & FAMILY

Questing & Frolicking

By Tom Beattie, Managing Director, Tiger Aspect Kids & Family

Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, part of Banijay Kids & Family, is an award-winning label behind series including Aliens Love Underpants, Mr Bean: The Animated Series, Charlie and Lola, and Corpse Talk. MD Tom Beattie discusses European coproductions and the latest series Super Happy Magic Forest.

I love making kids content that can bring families together. Often the common language is laughter and as I’m still a big kid I create shows that make me laugh. Tiger Aspect Kids & Family is known for its bold, funny and iconic shows, and I ironically take this heritage very seriously!

I have a good relationship with publishing companies, and I was introduced to Matty Long’s Super Happy Magic Forest books. I tested the books on my then young kids, and fell in love with the world that Matty created with its fresh illustrations, hilarious characters, hidden jokes and silly central themes of questing, picnicking and frolicking. I knew there were universally funny stories I could create for a TV series, and thankfully, Matty agreed.

It’s challenging to get a project to fruition in the kids’ sector and a benefit to being part of Banijay Kids & Family is its community of world-class European producers we can

collaborate with. Our colleagues at Movimenti Production were first on board, and in early 2023, we announced Super Happy Magic Forest for BBC and Rai Kids, marking the first time these broadcasters had co-financed an animated show. Shortly after, Banijay Kids & Family labels Monello Productions and Zodiak Kids & Family France, joined the project, and we confirmed further commissioning broadcasters, Canal+ and ZDF, plus a pre-sale with ABC.

Key to working with multiple production partners is respect and communication, and we had a clear work split, leaning into the strengths of each label. We were the creative lead, managing direction, scripting, edit, design, music, casting, and voice records for the UK and international markets. Movimenti managed storyboarding, art direction, rig/build, layout, animation, casting and voice records for Italy. Whilst Monello and Zodiak Kids & Family France led on post-production, audio and visual, deliveries, casting and voice records for France.

It’s been a fantastic project to work on, drawing on the immense talent and creativity in the group, to create something we are all enormously proud of. It’s been one huge quest, but we’ve had some fun and frolics along the way.

Tom Beattie

TOON2TANGO

Talking entertainment with Toon2Tango

Kids and family entertainment venture Toon2Tango was founded nearly five years ago by an experienced and successful management duo, Hans Ulrich Stoef, CEO and co-founder and Jo Daris, CCO and co-founder at Toon2Tango. Now, as the founders explain, the company is well positioned to grow and enhance its offering.

Could you tell us something about the evolution of Toon2Tango, and how it has changed?

Ulli Stoef: My co-founder Jo Daris and I had already enjoyed success in production and brand building when we formed Toon2Tango. Toon2Tango specialises in IP creation, development, financing, production, distribution and brand building, with a focus on kids and family entertainment. Our hit shows to date include Agent 203 and Monster Loving Maniacs, with many other highly anticipated shows and one movie in production or on the way.

Hey Fuzzy Yellow

Hans Ulrich Stoef

Jo Daris

Jo Daris: Our goal is to become one of the leading European animation companies. When LEONINE approached us, they were already very successful in the kids and family business in Germany, mainly within the fields of co-production for theatrical distribution, home entertainment and audio. However, LEONINE was looking to expand into production, financing and 360° distribution in the field of animation on an international level. LEONINE saw us as the ideal partner. In late 2023 we announced that Toon2Tango had become a wholly owned subsidiary of the newly founded LEONINE Animation Studios, owned 50% by LEONINE Holding GmbH and 50% by the founding partner, Germany’s leading independent media company. It’s a dream partnership, offering us the creative freedom and economic support that brings us closer to our goal of being a major player in the European animation scene.

What are you working on at the moment?

U.S.: Lots of things! We have just greenlit our brand-new 2D animated show Showtime, which was first introduced to the market at Cartoon Forum 2022. The 52x11-minute series, commissioned by KIKA and co-produced by Digitoonz India, Telegael Ireland and Edel Germany, will be ready for delivery in 2026. Two new shows we’ll highlight at MIPCOM and MIPJUNIOR are definitely worth mentioning now. With a lot of industry buzz behind it, Hey Fuzzy Yellow (52 x 11’), is a fresh,

Agent 203

highly original 2D animated pre-school show. This is a spirited, very amusing new spin on childhood edutainment with a focus on thinking and self-expression through exploration and play, with very funny, original songs. Hey Fuzzy Yellow is a coproduction by Toon2Tango, Curiosity Ink Media, Treehouse Republic, Will Production and Hotel Hungaria Animation. 26 episodes are available now; the remaining 26 episodes are set for delivery at the beginning of 2025. The show was created and developed by Måns Swanberg and Toon2Tango and commissioned by the Irish public broadcaster RTE. It has been pre-sold to Warner Media, Latam.

J.D.: Coming to screens at the beginning of 2025 but skewing slightly older is Dinomite and Lucy, a new animated 39x11-minute show set in an alternative prehistoric world in which dinosaurs are the superior species. Based on an internationally successful series of books called Minus Drei, by German author Ute Krause, it’s very funny and original. Admired animation experts TRIKK17 and M.A.R.K.13™, together with Fabriques d’Images and ZDF, are co-producing this delightful new venture. Toon2Tango has entered into a partnership with ZDF Studios, the commercial subsidiary of ZDF, to jointly work on the distribution of this fantastic new show.

and Lucy

You also have a number of shows already being broadcast. How are your existing hits doing?

U.S.: Yes! Agent 203 is one of Toon2Tango’s biggest hits to date. A 26 x 22’ CGI adventure-comedy primarily targeted at girls aged 6-10, this, the world’s first Spy-Fi show, is a coproduction between Toon2Tango, Mondo TV and Cosmos Maya Animation distributed by Toon2Tango and Mondo TV. We’re also considering a second season and a movie.

J.D.: The clever, original and very funny kids’ animation

Monster Loving Maniacs, a 52 x 11-minute 2D comedy for 6-10-year-olds, is about three siblings trained as monster hunters by their tough old grandfather.

Now available in 150 countries and a ratings hit on CBBC in the UK, Monster Loving Maniacs is produced by Ja Film and co-produced by Mondo TV, Belvision and Ginger Pictures and distributed by Toon2Tango and Mondo TV. The show has been commissioned by leading public broadcasters Super RTL (Germany) and DR (Denmark). Further broadcast partners include SVT, NRK, VRT’s Ketnet and RTL Klub.

How would you sum up Toon2Tango’s position today?

U.S.: We can see that our shows are resonating with both kids and families as well as broadcast partners. We are always working hard to add to our successes in production and distribution – but knowing that our skills are complemented and supported by LEONINE’s expertise and reach is a major boost to our aim of becoming one of the leading European animation companies. This is a very exciting time for us.

Dinomite

Showtime

PEYO COMPANY

Transforming timeless franchises

Nele De Wilde, CCO of Audiovisual & Music at Peyo Company, shares her vision and excitement for the evolution of the beloved Smurfs franchise and the other classic properties of the rebranded Peyo Company.

What values can The Smurfs still convey today and how are female characters represented in your productions?

Friendship, tolerance, mutual aid and respect for the environment are timeless values that have been an integral part of the Smurfs’ universe since its inception, and are still highly relevant today.

The female Smurfs, called ‘Smurfies’, each have their own specific features, but in a different way to the Smurfs. This offers viewers a funny and special way of identifying them, without mimicking the Smurfs’ characterization.

The third season of The Smurfs has been on air since August. What are the new features and characters? Are you already working on a new season?

The third season will be introducing new characters and environments to the audience.

For the first time, viewers will visit the Village of the Smurfies, where the female Smurfs reside. This vibrant and colorful setting features flower-shaped houses. Two new characters, Bubble and Firefly, will also debut, each with unique traits and unforgettable personalities. Bubble has the ability to teleport herself, while Firefly emits light in the dark.

In addition to the new Smurfies, there will be new villains posing additional threats to the Smurfs. While Gargamel

Nele De Wilde

remains the primary antagonist, he will be joined by his niece and nephew, Dwayne and Rowena, who are often dropped off at his hovel for weekends. These two mischievous preteens create chaos not only for the Smurfs but also for Gargamel himself, who struggles as an inept wizard and an even more clueless uncle.

Another intriguing character is Voltaire, a young dragon living in a cave. Most Smurfs walk on tippy toes around Voltaire, due to his intimidating “bark” and his ice cold breath that can freeze anyone solid. However, one Smurf named Lily believes he is the sweetest creature in the land.

These new elements will enrich the colourful universe of Peyo’s Smurfs with fresh adventures and a whole bunch of hilarious situations.

And yes, we are currenly working on the next season. Season 4 is in pre-development, with an anticipated release in 2027.

The Smurfs movie is scheduled for release in 2025. How are you collaborating with Paramount and Nickelodeon Animation?

We have provided Paramount with our brand guidelines, which they are using as a framework. While the ideas for scripts and designs originate from them, we are working closely with them at each key step in the creative process. They have proven to be a great partner, very respectful of the brand, and equipped with expertise needed to make this film a significant Hollywood success. They have secured an outstanding cast

and the key creative personnel involved in the project are all phenomenal.

After rebranding as Peyo Company, you have announced that you will also be overseeing the other Peyo properties, Benny Breakiron and Johan & Peewit. Can you provide more details about these projects?

The tales of Johan & Peewit (working title) is a fantasy adventure series aimed at a tween-to-teen audience. It follows the story of Johan, a young knight on a quest in search of his heritage. Throughout the 10 episodes, he embarks on adventures with newfound friends, to discover the truth about his origins.

This story blends themes of swords and sorcery, magic and mayhem, fantasy and fun, along with elements of friendship and family – both those you make along the way and those you choose to follow.

The series is currently in development and we’re aiming for a release in 2027.

And another hero based series in development is Benny Breakiron, which centers on a young boy with exceptional strength, who loses his superpowers whenever he catches a cold. With his friends, he undertakes missions to defeat the villains disrupting peace in his neighbourhood. This series is designed as an adventure comedy for children aged 7 to 10.

© Peyo Productions

Rainbow celebrates a Colourful 2024

With a brand-new animated series, fresh reboots of beloved classics and a glittering anniversary celebration taking place, 2024 is looking full of colour and sparkle for Rainbow.

Their very first show,  Winx Club, which debuted in Italy in 2004, has grown into a global sensation. Set in a magical world of friendship and bravery, it follows the thrilling adventures of a group of fairy friends. A new CGI reboot is set to air globally on Rai and Netflix in 2025 and Playmates Toys and Giochi Preziosi have already signed on as master toy partners.

The reboot adds to  Winx Club’s impressive portfolio, which includes eight animated seasons, three movies, four TV films, two  World of Winx  series (with Netflix), and the two-season live-action spin-off  Fate – The Winx Saga, a top-ranked show in 55 countries on Netflix. The franchise has also seen over 20 billion YouTube views and 35+ billion TikTok views. Original fans have been re-engaged through digital campaigns and events like ComicCon, while the reboot is set to captivate a new generation of young viewers, making it perfect for dual licensing campaigns.

Winx Club’s fashion-forward appeal makes it a hit in the fashion industry, with a new toy line from Playmates Toys and Giochi Preziosi featuring fashion dolls, accessories, role-play toys, and playsets. Rainbow is preparing for the reboot with a new website, an active TikTok profile, a dedicated podcast,

Celebtrating Winx in Rimini, Italy, last August

and a full slate of 20th-anniversary events, which culminated in a glittering celebration in Rimini in August, attended by thousands of loyal fans from over 30 different countries. Special launch events are planned for the rebooted series in select cities next year and, with an infinite supply of fresh twists and secrets, the  Winx Club  reboot is poised to captivate audiences for another 20 years to come.

Meanwhile, Rainbow’s new series  Mermaid Magic  made a huge splash when it debuted on Netflix in August, supported by extensive licensing, marketing, and digital campaigns. Already a global sensation, Mermaid Magic has become the

Mermaid Magic

most viewed show in more than 50 countries, including Britain, France and Germany, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Mexico and Brazil, as well as Singapore, South Africa and Turkey!

Set in the mesmerizing underwater world of Mertropia, it combines magic, mystery, humor, with modern themes like environmental conservation. The show follows the bold Princess Merlinda and her friends Sasha and Nerissa as they battle the evil pirate Barbarossa, who seeks to drain the ocean’s magic.

Another exciting reboot,  Gormiti – The New Era, brings back the popular franchise as a live-action series mixed with cutting-edge CGI. Produced with Giochi Preziosi, the reboot targets kids and preteens and is set for a global release this Autumn: in Italy on Rai 2, Rai Gulp and Rai Play; in Spain on Clan Rtve; in France on Gulli and then in the rest of the world. The series follows four friends from Earth, chosen as guardians of the fantasy realm of Gorm, who must harness elemental powers to defeat an evil lord. The world premiere at the Giffoni Film Festival in July was a big hit, with the venue fully “Gormized” to immerse the audience in the fantasy world. Rainbow is also working with Consorzio Frasassi on the

Gormiti – The New Era  Game, aimed at raising environmental awareness in Italian schools through interactive learning with the show’s themes. With even more exciting projects in the pipeline, Rainbow’s future looks bright and full of colourful, magical adventures.

Gormiti - The New Era. Below on the right some protagonists of the TV series

Gormiti - The New Era preview at Giffoni Film Festival with Iginio Straffi

NJ WORLD

Nelly Jelly Show inspires Kids to navigate Life Challenges through Fun Adventures

From a series of picture books, Nelly Jelly has grown into the top-selling IP for children, encompassing an animated series, blockbuster film, extensive merchandise, live events, and interactive digital experiences.

Picture a six-year-old with a boundless imagination, navigating life’s twists and turns with a hopeful smile. Alongside her, the quirky monsters Jim and Jam infuse each episode with humor and warmth. Since 2010, Nelly Jelly has captured the hearts of Lithuanian children, turning everyday moments into magical adventures.

“Children love color, simplicity, and things that make them laugh. And with Nelly Jelly, that’s exactly what you get.”

Laura Beaumont and Paul Larson

The IP is now collaborating with a British animation studio “3Megos” to produce an international series, having already launched a trailer that offers a quick glimpse into the world of an intelligent, determined little girl.

“Children love color, simplicity, and things that make them laugh. And with Nelly Jelly, that’s exactly what you get,” said the Nelly Jelly show’s head writers Laura Beaumont and Paul Larson. “We loved exploring Nelly Jelly’s relationship with the two monsters. Her acceptance of their crazy ideas and the sweet, caring nature of these big monsters towards her were particularly appealing. We liked that these funny characters burst into the real world to help solve real children’s problems, adding a unique and entertaining twist.”

When Nelly Jelly faces challenges like tidying her room, being afraid of the dark, or planning special events, she doesn’t back down. Instead, she shows children how to tackle these everyday hurdles with creativity and courage.

The writers highlight the show’s blend of reality and fantasy as its standout feature. By combining relatable situations with imaginative elements, Nelly Jelly creates a captivating world that both entertains and inspires children.

“Over the years we have worked on many shows but the ones

that have had a similar energy and humor to Nelly Jelly, are The Magic Roundabout, Pop Paper City, Tickerty Tock, Mush Mush and the Mushables, Dennis and Gnasher and Poppy Cat. We feel that Nelly Jelly slots beautifully into this list and we expect it to have great international success,” they said.

Nelly Jelly IP engages Gen Alpha and Gen Beta Today’s screen-savvy children expect content that mirrors their reality. Nelly Jelly IP stays relevant in the market by ensuring the animation series aligns with Gen Alpha and Gen Beta’s values.

According to Mark Vale, what makes Nelly Jelly unique among preschoolers is her enchanting world and her bond with her whimsical friends. The monster characters bring a mix of chaos, slapstick humor, and overly eager advice, frequently resulting in funny scenarios where Nelly Jelly discovers her own solutions to challenges.

Nelly Jelly also addresses important social themes, such as diversity and gender equality. The series reflects the preschoolers’ values by breaking gender stereotypes: it features a fluffy pink male monster who is analytical and loves books, and a green female monster who is strong and protective.

Nelly Jelly’s native success paves the way for global reach Building on its success in Lithuania, where Nelly Jelly has become a cultural phenomenon, the IP has sold over 2 million merchandise items and 2.3 million picture books in a market of just 2.6 million people. With top titles achieving print runs of 30,000 copies — well above the local average — the IP has fostered a strong connection with preschoolers and their parents.

The rich legacy and deep connection with children position the IP to inspire a global audience. With its strong market knowledge and established history, Nelly Jelly provides a character that fosters emotional intelligence and decisionmaking skills in children worldwide.

“We have faith in what we’re doing – we know we’re creating something special and unique that has a place in the market. The brand’s impressive track record gives Nelly Jelly an established history of success, which is crucial for broadcasters,” Mark Vale said. ”We’re thrilled with how the characters look in both stills and animation. They not only make us smile but also stand out as truly unique.”

Mark Vale

MOBIPICTURES

Quo Vadis. Love and Faith in Ancient Rome

“If you can dream it, you can do it” – Anira Wojan, CEO of Polonico, quotes Walt Disney to explain how was it possible to produce Quo Vadis, a seventh adaptation of the iconic love story, within one year.

Although the primary historical setting of the Nobel Prizewinning novel Quo Vadis is the rise and martyrdom of the followers of Christ during the time of the infamous despotic emperor Nero, the filmmakers present a broader testament to the Eternal Love that God the Father shares with all humanity. “It does not matter whether you are a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu. Everyone finds something meaningful in this story because God is the Father of each of us,” is what viewers expressed after the test screenings of Quo Vadis—the full-length 3D animation feature.

The first Quo Vadis has already seen the light of day in 1901. The black and white milestone of silent cinema was shown to the public by Lucien Nonguet and Ferdinand Zecca at Pathé Frères Studios in France. Later, the Nobel Prize winning novel by Polish literary superstar Henryk Sienkiewicz, was brought to life five more times. (French, Italian, Polish and US movies as well as a UK TV series). To this day, the most famous

Art Director Oliwia Kossakowska of Mobipictures

Quo Vadis is the 1951 version directed by Mervyn LeRoy. He conducted a Hollywood mega production, starring Deborah Kerr, Robert Taylor and Peter Ustinov and effectively made a picture worth eight Academy Awards nominations. All previous versions of Quo Vadis soared to the top of the box office, creating high expectations for any new adaptation. Fully aware of this challenge, Anira Wojan, determined to convey the timeless message of love to a new generation, was relentless in assembling her dream team. What she couldn’t find in Europe—where funding often relies on public sources,

Director and Producer Sukankan Roy of Roy Holdings

making it less competitive in terms of cost and timelines— she built in collaboration with her Indian friend and business partner, Sukankan Roy, an animation professional, director, and producer. Together, they established a partnership that aimed to create a global hit — one that would be a financial success and introduce a new format to the global, remote world.

“When people ask me how it was possible that we produced the epic Quo Vadis in just 12 months, I tell them to add twenty years of experience and ten years of reflection on how to build this industry anew. What pushes and challenges us is no longer Pixar or Disney, but AI - explains Wojan - The workflow is a game changer. The best talents can appear ten thousands miles from where you are. So what? Call them. We have created a unique system of work in an international team of people who work remotely in different time zones around the globe. It ensures the film being worked on almost 24/7. This is our know-how and the foundation of our success.”

To bring the vision of a modern animation to life, Barnali Roy of Roy Holdings, a production company, joined forces with Ssoftoons, one of the most prominent animation studios in India, with locations in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Howrah. Oliwia Kossakowska, representing the younger generation as CEO of Mobipictures UK, was appointed Art & Creative Director. Kossakowska’s background in digital graphics at Vilnius University and her work creating visual art for the Lithuanian National Theatre prepared her for this role in an international arena of visual artists, where the boundaries between high and commercial art have all but disappeared. Her task was to develop a contemporary cinematic language for the new style

“When people ask me how it was possible that we produced the epic Quo Vadis in just 12 months, I tell them to add twenty years of experience and ten years of reflection on how to build this industry anew.”

of animation conceived by the director duo, Wojan and Roy. This unique vision blended elements of gaming, classic film, and VR-style realism for the big screen. As a trendsetter in her field, everything points to Kossakowska having already found success with her debut film.

Within her London-based creative agency, Mobipictures, she has assembled the most promising talents from Central Europe. The team excels in concept art, coloring, editing, graphic design, as well as a comprehensive sound and dubbing services with its state-of-the-art London studio. Rapid turnaround, competitive pricing and friendly atmosphere are what sets them apart from the crowd of emerging creative studios.

“In Quo Vadis, I checked everything again and again—from antique socks to the color of oleanders in May. Don’t be lazy. That’s my first professional commandment—I should have hung it on my mirror, but in a project of this scale, there’s no time to look in the mirror! – laughs Oliwia Kossakowska - And there’s another commandment: don’t be a copycat. Discovering the right way to create a new kind of animation that meets modern viewers’ expectations is as groundbreaking as the invention of the flipbook.”

Regardless of the talent and determination of the three women leading this project—Wojan, Kossakowska, Roy — success would not have been possible without Sukankan Roy. His role as both director and producer was crucial, and

“Discovering the right way to create a new kind of animation that meets modern viewers’ expectations is as groundbreaking as the invention of the flipbook.”

Poster of Quo Vadis movie. 1951, directed by Mervyn LeRoy

Quo Vadis has set a high standard by showcasing dozens of his production team members to the international premium market. His future projects are anticipated to continue this trend of excellence.

A film graduate with a background in both Indian and Canadian animation academia, Sukankan Roy has been directing for 25 years. His extensive experience includes several animated series and home entertainment films in English, Hindi, German, Swiss, Russian, and Arabic for various global TV platforms and labels. Of his three feature films, Sound of Joy earned him the highest honor from the Government of India at the 62nd National Film Awards, winning both Best Animation Film and Best Director. His notable career accolades include awards at the 20th Cairo International Film Festival for Children (2010), the 6th Rotterdam Arab Film Festival (2010), ICFFI (2015), and NIFF (2014), among others, recognizing his achievements in animated filmmaking.

“As an avid reader, I was well aware of Quo Vadis even back in Kolkata. The film’s sublime portrayal of the nuances of ancient Roman society and the profound subtlety of Christianity could only have been achieved with Anira as my co-director. - admits Roy - Co-producing it, however, was made possible with the support of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry, which plays a crucial role in strengthening the Indo-Polish cultural ties.”

Vrunda Manohar Desai, Joint Secretary of I&B Ministry in India says: “Quo Vadis represents the first official Indo-Polish animation co-production, reflecting the Ministry’s commitment

“This project is a significant achievement, demonstrating the successful implementation of our co-production framework and setting a precedent for future endeavors in the animation sector. Over the past two years, there has been a notable surge in the number of official co-productions, including animation projects.”

“The film’s storytelling is a surprising blend of genres, spanning from historical drama to musical, and features a range of original songs that will satisfy fans of pop, rap, country, and more serious genres like elegy.

The film offers an immersive journey into the magic of ancient Rome, capturing the essence of cinematic entertainment.”

to promoting international collaborations under the signed treaty. This project is a significant achievement, demonstrating the successful implementation of our co-production framework and setting a precedent for future endeavors in the animation sector. Over the past two years, there has been a notable surge in the number of official co-productions, including animation projects. The Ministry has approved over ten official coproductions, reflecting a growing trend towards international collaboration. These partnerships enable the pooling of resources and talent, leading to enhanced quality and broader audience reach for the projects involved.”

Ssoftoons is a pioneering Indian animation studio offering comprehensive services from concept to screen in both 2D and 3D animation. Renowned for its creative excellence and technical mastery, the studio has collaborated with global entertainment leaders such as Disney, Sony, and Viacom. A notable achievement is its Indo-Polish collaboration on the film Quo Vadis, which highlights its international reach. With intellectual property rights for over 20 titles and more than 2,000 episodes still airing on the Sony Channel, Ssoftoons exemplifies a blend of innovation, efficiency and consistency.

Ultimately, the most crucial element is the motion picture itself. Visually outstanding and of very high quality, Quo Vadis impresses even without American-scale funding. The film’s storytelling is a surprising blend of genres, spanning from historical drama to musical, and features a range of original

songs that will satisfy fans of pop, rap, country, and more serious genres like elegy. The epic musical score by FrenchBritish composer Fabien Curtis evokes the grandeur of classic Hollywood productions such as Spartacus, Ben-Hur, and Cleopatra

The film offers an immersive journey into the magic of ancient Rome, capturing the essence of cinematic entertainment. Moreover, Quo Vadis is a significant family-friendly film for this season’s cultural agenda, allowing both parents and children to enjoy meaningful entertainment and leave the cinema with an important message.

“Quo Vadis represents the first official Indo-Polish animation co-production, reflecting the Ministry’s commitment to promoting international collaborations under the signed treaty.”

Actor Christian Blundell with Ssoftoons Team after finalising motion capture sessions for Quo Vadis

LANIAKEA PICTURES

Mechozaurs. The Voice from Afar

EAJ interviewed Mateusz Kowalczykproducer and CEO at Laniakea Pictures to learn more about their new project Mechozaurs: The Voice from Afar, which is an action-drama in adult animation, set in a fantasy sci-fi world where humanoid dinosaurs, enhanced with advanced technology, fight for survival.

How did the concept for this project originate?

The concept originated from a fascination with the untapped narrative potential of dinosaurs and the idea of blending fantasy and sci-fi in a way that hasn’t been widely explored in adult animation. We wanted to create a story that wasn’t just about dinosaurs but a compelling action-drama with mature themes that resonate with an adult audience. The initial worldbuilding was heavily influenced by our team’s diverse backgrounds in RPGs, live-action writing, comics, game development, and lore-building. We wanted to see if we could tell a story where the traditional human element was absent, yet the emotional and ethical dilemmas were deeply relatable. The mix of humanoid dinosaurs and advanced technology

provided the perfect setting for exploring these themes, creating a world that feels both familiar and entirely new.

Can you tell us more about Zina, the protagonist, and her role in the world of Mechozaurs?

Zina starts as a young humanoid dinosaur driven by a desire for revenge, but her journey is one of transformation. As she navigates a world rife with violence and betrayal, Zina learns that power and violence aren’t the solutions she once thought they were. She faces immense challenges, including having to confront Nakatu, the god-like ruler of her world, who is distracted by an impending apocalypse. Zina’s path to understanding and redemption is complicated by characters like Hiranu, who embodies the tough mentor archetype akin to Joel from The Last of Us or Léon the

Professional. Hiranu’s

In these pages images from Mechozaurs: The Voice from Afar

involvement forces Zina to make crucial decisions that shape her destiny and the fate of the world. Zina’s evolution from a vengeful warrior to someone who understands the true cost of violence is central to the narrative, making her journey not just a personal one, but also a commentary on the broader themes of power, legacy, and redemption.

What is the origin story of the world narrated in the series, and how did you approach the challenge of visually interpreting such a complex universe?

The world of Mechozaurs is set in Zauradia, a land shaped by a cataclysmic event—the crash of an alien space ark millions of years ago, which led to the creation of humanoid dinosaurs through a mix of alien and dinosaur DNA. This blend of primal creatures and futuristic tech sets the stage for a unique fantasy-sci-fi environment. We approached the visual interpretation with the understanding that dinosaurs

themselves straddle the line between fantasy and science. They are creatures we believe in and visualize from a young age, yet their true nature remains partly unknown, lending them a sense of mystery and intrigue. In our series, technology is viewed almost as magic by the dinosaurs, a sacred and misunderstood force. To balance this with scientific plausibility, we collaborated closely with experts during the worldbuilding phase to ensure that while the technology appears magical, it has a grounding in believable science. Our visual team embraced the challenge by creating environments and characters that feel both ancient and advanced, adding layers of complexity to the narrative and the world.

From the very beginning, you’ve envisioned the project as a broad and expansive universe. What is your strategy for developing the brand, and which areas are crucial to its growth?

Mechozaurs was envisioned as broad and expansive universe

with cross-media potential. Our strategy is to develop the brand across various platforms to create a cohesive and immersive experience. We’ve already begun collaborating with top talents from the worlds of fantasy, sci-fi, comics, and board games, such as Ken Liu, Marie Brennan, Orson Scott Card, and Mike Deodato, among others, who have expanded the lore through stories and visual art.

We’re developing a high-end board game with a fully fleshedout RPG system, and we’re planning an action-RPG video game to further explore the interactive side of the universe. The goal is to build a robust narrative framework where each medium enriches the others, creating a multi-faceted world that fans can engage with in various ways.

Crucial to our growth is finding the right strategic partners who understand the potential of Mechozaurs as a global IP and can contribute to its development on an international scale. We believe that with the right support, Mechozaurs can evolve into a powerful brand that resonates across multiple forms of media, engaging audiences worldwide.

An evolving animation portfolio

MIAM! was founded 8 years ago, and it is an independent French group focused on 3 main activities, which are MIAM! animation, MIAM! studio and MIAM! distribution. in Ukraine and worldwide

IDENTITY CARD THE TINIES

Format: 50x11’ + 1x22’ + 52x3’

Target: 4 - 7 y.o.

Release: Q4 2025

Co-production partners: Panique!, Lunanime

Synopsis: Welcome to Attic Town, a playful world built by toys where living in harmony is quite a challenge! Luckily for those funny inhabitants, they can count on two heroes, Ollie, the enthusiastic and self-confident doll, and Titus, her tiny, crafty best friend.

MIAM! productions and distribution titles have a global reach. The international potentialities of an IP is considered in the animation division, as well as on the distribution side. MIAM! aims to make a positive impact on audiences. In today’s competitive market, authenticity and commitment are qualities that broadcasters value. MIAM! cherishes long-term partnerships with producers, growing together over the years. What began as an editorial strategy has become a competitive asset in a challenging market where distributor independence is rare. With support from French subsidies and Creative MEDIA in Europe, MIAM! is navigating this crisis reasonably well.

Highlights for MIAM! distribution

Our Summer of Freedom is a 6x26’ 2D animated series, produced by Darjeeling, in co-production with Panique! and Lunanime, commissioned by France Télévisions, RTBF and VRT, and co-created and co-written by Alice Zéniter. The series is launched in France in October this year. It is a heartfelt coming-of-age adventure series that resonates with a co-viewing audience. Its universal themes of friendship, adventure, and self-discovery make it an ideal pick for broadcasters. RTS (Switzerland), DR (Denmark), and TV5 Monde (French territories worldwide) are already on board.

MIAM! ANIMATION

Our Summer of Freedom

The Tinies

Other major pre-sales are currently in final discussions and will be announced soon.

The Dangers is a 10x13’ adventure series in 2D for kids, produced by Tchack, commissioned by Canal+ and pre-bought by TV5 Monde. The delivery is set for Q3 2025, created and directed by Daniel Klein and co-written by Cyril Deydier and Baptiste Grosfilley.

At its core, The Dangers explores the strength of family bonds and how children navigate and adapt to life’s unexpected changes, making it not only an exciting adventure but also a deeply relatable story. The pre-sales process is about to kick off at MIP Junior with the very first episode available.

What’s new at MIAM! animation

Among the main novelties we can quote The Tinies (50x12’ + 1x22’) - co-produced with Panique! and Lunanime, and commissioned by Canal+ and VRT. The delivery is set for Q4 2025.

The Tinies is a character driven sitcom comedy show to entertain the upper preschoolers and give them the taste for upcycling and creating their own toys. In addition to the 11-minute series, 52x3’ stop motion tutorials will be produced to help children to reproduce at home the crafts they’ve seen in the series.

Another highlighted production is Goat Girl, (26x11’), a new quirky comedy full of humour, directed by Krystal Georgiou and Lauri Saunders, written by Shannon George and Kristina

Yee. The series is co-produced with Thuristar and Daily Madness, and commissioned by Warner Bros Discovery EMEA, KiKA, RTE and VRT. The release plan is Q1 in 2026. Goat Girl focuses on self-acceptance and embraces what makes each one different, even if it seems weird or wild. Through the series, children are encouraged to understand that they are good enough just as they are, and it’s important to find where they can be themselves.

The second season of Edmond and Lucy (52x12’) is in development. It has been the first inhouse production launched in 2022. With more than 35 broadcasters on board, dubbed in over 28 languages, directed by Francois Narboux, the series is based on the French books collection Edmond et ses amis by Marc Boutavant and Astrid Desbordes. It is produced in real time CGI, a technology that allows to produce CGI images without any rendering, improving the image quality. Real-time allowed to produce a series of higher artistic quality with a limited carbon footprint and costs, and an impactful message that touched an international audience.

MIAM! stays true to its DNA with projects which are aligned to entertain preschoolers, kids and young adults with qualitative content from all genres, always nurtured with the values of tolerance, empathy, self-esteem, knowledge, but also feminism, inclusion and diversity.

IDENTITY CARD GOAT GIRL

Format: 26 x 11’

Target: 6 - 10 y.o.

Release: Q1 2026

Co-production partners: TDaily Madness, Thuristar

Synopsis: Gigi was raised in the mountains by goats. And now that she is a teenager, her Nanny and Billy think it is time for her to spend time with actual people. At school the challenge is to make new friends. And she will make friends not at the expense of being who she is.

Goat Girl

The Dangers

METAXILASIS

New projects from a talented young studio

By Cristina Angelucci

Metaxilasis is an independent studio based in Belgrade, Serbia, founded 3 years ago, specializing in the production of animated series for preschoolers and children.

Metaxilasis, a studio of 30 talented professionals, is stepping into the European animation market with new, high-quality IPs. As a European studio, we aim to position ourselves as a strong competitor and are actively pursuing collaborations with co-production studios, distributors, and TV channels to expand our presence.

One of the most well-known shows produced by Metaxilasis is OmNom Stories, which has garnered 60 billion views on YouTube and is available on 80 platforms worldwide, including Netflix and Disney+.

IDENTITY CARD TINKERBEN AND MOTOR

Format: 26 x 11’ 2D Animation

Genre: STEAM, Comedy

Target: Preschoolers

Synopsis: TinkerBen is a boy-genius engineer who teams up with his robo-dog pal, Motor, and his talented friends to help the friendly folk of Wowtown, using cool gadgets, ingenuity, and imagination! In the town, everyone can rely on TinkerBen. No matter the problem—a rocket-swiping monkey, a farmer’s flock gone astray, or a lost dino on the loose— TinkerBen has limitless inventiveness and a team of specially-skilled friends to help solve it. For TinkerBen and his team of tiny but talented technicians, every challenge becomes an incredible adventure!

Added Values

- STEAM Skills Development: Exploring STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) professions in a kidrelatable way, TinkerBen and his best friends—AstroNiki, the bold astronaut; ArchiTan, the precision builder; and DesigNira, the amazing artist—use their specific skillsets, creativity, cooperation, and teamwork to get the job done.

- Teamwork: In each episode, TinkerBen and Motor race to the rescue, gather necessary information, devise a brilliant solution with the help of a friend with special abilities and training, and design a solution to save the day! And, of course, TinkerBen and his friends make children laugh and cheer up along the way!

Metaxilasis pitch at Cartoon Forum

Beyond working as a service studio for other producers, they also develop their own properties. TinkerBen and Motor is their first property and animated project. Pitched two years ago, it is now in production. This show follows TinkerBen, a young engineer always accompanied by his pal Motor, a robot dog. They help citizens of Wowtown using engineering skills and imagination. It’s an engineering show with a comedic touch. TinkerBen and Motor inspires children to think creatively, collaborate with others, and care for their community. It introduces a simplified model of design thinking that helps children approach everyday challenges in innovative ways. The show also highlights how technology can empower them to make a positive impact on the world and develop important life skills.

The show has strong licensing potential and offers a vast opportunity to expand into a broader universe. This could include not only games and books but also additional content and educational activities designed to engage and benefit children, making it a well-rounded experience for the audience.

At Cartoon Forum 2024, Metaxilasis also introduced a brand-new project, The Fabulous Piglini, a comedy TV series featuring a young Piglet Magician as a protagonist. It’s a show full of visual humor, gags, and slapstick elements, focusing on kindness and encouraging children to use their imagination. Although the project is in its early stages, it received great feedback at Cartoon Forum.

OmNom Stories

MONDO TV FRANCE

Mondo TV France explores new horizons with Wonder Pony and Grisù

Recently, Mondo TV France has partnered with France Télévisions to develop the animated series Wonder Pony, and has announced the acquisition by CANAL+ of the new 3D preschool series Grisù

Mondo TV France creates animated series focused on universal themes for children. Notable productions include Lulu Zipadoo, Sherlock Yack, Marcus Level, and Disco Dragon, which explore nature, interactive storytelling, video games, and emotional growth through music.

Mondo TV France has recently teamed up with France Télévisions to develop the series Wonder Pony (2D, 52x12’). Adapted from the comic book by Marie Spénale, published by Jungle, Wonder Pony follows Louison’s adventures, who, on her first day in summer camp, unwittingly frees a bunch of monsters that have been locked away for centuries and guarded by a little pink magic pony named Jean-Pierre. This is how Louison, a little girl who could have been quite ordinary, becomes a fun and completely offbeat superheroine! The show is written by Thomas Blanc and Olivier Vannelle. Pierre Siracusa, Director of Animation, Young Audiences and Education at France Télevisions, declared: “We’re delighted to welcome Louison and Jean-Pierre to the Okoo team! Wonder

Mondo TV France: A new era of animation leadership

Mondo TV France was founded in 2006, as the French arm of the Italian Mondo TV group, which celebrates 60 years in the market in 2024. All the current team came into the company between 2019 and 2020, with the aim of continuing the great work that had been already accomplished by Eve Baron Charlton and Sylvie Mahé, the former CEOs.

Reidun Montaville is now the CEO and Producer at Mondo TV France. With many years of experience in the animation industry, she has worked in production at Xilam Animation, Gaumont Animation and Cottonwood.

Reidun joined Mondo Tv France in 2019 as a production manager on Disco Dragon, and became CEO and producer in 2023.

Thomas Blanc is the Head of Editorial and Development. He began his career in animation in 2017 as a head writer at Blue Spirit on the Alice and Lewis show, also contributing to Arthur and the Children of the Round Table. Afterward, he became a scriptwriter, collaborating with numerous international studios and broadcasters. He joined the Mondo TV team in 2020.

Déborah Berhmani arrived at Mondo TV in 2020, after graduating from art and animation school LISAA. She started as an assistant production and director, and currently serves as the Coordinator of Development and Production.

The three colleagues share a strong and harmonious relationship: they are committed to establishing a powerful editorial direction for the company.

Pony is undoubtedly first and foremost a comedy, but it’s also a series about the delicate transition from childhood to adolescence.”

Mondo TV France is also pleased to announce the acquisition by CANAL+ of the animated preschool series Grisù (3D, 52x12’). The character of Grisù, the little dragon who wants to become a firefighter, was conceived in 1964 by Toni and Nino Pagot. The 3D reboot of this series is the result of a great European synergy between the broadcasters and the co-producers Mondo TV Group, ZDF Studios, Toon2Tango

and Calidra, and is supported by Creative Europe Media. Grisù has already been broadcast in Germany on ZDF and Kika, in Italy on Ray Yoyo and in China on the Youku platform, which is part of the global Alibaba group. This acquisition by CANAL+ confirms the appeal of the Grisù brand and the potential for licensing and merchandising activities - jointly owned by ZDF Studios and Mondo TV Group.

The 52x13’ show Sakamon Castle, a wacky and unlikely series adapted from Instagram comic strips, is currently in development by two-time Emmy-nominated writer Jordan Gershowitz.

New projects are also on their way: to stand out, Mondo TV France is partnering with the most prestigious European institutions to create their ambitious new Ips – soon to be announced.

IBRIDO STUDIO

A hub of young talents

IBRIDO STUDIO is an independent awardwinning animation studio based in Italy that has been making 2d, 3d and stop-motion animation since 2016, ranging from feature films to music-videos, commercials, videogames and VR.

Over the last few years, Ibrido is behind high quality productions as Tufo, a TV Special animated documentary, co-produced with Showlab and Les Contes Modernes, pre-bought by Rai and selected at Annecy International Animation Festival. From this project, it has been originated Pietre (Stones), a mini-series (3 x 26’), delving into two

additional stories to shed light on the crucial subject of justice witnesses.

A focus on the latest projects and productions

Anselmo Wannabe is an animated TV series (26x7’) for kids in 2D animation, pre-bought by Rai and RTP, in co-production with AIM Creative Studio. The TV series is about Anselmo, a young boy who tries a different job in each episode, dreaming about it. The project has been selected for Cartoon Springboard, CEE Animation Forum, Cartoon Forum, MIA, BAD, and has garnered significant interest from many broadcasters.

For this IP, IBRIDO is looking for partners to expand its development. They plan to create a kind of Wikipedia of jobs for children, a website where they can discover what they can become when they grow up, with interviews of passionate real workers. They also plan to develop a series of mini-games, books, and a merchandising line to bring the concept of the TV series beyond the small screen.

Matita HB is the brand new TV series (26x11’) produced by IBRIDO. It is a 2D animation aimed at a family target audience, based on the children’s book written by Susanna Mattiangeli, illustrated by Rita Petruccioli. The series is about a very ironic young girl who writes everything that happens to her in a

diary. The series develops into adventures generated by her imagination, showing her the beauty and fragility of the world and exploring children’s creativity in a social context where they are used to growing up somewhat alone in a world (with parents) that is always too busy to take care of them. The TV series was presented at Cartoon Forum this year with overwhelmingly enthusiastic feedback from attendees.

From TV series to feature film, IBRIDO is behind the beautiful project presented at Cartoon Movie 2024, Dark Horses. It’s an anthological animated film (90’) using various techniques – 3D, 2D, stop-motion, oil painting – and is aimed at young adults and adults. It’s a journey into uncontrollable emotions, told in five different chapters set in different places and times. Five stories of rebellion against oppressive systems, in which a horse always leads to resolution. IBRIDO is initiating a coproduction with Sultana Film and is in the process of finalizing

agreements with other partners to be announced soon. The project has also obtained a very important special prize from Ciclic for the development.

Città Dolente is a VR series (5x12’) aimed at a young adult and adult target audience, created using mixed techniques and currently in production. The project was selected for the Biennale College VR, a program of the Venice Biennale, in co-production with Ojo Raro (AG). The project is inspired by Dante’s Inferno but focuses on discriminated communities, particularly those in Latin America. It’s a journey into hell where you walk in a spiral, encountering people from these communities and facing problems arising from such a challenging environment. The goal is to highlight the social paradoxes generated by the new world, raising doubts about Western-centric perspectives.

Città Dolente

BEAKUS

UK animation studio Beakus is riding high

Over fourteen productive years Beakus has consistently punched above its weight, morphing from a successful commercial service provider to an IP generator with 100% success rate when it comes to commission.

Their journey into kids’ content began when founder Steve Smith was approached by the BBC to create animation for the first series of The Numtums. “It was a kind of baptism-by-fire as not only had we never created work on that scale before, we also decided to build the characters in 3D using Lightwave! Hats off to the BBC for believing in us, even then,” says Smith.

Beakus was formed the moment Smith’s first child was born, and his household was readily immersed in kids content thanks to his wife, Leigh Hodgkinson, being a celebrated and prolific picture book author and illustrator. “Our first original IP, Olobob Top, became a real family affair as both our children voiced characters. Directing them was like heaven and hell all wrapped up into one!” says Smith.

The show was picked up by BBC, ABC and S4C and went to two seasons, distributed worldwide by Cake Entertainment. Beakus had announced itself on the international scene through a Kidscreen Award nomination and Manchester Animation Festival industry gong, and success arrived again with their second commission, Yakka Dee!. A collaboration with BBC alumni Lotte Elwell and Katie Simmons, Yakka Dee! encourages kids to speak, taking the viewer on a surreal and comedic journey around the myriad of visualisations that can represent each chosen word. There are now over 140 episodes spread over 7 series, and a stellar YouTube channel to boot, with almost 1.2bn views and 1.3m subs.

Fresh out this autumn is Beakus’s third original series, Big Lizard, launching on BBC, FTV and RTBF. A true Anglo-French-

In these pages images from Big Lizard TV series

Belgian co-production, Big Lizard was developed by first-time series director Amaël Isnard and Beakus’s own Steve Smith, who is producing alongside Je Suis Bien Content’s Franck Ekinci, Watch Next Media’s Phillipe Alessandri, and Bardaf! Production’s Olivier Nomen. Smith reflects that Big Lizard was a property like no other, and he was inundated with enquiries after pitching the show at Cartoon Forum (before Brexit came).

In the CGI animated show seven-year-old Cosima is a space explorer travelling through the universe with her scientist Dad, played by comedian Josh Widdicombe, and glitching supercomputer D.O.R.I.S., voiced by Doctor Who actor Mandip Gill. They crash-land on Proxima B (an exoplanet that’s believed by real-life scientists to be Earth’s closest lifesustaining cousin). In an evolutionary coup de grâce the world Cosima discovers is prehistoric, specifically paleozoic, and full

of pre-dinosaur animals and plants, including the effervescent and beguiling Big Lizard himself. An instant best friend and partner-in-crime for Cosima, Big Lizard’s presence creates a multi-faceted dynamic that drives relatable stories about the world, friendship, adventure and, as Smith puts it, “dollops of comedy!”. The series is distributed by Aardman and Smith is keen to explore licensing opportunities as the show launches around the world.

“At MIPCOM this year I’m excited to celebrate Big Lizard’s arrival,” Smith concludes, “and seed partnerships for future productions from our growing development slate of original IP. Now that we’ve proven the co-production route and our credentials speak for themselves, I’m super excited about what comes next, whether it’s more of our original IP or helping other producers through service work or co-production.”

BVXI&P

INFiNiXANiUM: dreams come true

INFiNiXANiUM, an original 2D animated series, is being developed at BVX Innovation & Production (BVXI&P), a young studio in Paris and Belgrade.

The saga unfolds across multiple challenging worlds, all contained within a mysterious dystopian cylinder, in a perpetual quest for truth. Marc Beauvieux, a versatile French artist born in Moscow in 1999 and trained in design, illustration, and 2D animation in Paris, co-founded the company with his parents in 2022 with the specific goal of realizing this ambitious series. Located in the heart of Belgrade and Paris, the studio also aims to nurture the skills of young talents from art faculties, selected for their creativity, expertise, and enthusiasm.

Which is the origin of the idea?

INFiNiXANiUM is inspired by recurring childhood dreams, combined with a multi-cultural education that fostered a flexible, “sponge-like” vision of life. Growing up in Moscow, I was influenced by the architectural style of brutalism. Additionally, summer holidays spent by the ocean and my early passion for drawing contributed to the concept. While pursuing my university studies, I explored ways to bring to life characters I could identify with and create settings that evoked the same sensations as those from my childhood. The solution emerged as a saga within a series, perfectly aligning

Marc Beauvieux

with the topics I was studying. INFiNiXANiUM is an original 2D animated series enhanced by 3D elements, as the journey through this universe requires a multi-dimensional approach.

Which is the format of this project?

The story and scenario are complex, with a draft script spanning multiple seasons, each consisting of approximately 13 episodes of 26 minutes. The narrative takes place in a dystopian, living cylinder where characters navigate through 15 different worlds, each filled with challenges and mysteries. At the story’s core is a mysterious force, brimming with immense energy that causes much misfortune but is coveted by all.

The series follows the journey of three heroes – children who grow and evolve through perilous adventures across decaying dystopian landscapes. The structure of the story and script incorporates various locations, multiple characters, and welldefined roles.

The design of the Cylinder, with its different levels, serves as a facilitating element for the series’ structure. As the seasons progress, the multiple adventures of characters provide flexibility to create spin-off series focused on specific heroes, ultimately forming a complete, infinite universe for entertainment.

Which challenges are you facing?

The initial challenges included clearly implementing the concept and defining its inspirations. Subsequently, we needed to refine the story, script the first season, and create the artistic package. To accomplish this, I established the startup to collaborate with other artists before animation production began.

The current challenge is securing partners to produce the first season. Our presentation at MIFA in Annecy last June garnered excellent feedback, which is encouraging.

Which is you vision for the future?

This is a lifelong project for me. I envision it as a triptych encompassing animated films, games, and manga for each series. Each medium has its own market that deserves exploration.

The current focus is on raising awareness among potential partners who may want to join this ambitious venture.

3D Model of INFiNiXANiUM universe

Lynx celebrates the release of its first feature film, Bartali’s Bicycle and focuses on new projects

Lynx Multimedia Factory was founded in 2012 from the passion for cinema and cartoons of a group of professionals with diverse expertise and extensive experience in the sector. Their complementary skills allowed for the development of the first all-round properties with a transmedia approach.

This is exemplified by Cricky & Fril and Cooking Time!, which between 2012 and 2014 were developed into animated shorts, comic series, and, in the case of Cricky & Fril, a vast series of merchandising products for Coop Italia.

Over time, the team led by Sabrina Callipari, Enrico Paolantonio, and Evelina Poggi has focused on audiovisual content, continuing to search for projects with high educational value and refined design quality.

Each project is first tested in international markets to find the right editorial and production approach. This was the case with Bartali’s Bicycle, which began as a TV special for Rai Kids and evolved into a feature film based on thorough editorial and commercial research.

Co-produced with Rai Kids, Toonz Media Group, and Telegael, Bartali’s Bicycle “was an exciting production adventure but also

LYNX

Sabrina Callipari and Evelina Poggi

a challenge, as the distrust towards animated feature films in Italy limited financial availability. We have always believed strongly in this project, and time has proved us right. Last summer, the film received the special Lete prize at the Giffoni Film Festival, and after its theatrical release, it was selected for other international festivals and is circulating in many cities and smaller towns across Italy.” Evelina Poggi, CEO at Lynx says. “Today, the theme is more relevant than ever” continues Sabrina Callipari, Executive Producer, “as the story sees the bicycle of the Italian champion arriving as a symbol of peace, friendship, and altruism in Israel, an area divided by conflicts and prejudices. Our aim is to reach as many school-age children as possible with our message.”

Born from the idea of Israel Cesare Moscati, who suddenly passed away in 2019, and developed with screenwriter Marco Beretta, the film is directed by Enrico Paolantonio, co-founder of Lynx and director of several TV series. It is designed by Corrado Mastantuono and Andrea Pucci. Tullio Solenghi lent his voice to the character of Gino Bartali in the Italian version, while the famous Israeli singer Noa wrote and performed the beautiful closing song with musician Gil Dor. Marcello de Toffoli composed a moving soundtrack.

Beyond this important release, Lynx’s research focuses on developing Nip & Lena series, created by Andrea Pucci and Antonio Antonelli. This pre-school product has obtained the Italian Ministry’s selective fund for production and was presented at Cartoon Forum in 2023 with Irish partner Telegael. A third co-producer, Digitoonz (India), will be in charge of the animation.

Two other IPs are in development. They are: Magnet Life and Giganti. The first is a pre-school series using mixed media techniques, created by Valentina Cambi. The second is an

animated project written by Enrico Paolantonio about the life of Michelangelo Buonarroti and his relationship with marble, particularly his David. The plot features a surprising twist. It consists of three half-hour episodes that could potentially become a 90-minute feature film.

Among Lynx’s main service experiences, the company worked on several successful specials for Larcadarte and Rai Kids, including The Star of Andra and Tati, In the Sea There Are Crocodiles, and The Fabulous Story of Barbiana

EASYACTION

Exploring the potential of VR

By Rossella Arena

In an interview with EAJ, the director and producer of easyAction Ethan Shaftel, describes his journey from traditional filmmaking to VR.

What is your relationship to VR?

What attracted me to virtual reality was that the medium was wide open to being defined. My first love was cinema, and I’d made short movies since childhood, but I also experimented with interactive narrative experiences that you played on a computer. People would ask “Is this a movie or a game?” and I never had a good answer. Then, around 2016, when this wave of VR headsets became popular, I started remaking my earlier interactive narrative experiences as VR prototypes, and suddenly I never got the game-vs-movie question. In the mind of the viewer there wasn’t any baggage about what a VR experience should be. I fell in love with the medium’s potential.

What have been your most significant projects in this medium?

My first indie VR project was the short comedy Extravaganza, which premiered at Tribeca and opened a lot of doors. I got a call from an incredible animation studio called ShadowMachine, who have Emmys and Oscars for TV and film, but wanted to experiment in VR. We ended up making two fun, innovative VR shorts, one of which was Kaiju Confidential, which went to Sundance.

Through these projects I developed a “grammar” of interactive camera movements and scale transformations that I call “Zips”. This system came together in my next project, Ajax All Powerful, which was financed by a Chinese company and became successful in China in VR theaters and on mobile devices. Gargoyle Doyle is built on the same system but now with a longer, more mature story. Outside of any one

project, I see my work as being the development of immersive techniques and pushing them to fit ever more complex narratives.

How did your latest project, Gargoyle Doyle, come about and why was it conceived in VR?

For a story to feel authentic in VR, I try to express the character’s psychology through the space itself. Gargoyle Doyle started as a funny title. But as I explored who Doyle was, I had the insight to investigate the actual gargoyle experience

Ethan Shaftel

of being locked into an environment, stuck on a wall for hundreds of years. That sense of being stuck or trapped in life felt very human, so doing that in VR meant exploring a human experience in a uniquely immersive and exaggerated way.

What do you see as the potential of VR versus traditional animation and how can it engage audiences compared to traditional cinema?

Animating in VR from a technical standpoint is the same as 3D animation in cinema — same software, same skillset for the character animators. But cinema audiences are used to “leaving themselves behind” and viewing the story via a protagonist. In VR, you quite literally “bring yourself” into the

“Outside

of any one project, I see my work as being the development of immersive techniques and pushing them to fit ever more complex narratives.”

medium, and that undermines your ability to abandon yourself to the story. You think about yourself: “What am I doing?” or “Am I doing it right?” That’s something that my set of immersive techniques helps to correct, by taking the emphasis off yourself and towards your VR protagonist through pacing and movement. It’s a work in progress, but I think that our skill as both VR creators and VR consumers will improve in lockstep, just as cinema has.

How does your work in the VR field differ from other colleagues?

The most mainstream use of VR for the audience is for games, of course, which is not what I do primarily. In the smaller world of narrative VR, the community is incredibly varied, and we have storytellers who come from film, games, theatre, art, and more. My work is unique because of its comedic tone and style, and the fact that it tends to focus on protagonist-based storytelling like cinema, with hidden interactivity behind the scenes that helps to unify the experience for different visitors, rather than use interactivity to differentiate their experiences from each other.

How has the exchange with European animation realities contributed to your projects?

Most of my collaborators and co-producers are outside the US, frequently in Europe. Our co-producer in Austria is Amilux Film, which has done great work in VR and film. In the Netherlands, we have found a lot of talent in the videogame industry and have a partnership with a game art studio in Utrecht called High Priority. Europe has been responsible for pushing the creativity and adoption of narrative VR through the variety of talent, public funding and support for the medium, and the patronage of prestigious festivals. The Venice Film Festival has really championed VR for years, as has Annecy, plus many smaller festivals, which has been critical for my own career and for my peers trying to make their mark in the medium.

Gargoyle Doyle Exhibit at BIFAN festival ©easyAction Group LLC 2024

ANIMATION IRELAND

Ronan McCabe takes stock of the health of Ireland’s animation sector

By Davide Abbatescianni

The CEO of Animation Ireland discusses the organisation’s mission to support the animation industry, highlighting its strengths and challenges

As Ireland’s animation industry continues to grow, Animation Ireland, the sector’s key advocacy body, plays a pivotal role in shaping its future. With international recognition and increased government backing, the industry has become a vital component of the country’s creative economy. Speaking to EAJ, Ronan McCabe, CEO of Animation Ireland, discusses the current state of the animation industry, its strengths, and the challenges ahead. He outlines the

Ronan Mc Cabe

organisation’s mission, its collaboration with key partners, and the initiatives aimed at maintaining Ireland’s competitive edge. McCabe also delves into how the industry interacts with other media sectors, including VR, AI, and gaming, while highlighting areas for future improvement.

What is Animation Ireland’s main mission? What about its core activities?

Our mission is supporting and advocating for the continued development of Ireland’s animation industry. Our core activities are multifaceted. We represent Ireland’s excellence in animation content creation and production to national and international audiences. We aim to position animation as a vital component of the country’s creative and screen industries and to present ourselves as a cohesive voice for Ireland’s animation studios. Besides, we advocate government’s, policy makers’ and stakeholders’ support for the continuous development and growth of a sustainable world-class animation industry by developing strong partnerships to drive innovation and deliver solutions to shared industry challenges. Finally, we build competency in the industry through the development of programmes and initiatives with education and training partners and provide information and support to member studios in order to perform successfully in the global animation marketplace.

What are the strengths of Ireland’s animation sector, and what about the areas that still need improvement?

Ireland’s strengths are the availability of the tax credit and the upfront payment, the educated workforce and our access to the EU for recruitment, our successes have put us on the map, the fact that we are a majority English speaking country, the quality and cooperation of our education and training sector, the support of our public service media, and the support of our Screen agencies and government bodies.

“We

aim to position animation as a vital component of the country’s creative and screen industries and to present ourselves as a cohesive voice for Ireland’s animation studios.”

What about the org’s members, its structure and scope?

We have 44 member studios representing everything from full service studios with several hundred employees with numerous projects at all stages of development and production to one or two person ideas companies. We have an executive team of three that reports to a Board. We also use single issue sub-committees to work on specific areas and then make representations to the Board.

It’s only possible to raise modest sums in Ireland so we have to look further afield to get projects fully financed. Our banking sector is playing catch up with the industry so there’s room for improvement there and it would be great to see a Content Levy introduced under the AVMSD.

Meanwhile, Animation Ireland is lobbying for an increase in regional support and an increase in the tax credit for projects with a budget up to €20 million.

What about your main partners?

Our main partners are our broadcasters RTÉ and TG4; our funders, Coimisiun na Mean, Creative Europe, Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Ireland; our government agencies Enterprise Ireland and the IDA. We also work closely with government departments and Revenue, our local tax authority. Moreover, we collaborate with our partners in VFX, gaming and live action on areas of collective concern with their respective representative organisations: Imirt for gaming, Screen Producers Ireland for live action production, VFX Ireland as well as the Composers, Directors and Writers Guilds.

Irish Animation Awards winners in 2023

Irish collective booth at MIFA

FORTICHE

Fortiche: a French success story

By Lucas Fillon

Let’s take a look back at the history of Fortiche studio, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary.

Set in the world of the League of Legends video game, created by American company Riot Games, the series Arcane, that triumphed when it aired in 2021, is supported by Riot Games and French studio Fortiche. Based in Paris, Montpellier and the Spanish Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Fortiche holds a unique place both in France and on the international stage. In November, Netflix will be offering the second season of Arcane, as will the Chinese platform Tencent. The phenomenon series is based on the League of Legends video game, which counts 152 million players worldwide. Launched in 2009, the game is the brainchild of Riot Games (USA). Around League of Legends, Riot Games has developed a 360° strategy, of which Arcane is one of the components. To

Fortiche Production. From left to right: Pascal Charrue, Jérôme Combe and Arnaud Delord - Credits ©Vincent Ferrane

produce the series, the company partnered with the French studio Fortiche, with whom it had collaborated on several occasions in the past. Thanks to Arcane, the French company has acquired major visibility on the international scene. In 2009, video game veterans Jérôme Combe and Pascal Charrue and music video director Arnaud Delord created their own animation company, Fortiche, based in Paris. From the outset, they made their uniqueness clear. ‘We wanted to offer content for both young adults and adults. Visually, we wanted to have a real ‘signature’, which was embodied in a mix of 3D and 2D’, says Charrue. Fortiche made a name for itself in music videos, advertising films and video game teasers. In 2012, the young studio produced an advertising film to mark the partnership between Converse shoes and the British music band Gorillaz, directed by Jamie Hewlett, cofounder of the band with Damon Albarn. The same year saw the

Above and Top Image: ©Riot Games, Inc. ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

unveiling of the La Gaviota video, produced by Fortiche for the French music group Limousine and directed by Jérôme Combe. ‘With La Gaviota, we’ve definitely found our style’, comments Charrue. The advertising film and video clip caught the eye of Riot Games. The American studio asked Fortiche to come up with a video clip for League of Legends. The result was Get Jinxed (2013), directed by Jérôme Combe, Pascal Charrue and Arnaud Delord. After that, Fortiche established a strong connection with Riot Games, while working with other partners, and went on to create additional videos centered on the game.

In 2015, Christian Linke, who works at Riot Games, suggested making a League of Legends series and naturally thought of the French studio as a partner. The project was greenlighted. A six-year marathon began. Riot Games oversees the writing, led by Christian Linke and Alex Yee, as well as the sound design, music, voice recording and ensures the series aligns with the game. Meanwhile Fortiche oversees the directing, by Arnaud Delord and Pascal Charrue, as well as the visual production. The heroines of Arcane are two sisters, Vi and Jinx, who live in a world called Runeterra, divided into two zones - the prosperous city of Piltover and the dark district of Zaun. Vi and Jinx are very close, but their sisterhood will be shaken by a number of events… For this Arcane season 1, which consists of nine episodes, each lasting around 40 minutes, Fortiche went from a small-

scale operation to an industrial one. ‘The requirement was clear: the quality of the animation had to be worthy of a feature film’, points out Combe. The team grew up considerably. In 2020, Fortiche opened two new studios: one in France, in Montpellier, and one in Spain, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.  During these six years, disrupted by the Covid pandemic, Netflix joined Arcane. Once the series was completed, the American streaming platform launched it in November 2021 in the territories where it was present. The success was immediate. Arcane, suitable for viewers aged of 16 and above, has reached the number 1 spot in 52 countries. It has received glowing reviews, captivated audiences and impressed the industry, earning numerous awards. In 2022, it secured four Emmy Awards and nine Annie Awards. In China, the Tencent streaming platform began broadcasting Arcane in November 2021, and it has also been incredibly successful there. Within hours of its release, it garnered nearly 130 million views. As of now, details about the second season, which took three years to materialize, are being kept under wraps.

At the same time, Fortiche is already preparing for the future. ‘We want to continue our collaboration with Riot Games, while developing our own projects. As such, we are developing our first feature film, Penelope of Sparta. Aimed at young adults and adults alike, it’s a sort of prequel to Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey, telling the story of a coming of age in a world where science-fiction plays a prominent role’, explains Combe.

©Riot Games, Inc. ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

©Fortiche Production, Inc.

Zoe Hauer on ORF’s programming and acquisition strategies

By Marina Richter

We spoke with Zoe Hauer, Editor for Children’s Programs at Austrian pubcaster ORF, following this year’s Cartoon Forum. She discussed the network’s animation programming, acquisition strategies, target audience, and recent market shifts.

What kind of content do you seek to acquire?

Our demand for animated children’s series has grown with the launch of our online channel ORFKids. We’re looking for a wide range of series, from preschool shows to those for preteens. We’re also interested in educational series on topics like science, foreign languages, and geography, not just for preschoolers but also for older kids.

What type of audience does ORF target with its animation programs?

Our main target is children aged from 3 to 11 years old.

“We aim to balance educational and entertaining content while featuring diverse characters that reflect today’s society”

Zoe Hauer

Could you describe your programming strategy?

The animated shows we acquire are mostly for children and broadcast exclusively on ORFKids. We aim to balance educational and entertaining content while featuring diverse characters that reflect today’s society.

Have you noticed any significant audience or market shifts recently?

Streaming has become increasingly popular. ORF stays current with evolving audience habits and launched a new streaming service, ORFOn, including ORFKids, in January 2024.

Is there demand for adult animation?

ORF’s demand for adult animation is limited. However, we’ve been airing The Simpsons since 1991, though viewership has declined. In 2020, we created an Austrian German dubbed version for special episodes like Christmas and Halloween, with well-known Austrian actors. These ‘localised’ specials have been successful, thanks to the unique Austrian humour they bring to the show’s sarcasm.

How do you distribute your content?

In addition to our children’s morning programme on ORF1, we launched ORFKids, a FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) online channel, in January 2024, integrated with ORFOn. We will also launch a dedicated app soon.

“Our demand for animated children’s series has grown with the launch of our online channel ORFKids”

Julie Lind-Holm Hansen unpacks DR’s animation strategies

By Marina Richter

We caught up with Julie Lind-Holm Hansen, Commissioning Editor of Animation at Danish pubcaster DR, at the occasion of this year’s Cartoon Forum. She discussed the network’s animation programming and the latest market shifts.

What kind of projects are you seeking for DR?

Danish kids and their families love humour and stories they can relate to. We want to create content that contributes to spreading that joy. That’s why we’re seeking projects with strong humorous elements, suitable for broadcast on our different kids’ channels – DR Minisjang (1-3 years old), DR Ramasjang (4-8 y.o.), and DR Ultra (9-15 y.o.).

In addition, we’re searching for international content that could fit our animation slot, FredagsTamTam, a children’s TV programme airing every Friday afternoon on our main family channel DR1 and streaming on DRTV.

For FredagsTamTam, we’re mainly interested in series with 7, 11, or 22-minute episodes. Ideally, we’d like to pick shows made up of 52 episodes. The content should be entertaining, fun, and engaging for the entire family.

How many projects in development are you currently backing?

We’re actively supporting a variety of 2D and 3D animated projects. Some of these are low-budget, whilst others are larger international projects. Currently, we’re involved in ten different projects.

Has anything significantly changed in your ways of production and distribution post-pandemic?

Since the onset of the pandemic, we’ve witnessed significant changes in the landscape of children’s TV, primarily driven by the rise of digital platforms. The pandemic accelerated the shift towards online services and the availability of customised on-demand content for kids.

In response to this evolution, our various offerings at DR have also evolved. We’ve prioritised encouraging children to engage with reality and foster connections with friends and family in the real world.

To this end, we’ve launched numerous projects and partnerships aimed at creating opportunities for children to explore their surroundings and experience the world beyond screens. For example, we have focused on integrating educational elements into entertainment and collaborating with different organisations to promote active engagement. Likewise, we’ve played a significant role in providing educational resources for schools and kindergartens in Denmark. We’ve produced a variety of educational content tailored for children, focusing on subjects like sports, mathematics, language, and science.

DR believes that ‘1 hour of TV should lead to 100 hours of play.’ Therefore, we aim to promote an active lifestyle and ensure that children get the most out of their screen time by using it as a source of inspiration for playing and learning.

“We’re seeking projects with strong humorous elements, suitable for broadcast on our different kids’ channels”

Julie Lind-Holm Hansen

MIYU PRODUCTIONS

From France to Japan: Behind the scenes of Miyu Productions’ Ghost Cat Anzu

By Kévin Giraud

Ghost Cat Anzu, the latest feature film by Miyu Productions and Japanese studio ShinEi Animation, is a one-of-a-kind gem of a co-production made possible thanks to a deeply collaborative process between France and Japan.

This year, Ghost Cat Anzu – directed by Yoko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita - achieved significant milestones by being selected at both Cannes and Annecy. Emmanuel-Alain Raynal, producer, and Julien De Man, artistic director, guide EAJ into this fascinating animated odyssey.

What convinced you to take on this project?

Emmanuel-Alain Raynal: It all started with an observation: the decrease in Japanese independent filmmakers’ presence at international festivals. After meeting Nobuaki Doi, a Japanese producer, we became aware that many young Japanese directors enter the industry for economic reasons and then struggle to return to personal projects. Subsequently, we made efforts to co-produce with Japanese studios. This collaboration resulted in films by young filmmakers such as Yoriko Mizushiri, Atsushi Wada, Sawako Kabuki, as well as animation veterans like Rintaro or Koji Yamamura, all of which received international recognition. Yoko Kuno, one of the young talents, created the short film Airy Me, which I particularly loved. When we met, she quickly told me about her project, Ghost Cat Anzu, produced by Shin-Ei Animation (Doraemon, Crayon Shin Chan). The studio was struggling to finance the project, adapted from a little-known manga and quite far from market expectations. We were immediately

captivated by it and hopeful about starting a long-lasting collaboration between French and Japanese industries.

What are the financial challenges associated with a project of this nature?

E.-A.R. : A French-Japanese co-production is an unusual combination in the animated feature film sector, mainly because the Japanese market is largely self-sufficient thanks to the deep integration of manga and anime into daily culture, which diminishes the interest for Japanese studios to engage in international co-productions. This created an additional challenge for establishing financial partnerships between countries already with different management logics, alongside the absence of a co-production treaty between the two countries and the well-established “production committee” system in Japan, which is designed to minimize financial risks for commercial films. But with the help of foreign partners such as Charades as International Sales agent, GKids as distributor in the US, and Diaphana for theatrical distribution in France, we were able to ascertain the international community’s interest and helped bring Japanese companies on board, such as Toho. We were therefore able to complete the financing.

What about the artistic challenges?

Julien De Man: Everything happened remotely, with constant exchanges between France and Japan. Translations slowed down communication processes, but thanks to Alex Dudok de Wit, our production manager who is fluent in Japanese, we were able to streamline artistic feedback despite cultural differences. My role involved developing a visual language for the film, drawing inspiration from the script and initial discussions with Yoko Kuno and the Japanese team. The live montage resulting from the Japanese shooting served as a basis for the animation and the sets. To define the film’s palette, the creation of ‘colourboards’ (a series of quick color sketches of each shot) was a key phase. It allowed us to have an overall vision of the colors of the characters and atmospheres, to ensure that the artistic choices were in line with Yoko’s expectations. These colourboards rapidly became a tangible and effective method of visual communication during our video conferences.

At the same time, Shin-Ei’s team prepared rough layouts of the film, technical documents containing the filmed image and all the info for set design. This document was then translated and used in France to produce the clean layouts. Once validated, the decors moved to the coloring stage, based on the colourboard sketches.

This process ensured visual consistency across the different stages of production. Yoko Kuno’s feedback was clear, precise and always in support of her vision of the film. All of this couldn’t have been possible without a united French team who maintained a positive working atmosphere despite the tight deadlines, making it possible to overcome technical and human challenges.

Following on this successful collaboration, do you have other plans for coproduction development between France and Japan?

E.-A.R. : We are delighted by both the outstanding production experience and the strong relationship we developed with our Japanese partners. We are excited about the film’s success so far and we are currently discussing future collaborative projects with our co-producer Keiichi Kondo. At Miyu, we are currently producing Yoshitoshi Shinomiya’s feature film A New Dawn, in partnership with Asmik Ace You

NEW CHALLENGES

Between Culture and Commerce, a new global Animation cycle starting soon?

By Christophe Erbes

The current financial landscape appears challenging for obtaining financing: numerous post-COVID projects and private global platforms are minimizing their investments to break even.

When will this consolidation cycle end, allowing new ideas, markets, and targets to emerge? Where can we uncover new opportunities? Could we collaboratively define new benchmarks and gain fresh perspectives? Despite the current crisis, our optimism remains intact, as the animation market continues to grow. We’re seeing an increasing diversity of series online, including VOD services from free TV channels, more kids and family content in movie theatres (not limited to blockbusters), and a growing young adult audience for animation on platforms and the internet, particularly via smartphones in developing regions. Given these trends, what are the silver linings for our intellectual properties (IPs) as producers, distributors, or licensors?

Last year, 60% of French animation was cancelled by streaming platforms. So, for me, after 20 years of exciting kids’ broadcasting and 15 years of developing and screenwriting for established companies, was it a good

Christophe Erbes

A courtesy of Cartoon Media. Credits © Celia Lenoir

idea to start our new production company Godo with three colleagues? Well, the international success of the first season of Team Nuggets, created by Sparre Production for 5-8 yearold kids on DR, is an encouraging miracle. It’s visually bold and successful because it’s so unique: the young female chick heroine is a winning underdog in a very diverse classroom. In France, the pay platform Canal+ is fortunately still investing in diverse content: they quickly saw the unique potential and trusted our adaptation. Our national Film fund CNC exceptionally agreed to help a minority French TV coproduction with an extremely tight budget: only when the public French-speaking Belgian RTBF and Swiss RTS bought the show we did break even. Lucky new producer, saved by the bell. Now Serious Kids distributes it globally, and we’re working on a second season.

It all started with the Danish public channel and its new ambition for their national animation industry, increasing their investment and calling for projects. In these strange global political times, public channels have a more important role than ever to play in promoting family values and hope for kids. Similarly, School TV saved France 4 during COVID when the

President thought we could give a monopoly to the private sector. In the near future, meaningful and culturally relevant shows may be more needed than ever. It can’t just be about money, can it?

Politically, Europe imposed national and European quotasexcept for Germany, but they are expected to change their rules soon with a long-awaited animation tax credit, potentially next year.

How did this game between culture and commerce start?

We all know Disney’s history first in movie theatres. Then 50 years ago, PBS created Sesame Street, opening the new field of edutainment. Nickelodeon was top-notch until Disney went free and brought live action. In the early 90s, a little European miracle occurred: public channels co-produced a long-running animated series every year, starting with the visionary Animals of Farthing Wood, an ecological tale.

Now that free TV is past its peak, are we about to start a new cycle? The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) has coordinated an initiative at Cartoon Forum to finance two ambitious developments per year since last year. Thirty-five

A Pitch session at Cartoon Forum 2024. Courtesy of Cartoon Media. Credits © Celia Lenoir

years ago, Cartoon Forum started to coordinate European co-productions as US and Japanese animation had a kind of global monopoly. Now Europe is part of the global game: around 1,000 series have been produced at Cartoon Forum for €3.6 billion

Interestingly, big developments and productions are happening in Asia beyond Japan, especially in India, China, and Korea. Latin America, together with North America and/or Europe, is also becoming an animated player – when politics allow. All these partners help solve a paradoxical equation: raise quality but not the budget.

As Disney switches back to subscription and the two other big international linear networks continue losing eyeballs, the dominating US standard is leaving space for quality international co-productions, diluting financial risk and raising content diversity. For example, in Team Nuggets, Danish bold humour and French emotional kids’ care combine to create unique and discoverable stories.

Outside the paywalls, the content distribution norm is the enormous free VOD sea of choices. Excellence and mustsee content are the goals of our new developments. Average is disappearing. We need to invent new formal excellence, not just in CG but also in 2D: isn’t it time for a rise of “global anime,” also for youth?

Have you heard of 11-year-old boy Samuel, a 21x6’ series started alone and voiced by Emilie Tronche on Instagram (US) and musical shorts on TikTok (Chinese) during COVID, supported by European public broadcaster ARTE and Catalan public channel TVC? It’s a unique phenomenon with millions of fans – not expensive but perfect for a wide audience. Similarly, traditional Eastern European stop-motion culture is experiencing a revival.

We need to find affordable or reasonably unique priced coproductions. This is part of a global effort for quality and diversity, and for some, sheer survival. In movie theatres, expensive Pixar CG has been a standard for decades, but the Minions are French, and at the 2024 Oscars, three animated feature nominees were in 2D. Shown in Cannes, the amazing dialogue-free Flow, about animal survivors in climate change, was created in Latvia using open-source Blender by the director alone.

For the theatrical market, Godo is finishing Fleak, a kids’ resilience personal story with a commercial CG look from Finnish Anima Vitae, producer of Niko Little Reindeer 1, 2, and

3: resilient kids’ culture AND commerce. Remember in France how 2D African super-baby Kirikou drew millions of viewers at the end of the last century?

Speaking of Africa, long after The Lion King, will other animated African stories and myths finally emerge, driven by the rising young population of the cradle of humanity? There are so many bridges between our continents: Godo is now developing Alpha Two’s Dreamed Journey, successfully pitched at Cartoon Movie 2023, based on a true story –not just another superhero but a universal human tale. A crossover promise? Culture and/or commerce?

On the other side of our huge, animated world, Barbie is both but so expensive. National and/or global culture? For commerce, online licensing allows fragmentation and local producers to succeed. So, will global money further invest in animation? Well, Hasbro bought eOne - and its “oh so British” Peppa Pig. Scholastic just bought 9 Story: working with publishers to animate big IP creates huge opportunities - see the success of Bologna Children’s Book Fair!

Finally, when we look at reboots, we need to dare new forms with kids’ and family values of today: commerce AND culture. Diversity. New challenges and partnerships. New opportunities.

Lights at the end of our tunnels, silver linings after the storm: the animated future has to be brighter. Where? Maybe with you?

Celebrating 35 years of Cartoon Forum with a Special event. Courtesy of Cartoon Media. Credits © Celia Lenoir

Alpha Two’s Dreamed Journey

OVERVIEW

Animating the future of Europe’s Animation industry

The Animation in Europe federation employs a multi-faceted approach to support animation across the continent, which includes strategic planning, collaboration with key cultural programs, advocacy for improved funding criteria, and the promotion of a robust network of animators.

Animation in Europe (AE), established in 2016, is an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the sustainable growth of the European animation industry. Its mission is to unite producers’ associations from EU countries, to facilitate the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and data. AE represents producers, studios, and distributors involved in animated series and films, with over 500 companies affiliated through their national associations. The federation seeks to enhance the EU animation sector by increasing funding on two fronts: securing and expanding public financing at local, national, and European levels, and encouraging media services (broadcasters and platforms) to invest in original EU content through regulatory measures.

Currently, AE includes 23 countries (and 25 related associations): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, UK.

AE’s strategic initiatives and collaborations

AE has several key lines of work that reflect its ongoing

efforts to strengthen the sector. The Animation Plan, launched in 2017, provides a strategic framework to explore potential growth opportunities within the industry and identify challenges in this evolving landscape.

AE collaborates closely with Creative Europe MEDIA by giving essential feedback for the evaluation of the 2021-2027 Creative Europe programme. This partnership is vital for ensuring that the unique needs of the animation sector are addressed within broader cultural and creative policies. AE has advocated for improvements in the criteria used by Eurimages, which supports co-productions of featurelength fiction, animation, and documentary films. By refining these criteria, AE hopes to better accommodate the specific requirements of animated projects, and enhance their chances of receiving funding.

AE’s involvement extends to the Council of Europe, where it has worked on two significant fronts: the Pilot Programme for Series Co-Productions, helping to align the requirements to better suit animation series, by recognizing their distinct production dynamics; Convention on Co-productions, with an active involvement in adapting proposals for a new convention that considers the specific needs of animation creators.

As a dialogue platform, AE facilitates discussions regarding the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) across member states. This platform is instrumental in presenting arguments and factual information to national governments, while highlighting overlooked challenges faced by independent producers, and proposing viable solutions.

AE is committed to enhancing conditions for European animation through various initiatives: collaborating with the European Commission to reform legal frameworks that support the animation sector; facilitating co-productions within its extensive network; sharing best practices and identifying successful case studies; and connecting AE producers with emerging audiovisual agents and platforms. As an active member of CEPI (European Coordination of Independent Producers), AE stays updated on EU regulations, trends, and opportunities impacting the animation industry.

Building a European Animation network

AE fosters a strong community among its members, through various gatherings. The Annual General Assembly is typically held at Mifa (Annecy), and serves as a cornerstone for networking and collaboration. Cartoon Forum meetings offer additional opportunities for members to connect and share insights. AE occasionally organizes informal meet-ups at other festivals and markets to facilitate dialogue among members.

Through these initiatives, AE disseminates relevant information affecting the European animation sector and strengthens relationships within the industry. The

Animar_BCN 2024

AE is a key partner of the European Animation Convention Animar_BCN, that on 26-28 November 2024 celebrates its third edition in Barcelona, Spain. The event is an initiative of PROA, the Federation of Audiovisual Producers in Spain. It serves as an annual platform for brainstorming and debate among producers, policymakers, and other key players in the European animation sector. The goal is to enhance cooperation between different EU countries and scale up the animation industry.

Four working groups, led by the Animation in Europe Board and composed of animation experts, will discuss various topics relevant to the industry in 2024, such as legal aspects, co-productions, AI & Animation, Green Animation.

collaboration with CEE Animation further enhances these efforts by promoting connections across different regions in Europe. Animation in Europe is also a proud partner of 20252028 Anima Mundi, a three-year HORIZONTE Europe-funded programme focusing on European Animation.

AE Board. From left to right: Philippe Alessandri (AnimFrance, France), Moe Honan (Animation Ireland, Ireland), Dirk Beinhold (Produzentenallianz, Germany), Iván Agenjo (Diboos-ProAnimats, Spain), Pablo Jordi (APFI, Finland)

TAIWAN

From succulents to entrepreneurs: new animated adventures from Go Go Studios

by Rossella Arena

The latest animated projects from Taiwan’s Go Go Studios showcase a blend of creativity and heartfelt storytelling.

Ro Ro Land by Go Go Studios is a new animated series (12 x 5’, 3D, 6-8), directed by Erik Lee. It unfolds a heartwarming tale of a squad of endearing walking succulents, their camaraderie, and their journey through various balconies of a fictional Taiwanese city. Gimma and Fifi, two overlooked plants, become friends on a succulent farm. Fifi, who grew paralyzing plantlets when nervous, fascinated Gimma. They were later brought to the Golden Balcony, where they decorated their pots and enjoyed the view. Fifi gifted Gimma a purple crayon but struggled to fit in, leading to an incident where her nervousness triggered a massive growth of plantlets, accidentally paralyzing all the Lithops around her. Gimma tried to help but accidentally broke Fifi’s crayon, causing her to leave in distress. Years later, the lively Kon Kon arrived at the balcony and helped Gimma heal from his depression. Together, they dealt with a crisis involving rogue plantlets falling from the sky. Their journey led them to trustworthy companions like Kira and Mo, ultimately reaching the Dark Balcony, where Fifi had established her own kingdom. She rejected Gimma’s invitation to return but was touched when he revealed the purple crayon. Just as they began reconnecting,

Erik Lee, Founder of Go Go Studios

Erik’s professional journey includes working as a character animator at TWR, CGCG, and Light Chaser Animation Studio. Later served as animation production director at Taiko Studio, where he contributed to the short film One Small Step, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2019. In 2020, he returned to Taiwan and founded Go Go Studios, which now focuses on developing original animated series and delivering high-quality professional animation production in the US, Taiwan, and China.

an excavator caused chaos, forcing everyone toward a cliff. An unforeseen savior appeared to guide them back to safety. The series is scheduled for release in 2025.

Also produced by Go Go Studios and directed by Erik Lee, the family short Fan (3D, 8’30, 2024) follows Ben, a Taiwanese entrepreneur, from the 1950s to the present day. Despite immense setbacks, he and his wife, through resilience and hard work, build their future together, honoring the entrepreneurs who fueled Taiwan’s economic rise.

You are a multifaceted artist: actress, writer, director, producer... Would you tell us about your background, and in particular your relationship with the world of animation?

Perhaps before I tell my story, I will name my relationship with the world of animation: love.

When I was at the Drama University, studying directing and acting, in the harsh years of the ‘90s, Armenia was at war. We lived through winters without electricity, heating, transport and even telephones, not to mention the death that surrounded us. I never wanted to be anything besides an actress, but sometimes life shows you roads you never imagined. It was then, locked up at home with only candles for light, that I started to write my first book – a fantasy novel called The Inhabitants of Ankimure. In later years it received the Orange Book Award in Armenia and was published with my illustrations. From being an actress and writer, I also became

Between imagination and empathy

By Rossella Arena

EAJ had the pleasure of interviewing Armenian director Armine Anda, who achieved great success with her poetic 2023 short film The Song of Flying Leaves.

a screenwriter, then a producer- writing and producing films, both fiction and animation.

So it was a long way before I directed my first animation

The Song of Flying Leaves. And now, after the 2020 war in Armenia, after coming across so many wars, I have returned to creating my own stories through imagination towards empathy, and I think of animation as my perfect world.

How did the film The Song of Flying Leaves come about, and how has it been received so far?

From the first animation I produced, I wanted to make one as a director too, but circumstances made me delay it, because it was easier to postpone my project, than those of others.

“Once upon a time”, a miracle happened. A famous Ukrainian feature film director of Armenian origin, Roman Balayan, who has always been one of my favourite directors, suggested that

HOSHKEE FILM

Armine Anda

I make a film based on a short fiction script he had written. That was the beginning of The Song of Flying Leaves, a short animated film that I co-wrote, directed, produced and voiced. Incredibly amazing artists collaborated with me - an Armenian prodigy composer Miqayel Voskanyan, one of the most talented artist-illustrators in Armenia- artist Anna Hakopian, and many others. It was also the first Armenian-Iranian animation co-production between my company Hoshkee Film and Iranian Hoorakhsh Studios, with Ashkan and Arman Rahgozars as co-producers. I am very grateful to the Iranian partner: believing in the story, they came on board even before the Armenian national funding was confirmed.

The story reflects on the friendship between a father and a child, a teacher and a student, and what it can bring. The story also considers the relationship between man and nature, and the idea that even a child can become a “father” to nature. I dedicated this film to my father. The Song of Flying Leaves had its world premiere at the Kaboom Animation Festival in 2023, and has since been confirmed at over 70 festivals, winning 13 awards, including the Armenian National Film Academy’s Anahit Award for Best Animated Film; the Golden Apricot as Best Short Film at Armenia’s most famous Golden Apricot IFF, and the Audience Award in the Horizons competition at Paris IAFF. It also became the first Armenian short film to be acquired by international sales (Network Ireland Television).

What kind of projects would you like to realise in the future in the animation field?

I am currently developing a feature film and several short projects. One of the shorts is a war story with the working title Love Land. The other is a children’s Christmas story, The Wonder-full Night. I have to admit that I am a bit scared to be working only on a war story. I was too close to the war, I saw a lot of pain around me. That’s why I decided to make a joyful and funny film for children about friendship based on my published book.

And finally, I am developing a feature animation, The Wind of Legends, inspired by Armenian legends. Humanity is losing its way, we are facing such injustice in the world towards those who are not strong enough... In order not to feel as helpless as I sometimes do, I want to bring little drops of my own solutions - this time to call upon myths and legends again, as they are like lanterns from the origin. Not to mention the rich heritage of Armenian culture that needs to be brought to light for the world.

In terms of industry, I always long to do co-productions, even short ones, not only because a co-production is a great help, sometimes a vital help, but also because a co-production itself is proof of what unity can bring. It is equally important for me to contribute to the development of the Armenian animation industry, which has incredible potential.

Finally, I would like to come back to your first question. There is something that is no different for a writer/director, an actress or a producer. As a creator, I long to explore the connection between imagination and empathy. Because I believe that imagination must serve empathy. Maybe that’s why it’s never been difficult for me to move from one to the other or to combine them, because the goal is the same.

All images: The Song of Flying Leaves

David Reyes’ Journey: From Music to Animation

By Serena Previderè

With a mother as a piano teacher and a sister who excelled as a pianist, music was ingrained in David Reyes’ life. And as he delved into the world of music playing in different ensembles, he found a profound connection to cinema.

Determined to pursue a career that married both his passions, David Reyes began to aspire to write music for films. Faced with the challenge of finding formal education in this niche field, he decided to study to become a movie director to get a glimpse on the entire process of the making. During his studies, he never missed the chance to let music in, immersing himself in composing.

His journey took a turn when he travelled to Paris to study film music. It was during a festival that he caught the attention of a producer. This fateful encounter marked the beginning of a career in music for films.

David’s passion for animation fuelled his desire to venture into this specialised realm. His breakthrough came with the acclaimed Shooom’s Odyssey (2019), which garnered prestigious awards such as the Cristal  for Best Tv Production  at  Annecy  Festival (2020). Additionally, Reyes solidified his footprint in the world of animation with the series The Superheroes of Nature (2023).

How would you describe your working process?

Collaborative and open. As someone with a background in directing, I enjoy the editing process that comes with the visual aspect of a film. I always prefer to write music based on the project I receive, because I believe music and visuals should complement each other to create a cohesive atmosphere. When I present my work to others, it’s my vision of their universe - when people share their worlds with me, we create a new world together.

Do you often work with other musicians?

I usually write music alone, as I find that everything is already in my head and it gets complicated to share what’s inside. However, I always find ways to partner with other musicians, depending on funding and the context of the film. For example, if I am working with a different country’s culture, I tend to collaborate with local musicians.

You have a young daughter, how does your relationship with her affects the way you choose the projects you want to work on?

[laugh] Oh, she is the first judge. Not on the projects themselves, but more on the way she reacts to the music I write. If I see her enjoying it, I know it will be good.

What do you have in the works right now?

I am curating a live performance of The Superheroes of Nature. Creating an engaging concert experience that is both fun and captivating would be my top priority.

David Reyes

Trond Jacobsen on Roach Coach, Bivrost’s future endeavours

and starting the main animation.

By Davide Abbatescianni

We spoke to Trond Jacobsen, co-director, writer, and producer of Roach Coach, a new project in the works staged by Norway’s Bivrost and Latvia’s Ego Media and helmed by Ilze Burkovska. During our chat, we also touched on Bivrost’s future endeavours.

Could you please touch on the concept and main themes of Roach Coach?

The story revolves around the relationship between two girls, Viga and Sana. It’s about accepting others for who they really are and discovering what’s hidden inside each of us. In it, even a girl who loves storytelling and a cockroach, Taro, can be friends. The film blends reality with the imaginative personalities of insects, combining children’s everyday life with fantasy. We humans often focus on the harmful aspects of insects in our daily lives. However, as one of the oldest inhabitants of the planet, cockroaches embody not only strength but also sadness and our lack of awareness.

What challenges are you facing along the way?

We’re fortunate to have a small, talented team that has worked together for a long time. The storyboard is developed by the directors and the main animators together, so we all understand the depth and details when creating the animatic

The biggest challenge in making Roach Coach has been transitioning to new software. Last year, we started using Moho for our core work, and we now believe this will be a great asset to the production. With Moho’s latest updates, we’ve been able to create advanced 360-degree rigs for the main characters.

Maintaining a loose, playful style is important to us in this film. We spend a lot of time and effort on the animatics, improvising with actors, and adding life to the performances and story. Our work routine is designed to preserve this approach throughout production.

Of course, another challenge we’re facing is our limited budget. Our efficiency, experience, and the quality of our team make our goals achievable despite this constraint.

What’s next?

We’re working on another important project based on the continuation of two of our earlier efforts, the animated series Classmates - which focuses on bullying in schools - and the doc series It’s Me You See , which deals with children with various disabilities.

We aim to merge these two projects into an animated story about what it’s like to enter a new classroom when you’ve a disability. Friendship and cooperation are themes that occupy our minds and work, both now and in the future.

We’re also developing an animated short about the last penguin of the North. It’s a wild story about how humans drove a species to extinction — the Great Auk, one of the oldest recorded birds. The story will be told from the perspective of the last bird of its kind and the man who hunted it. This will also be the first animated short penned and directed by our son, Marius Burkovskis Jacobsen

Describing reality through animation

By Emiliano Fasano

Muta Animation is an artistic collective founded by four talented animators - Elisa Bonadin, Elisabetta Bosco, Margherita Giusti and Viola Mancini - who met at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Turin (Italy), where they graduated in 2020.

The film had premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2023, won the David di Donatello, where animation is almost never represented, then won the Nastro d’Argento, which is awarded by film journalists, and then was awarded at the Hong Kong Film Festival, which is not reserved for animation.

What was it like to participate at festivals that are not reserved for animated films?

M: The Meatseller is an animated film that works well in the context of live cinema, simply because of its narrative structure. It is very well received at festivals where live-action films predominate.

Was the idea of the collective born in the classroom?

E: Yes, that’s where we started to fantasise. We shared the room where we worked on the graduation films, so it ended up being a bit of a joke. Yeah, you say it and then you never know if you’re really going to do it.

In 2023, with the short film The Meatseller, they established themselves as one of the most promising auteurs of European animation.

Let’s begin with the award you received in Annecy. How did it go?

Margherita: We didn’t expect it! It was good to be there, together, at the Annecy Festival. We had been there as students, but it was important to go back as professionals. Elisabetta: It was very nice to be awarded and recognised by the animation community. It is a special feeling that is difficult to experience at other festivals.

Margherita: It was the first award from an animation festival.

Elisa worked on Sidere, Viola, Elisabetta and Margherita on En rang par deux. In the latter we can already see the idea of describing reality through animation.

M: The film was born from an approach to Afif and Aliou, two African boys living in Rome, and it is based on their music. I interviewed them and then with Elisabetta and Viola it became a collective work.

Was the animated documentary a discovery from your school days?

M: I was already doing it before school. I had taken up and developed stories discarded by Gianfranco Rosi for Sacro

Elisa, Elisabetta, Margherita and Viola

The Meatseller

Gra (2013), the first documentary to win the Leone d’Oro in Venice. But since high school I have been drawing on frames, for example some protests. So, in my opinion it was kind of all together. And then at school we found each other through affinity.

E: Yes, a lot. For the final films we already had very similar ideas. Even with Elisa, who was working on another film, we found ourselves with a lot of the same values and what we wanted to do outside of school.

Elisa: In 2020 there was Covid, some of us had started doing internships. We stopped and, working from home, we started sharing projects and that’s where Muta came from.

With The Meatseller you had to expand the collective to go into production.

E: The principle, I think, was a little bit about the collective. We chose people we trusted, other CSC graduates and people we admired.

...Who are mostly women.

M: There were already a lot of women in the CSC, so it was partly natural. But I don’t think it’s an accident that the four of us are women. At the end of the studies, the statistics are dramatically clear, there’s a world that scares you a bit, so the idea of putting us together gave us a bit more strength.

E: Being women definitely brought us together, there is a sensitivity even in the issues we deal with together.

The protagonist of the short film is also a woman.

M: Selinna Ajamikoko is a Nigerian girl who wanted to be a butcher like her mother. To fulfil her wish, she embarks on a long journey to Italy full of pain and brutality. My original idea was to make a series of short stories about women telling themselves through their work.

Will your next projects still be animated documentaries?

M: As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think I’ll be going back to documentaries in the near future, at least for now. There is a feature film project, also produced by Luca Guadagnino, but it is too early to talk about it. Then everyone is working on different things.

V: I just made the video clip “Fiore Mio” on the music by Andrea Laszlo De Simone.

Elisa: I am working on a headline film that involves the collective in different ways.

E: At the moment I am working with IBRIDO, a studio that was born a few years ago as a collective and is now an established reality of European production.

The Muta Animation Collective at Venice80

NEW MOVIES

A look at two upcoming films, Olivia and the invisible earthquake and Akiko - The Flying Monkey

by Rossella Arena

The world of animated cinema continues to expand with innovative storytelling and diverse themes, as showcased in two upcoming films: Olivia and the invisible earthquake and Akiko - The Flying Monkey.

Olivia and the invisible earthquake is a social dramedy (80’, Stop Motion), produced by Citoplasmas Stopmotion, Cornelius Films and Bígaro Films (Spain), Vivement Lundi! (France), Panique! Production (Belgium) and Pájaro (Chile). The 12-yearold Olivia experiences her first life changing event: the eviction of her family. Following this, she, her younger brother Tim and their mother Ingrid are forced to squat in an empty apartment in a rough neighbourhood. Ingrid, who usually is optimistic and full of energy, can no longer cope with the situation and falls in a depression. Olivia has to replace her, caring for her and Tim, while dealing with the feeling of an emotional earthquake. However, amidst these challenges, Olivia discovers a new “family” that helps her rebuild her life and confront the inevitable upheavals. While things may not always unfold as we wish, we can choose how to navigate them.

The film’s production is currently underway in Barcelona, specifically in an industrial unit in the Sant Martí neighborhood,

starting from July 2024. The Spanish premiere of Olivia and the invisible earthquake is anticipated for the fall of 2025. The protagonists will be voiced by actress Emma Suárez and journalist Jordi Évole, among others. Its director and screenwriter, Irene Iborra, is also known as stop motion animator and for her contributions to both children’s and adult

Olivia and the invisible earthquake making of Top image: Akiko - The Flying Monkey

cinema. She adapted the Maite Carranza’s novel The Movie of Life (La película de la vida) by, published by Barco de Vapor in 2017. The book has sold 24,000 copies in Spain and has been translated into eight languages. The French company Pyramide International is overseeing international sales, with distribution in Spain handled by Filmax, in Belgium by Le Parc and in France by KMBO

Akiko - The Flying Monkey, directed by Veit Helmer, blends heartwarming storytelling with vibrant animation and 800 VFX shots. This live-action family adventure, featuring a mix of real animals, has earned a spot in the official selection and premiered in the Kids section at the Locarno Film Festival. Akiko - The Flying Monkey follows the adventurous journey of Akiko, a young monkey who escapes from the zoo to reunite with his family and free other captive animals. Along the way, he befriends an eagle, a raccoon, a meerkat, a ferret, and a chameleon, each bringing their unique charm to the story. The film invites viewers into a world that initially seems familiar, but reveals a fantastic parallel universe upon closer inspection. In this world, many different animals live hidden very close to us—in letterboxes, used glass containers, and traffic lights—using many familiar everyday objects for other purposes that give them pleasure and fun.

Veit Helmer, who started making films at the age of 14, has directed numerous acclaimed works such as Tuvalu, Absurdistan, and Gondola. His films have been featured at prestigious festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice, winning over 150 awards. A member of the German Film Academy, Helmer also shares his expertise at various film schools in Germany and abroad.

Akiko - The Flying Monkey is produced by Veit HelmerFilmproduktion and supported by several organizations including the German Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), Kuratorium junger deutscher Film (KjdF), the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Filmförderung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The film was realized in close collaboration with NDR, BR, SWR, HR, SR, and RBB. Farbfilm Verleih will release the film in German cinemas, with a planned release date in Russia on June 26, 2025. LOCO Films Paris is handling world sales. The movie has already been sold in over 46 countries.

“Creating Akiko - The Flying Monkey was about crafting a narrative that resonates with anyone who retains a sense of wonder about the world. The film uses the playful antics and challenges of Akiko and his friends to explore themes of freedom and the hidden magic that surrounds us every day.”

Veit Helmer, Director

Top and below images: Olivia and the invisible earthquake

Akiko - The Flying Monkey

CARTOON ITALIA AND ASIFA

The Italian animation industry, between new challenges and quality content

The animation market in Italy has grown significantly in recent years and, despite structural difficulties that the trade association Cartoon Italia is addressing, the output has improved not only in volume but also in quality, becoming increasingly competitive at an international level.

Some Facts and Figures on the Italian Animation Industry In 2016, there were 81 companies operating in the Italian animation industry, including 36 producers and 45 service studios. The majority (about 80%) of these companies were small, and Italian production was entirely supported by the national broadcaster Rai, with a total animation budget of 12.6 million euros. There were no additional state incentives available for the industry to benefit from.

Starting from 2017 to the present, the entire sector has experienced exponential growth due to several factors,

DogHead Animation studio in Florence - ©DogHead Animation

ASIFA ITALIA

ASIFA Italia was founded in 1982 as the Italian branch of the Association Internationale du Film d’Animation (As.I.F.A.). The association operates on a dual track of cultural activities and promotion of industry interests, assuming a role of coordination, protection, and development of the sector. Thanks to its work, ASIFA Italia enjoys a good reputation in Italy and abroad, but most importantly, it has the trust of authors and industry professionals who see it as a solid reference point both professionally and culturally. Its activities include supporting cultural, artistic, scientific, and economic events related to the world of animation, as well as organizing educational activities and professional development initiatives, often in collaboration with public and private entities. Since 2024, ASIFA Italia has elected Valentina Mazzola as its President, one of the most esteemed authors and screenwriters for animated series. Supporting her in this journey

is a Board of Directors composed of: Marco Bellano, Professor of Animation History at the University of Padua; Marino Guarnieri, director and author, David di Donatello winner for Gatta Cenerentola and part of the creative team for L’arte della felicità and Yaya e Lennie - The Walking Liberty; Giulia Landi, talented animator who has collaborated on highly successful international projects; Lorenzo Latrofa, multi-award-winning director and animator.

The General Secretary is Emiliano Fasano, an expert in audiovisual training and culture. Bruno Bozzetto, one of the greatest and most recognized international animation artists, serves as the Honorary President.

Valentina Mazzola - ASIFA Italia

Cartoon  Forum 2024, the partnership with the  Bologna Children’s Book Fair

Cartoon  Forum  2024 had a Spotlight on Italy, proposing a rich overview of the main Italian animation companies operating at an international level and a broader selection of Italian projects pitched at the Forum. Moreover, it was also the occasion of a networking afternoon in collaboration with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. This event provided an opportunity for animation professionals, new buyers, and financial partners to engage with an Italian publishing delegation.

Notable representatives from Italy included: Elena Pasoli,  Director of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair;  Michela Bennici, Foreign Rights Manager, Just Right Agency;  Paola Corsini, Dramatic Rights Specialist, Editrice Il Castoro;  Emanuele di Giorgi, Managing Director, Tunué;  Enrico Racca, Editorial Director, Mondadori Libri Ragazzi;  Federico Riboldazzi, CEO/Co-Founder, Minibombo;  Gaia Stock, Editorial Director, Edizioni EL;  Francesco Zamboni, Foreign Rights Editor, Carthusia Edizioni.

“Cartoon  Forum  is an ideal partner to continue to encourage the meeting between the publishing and audiovisual worlds, opening new creative and commercial perspectives”  stated Elena Pasoli.

providing animation services in Italy, including 60 producers and 90 service companies. Studios now employ between 50 and 150 (or more) artists and technicians continuously. Over 6,000 full-time artists and technicians are involved in productions. In the last two years alone, the workforce has grown by 25% compared to previous years.

The educational sector has also seen a significant increase in schools and masters preparing young talents for the animation world, although it is not yet able to meet the demand of Italian studios. Despite these positive developments, the animation sector in Italy remains undercapitalized, primarily due to the commissioning of animation productions still being largely dependent on a single broadcaster. This issue hinders companies from developing long-term strategies and creating continuity in their work. Among the proposals presented by the sector during the General States event, organized by Cartoon Italia last July, there is a request to:

• Invest more in animated feature films

• Impose investment obligations to other players operating in Italy out of the public Broadcaster These measures aim to further strengthen and diversify the Italian animation industry.

The role of Cartoon Italia

Over the years, Cartoon Italia has played a decisive role in defending the Italian animation industry. The association not only represents the interests of production companies but also acts as a key interlocutor with public institutions and the media, promoting policies to support the sector. The battle for the sub-quota is just one example of the association’s commitment to ensuring that Italian productions receive adequate visibility and support.

Furthermore, Cartoon Italia promotes the participation of Italian companies in international markets and festivals, facilitating co-productions and collaboration with foreign partners. This openness to the international scene is fundamental in a global market where Italian animation can have a significant cultural impact, but only if supported by adequate investments and a clear policy of promoting national talent.

Today, the animation sector in Italy finds itself at a crucial moment. Significant challenges remain related to competitiveness with international markets and the need for more favourable regulations for the Italian production.

Rai Kids, a beacon for European animationInterview with Luca Milano and Annita Romanelli

EAJ’s interview with Luca Milano, Director of Rai Kids, and Annita Romanelli, Head of Production, Animation and Series, Rai Kids, explores the editorial choices of Rai Kids and the panorama of European animation.

How does Rai Kids influence European animation through its editorial decisions and co-production initiatives?

Luca Milano: We have two mandates. The first is aimed at children and families, to offer the best available entertaining and educational content, in line with our function as a public service. The second focuses on supporting the Italian and European audiovisual industry. It is important to combine the two objectives, in order to produce excellent content in Europe.

Rai has promoted cooperation with other major broadcasters, traditionally with French, German and Spanish broadcasters, more recently also with ITV (The Sound Collector) and the BBC (for projects like Super Happy Magic Forest, Piripenguins, The Game Catchers). In addition we are supporting the renewed interest in animation by EBU as network of European Public Media, for instance developing coproductions at Cartoon Forum. These partnerships are crucial to face the increasing

Annita Romanelli

Luca Milano

competition from global platforms, ensuring that European producers can produce ambitious works. We are also consistent with our committments and objectives, in a market that sees too many changes and sometimes turnarounds.

How do you determine which topics and products to prioritize in your focus?

Annita Romanelli: In addition to general themes of educational value, consistent with the public service function, there is in the last period a focus on sustainability and the environment to raise awareness and responsibility from an early age and in a concrete way. Another crucial topic is inclusion and the credible representation of disability, as demonstrated by the Italian productions Lampadino and Caramella, Leo’s World, The boy born on wheels and now many others. A third topical issue is the management of emotions in children and adolescent, especially anxiety, frustration, anger, but also fragility, toxic and problematic relationship between teenagers. Both in animation (Welcome to Coccoloba, Nina & Olga) and in live action (Crush- Matilde’s history, S-fidiamoci) these contents are much explored in our productions.

L.M.: It is important, when dealing with these subject, to change traditional formats and production patterns, and look for arriving rapidly to our public. We are studying technologies and formats to produce content capable to reach audiences quickly without reducing quality.

A. R.: In this sense, a compromise can be the creation of short films, an effective way to respond to this need for immediacy, offering high quality content in a short timeframe. It is important for us to cultivate innovation, both in content and in the storytelling, projects such as Sapiens? by Bruno Bozzetto or The Case by Maurizio Forestieri are significant examples, but also productions as OMG Travels, an environmental series with traditional episodes and innovative and edutainment pills.

How much have the offer and quality of Italian animation grown in terms of competitiveness on the foreign market?

A.R: Production companies have grown in terms of organization, experience and ability to access funds and support, improving their international credibility. We have seen an increase in autonomy and stronger relationships between companies, with a greater ability to present effective proposals on the global market.

However, there is always a new generation emerging; alongside our historical partners, we also care to give space to new companies with original and contemporary proposals.

What role does Rai Kids play for Italian animation today?

L.M.: Rai Kids is a fundamental driving force for Italian animation, acting as the main partner for television productions. Our role is important, but the industry also requires a European and international projection, and a public contribution through instruments such as tax credit. As a third pillar, the diversification of private investment is seen as essential to further enrich the industry.

Today we are interested not only in following the mainstream, but also in innovating themes and production models, in order to remain competitive in the global market.

Leo’s World (Il Mondo di Leo)

Lampadino and Caramella

MIA at 10: Gaia Tridente discusses the impact of the Market on animation and coproduction

by Rossella Arena

The European Animation Journal conducted a revealing interview with Gaia Tridente, Director of the International Audiovisual Market (MIA), which is celebrating its 10th edition this year.

The International Audiovisual Market is celebrating its 10th anniversary. What is the state of the MIA today, and what are its goals for the future?

Created in 2015 by ANICA (Italian Association of Film, Audiovisual and Digital Industries) and APA (Italian Audiovisual Producers Association) MIA has transformed itself according to the needs of the world market. With a strong identity and credibility, today MIA is considered a quality brand at a global level, strategic for the co-production market and the circulation of works and talents. We have pushed our boundaries and promoted new initiatives to meet the challenges of digital transformation and take a 360° view of content, also thanks to the support and inspiration of Creative Europe MEDIA, one of MIA’s main funders. This started in 2022 with the opening of the Animation division, now led by Carla Vulpiani, which has brought to a 20% increase in participants over the last two editions. The opening to animation, which brings to MIA both feature film and tv producers, buyers and talents, has also provided another benefit: contact with the universe of immersive works, XR, VFX, and virtual-related technologies

In short, our development strategy is based on being an incubator for the creative sector, embracing the potential of innovation for the creation and production, including new media.

What animation-specific initiatives are planned for the 2024 edition, and how does MIA aim to contribute to the development and dissemination of content in this field?

MIA 2024 has specific programs dedicated to Animation, highlighting the creative dynamism and richness that it represents, both in feature animation and in TV animation. We offer a dedicated Co-Production Market & Pitching Forum, a European showcase of work-in-progress titles (AnyShow,) as well as a series of conferences.

Which stakeholders (professional studios, institutions, etc.) are you collaborating with to further expand MIA’s animation program?

The presence of Animation in and around MIA continues to grow. MIA stands out in the animation world as the only market that combines business and creativity. This

uniqueness has made MIA a complementary and now essential event. Thanks to the strategy of expanding the international network, we received important feedback that allowed us to focus on our strengths and plan hot topics ahead of the 2025 season. In 2023 we involved one of the US’ leading studios, Skybound, and industry veteran, Marge Dean, contributed a key reflection on adult animation content. The Italian outfits Movimenti Production (Banijay) and Rainbow Group are among the MIA partners. Institutions like CEE Animation, and EBU will also be present at MIA. Among the projects presented in the Coproduction Forum and Showcase in previous years, the following should be mentioned: La Tempesta by Angela Conigliaro; Chicken For Linda! by Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach (ACID Cannes, Annecy 2023-Cristal Best Feature, César 2024); Sauvages! by Claude Barras. This year, submissions to the Animation Co-Production Market & Pitching Forum have increased by 50% compared to 2023.

In your opinion, what are the current strengths of the animation sector in Europe and what areas need improvement?

The animation sector in Europe has grown in the last 15 years, in terms of original IPs and talents. It has flourished thanks to the practice of co-production among countries, which for animation is almost the only way of producing. The competence, creativity and flexibility of European producers have been widely demonstrated. Thanks also to the support of the MEDIA programme, the existing co-production agreements between countries and the cooperation between producers and national broadcasters, the EU market has created a value system that has the necessary resources to resist changes and challenges. It would be great to see broadcasters working to reach and engage a broader audience for animation, going beyond the traditional target channel model. Additionally, it would be helpful for European funding bodies to explore new policies that better address the unique aspects of animation and its diverse funding needs.

Inclusion is one of MIA’s objectives. How does this principle apply in concrete terms to the animation industry?

Animation is a very powerful medium, capable of disseminating global social objectives and, consequently, is a powerful tool for the transmission of culture and for the interpersonal growth of contemporary global society as a whole. MIA values the freedom of artistic expression, the representation of cultural diversity and cooperation, the promotion of creativity and the development of talent, as well as the promotion of environmentally sustainable practices in audiovisual production.

Marge Dean e Gaia Tridente

The future of animated storytelling for children

by Rossella Arena

Children’s animation is poised for transformational growth: the diverse range of animated series and projects being presented at MIPCOM 2024 by numerous European and international companies, reflects a dynamic landscape where the traditional boundaries of animation are constantly being redefined.

TV Asahi and Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) are collaborating to produce a sequel to the beloved kids’ animation series Obocchama-kun, originally based on Yoshinori Kobayashi’s 1986 manga. The new series, consisting of 26 episodes, will continue the adventures of Chama, a

wealthy boy navigating his extravagant life. The animation will be produced in India, while the story and character design will originate from Japan, showcasing a blend of creative talents from both countries. The series has gained renewed popularity in India, resonating with children aged 6 to 11. The premiere is set for MIPCOM 2024, with plans for airing on SPNI’s children’s channel SONY YAY! next year. TV Asahi will manage worldwide distribution rights outside Japan and India, marking a significant step for the franchise as it seeks to captivate global audiences once again.

Wolkenleker and Cartoon Creative Ptv present Dinner Detectives, a vibrant 2D animated series (52X11’) aimed at expanding children’s cultural horizons. The series is inspired by the popular books by Yves Stening and Nigel Buchanan, with scripts by Kristina Dröge. Set in a diverse neighborhood filled with bakeries and cafés, young detectives Ying, Ayo, Clementine, and Aksel solve various mysteries while exploring different cultures and cuisines. Each episode culminates in a shared meal with their grateful clients, reinforcing the theme that food fosters understanding and appreciation of diversity. The show reflects Stening’s own multicultural experiences growing up in Surry Hills, Sydney, emphasizing that sharing meals is vital for children today. With engaging stories and adventures, Dinner Detectives encourages curiosity about food and culture in a fun way, making it an enriching viewing experience for children.

Obocchama-kun

Zoe & Olly by Mako Kids is an animated series (26x5’, +7), featuring a tech-savvy 10-year-old girl who creates an AIpowered unicorn robot, Olly, using her coding skills and a collection of unicorn toys. This show combines humor and adventure with philosophical insights about technology and ethics, appealing to both children and adults. The series introduces young viewers to AI concepts in a fun way, aligning with the digital curiosity of today’s youth. Through their escapades, Zoe and Olly explore the exciting possibilities and challenges of AI, while Zoe learns about connection and her place in the world.

It’s never too early to think about Christmas, and at Magic Light Pictures, the holiday spirit is alive year-round. This London-based production company, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023, has produced eleven festive adaptations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s classic tales. The Gruffalo was the first in what has become a long and fruitful partnership for the company with the BBC and Donaldson and Scheffler which went on to make family classics including

INDIAN ANIMATION STUDIOS SHINE AT MIPCOM

Prayan Animation Studio has established itself over 12 successful years in the industry, collaborating on numerous international projects. Their latest series, Super Sema, a YouTube original, follows the world-changing adventures of an extraordinary young girl named Sema and her twin brother MB, as they strive to protect their African town of Dunia from the villainous Tobor. Sema demonstrates that with determination, creativity, and support from the incredible realms of science and technology, anything is possible!

Klay Entertainment specializes in producing high-quality documentaries, films, animation content, and digital media that highlight India’s rich cultural heritage of India. Their portfolio includes a diverse range of animated and educational series, such as Rana and Riv’s Wonder Forest, set in the Wonder Forest, a secret realm filled with strange tribes, magical creatures and icecream trees, as well as Greek Tales, which brings to life the enchanting stories of many gods, goddesses and magical beings. Prismart Productions is recognized as a valuable representative in India’s CGI, 2D, and 3D animation industry. They also specialize in validating VR, AR, explainer videos, and e-learning content. This wellknown Indian animation studio has worked on numerous television shows. Among its IPs is the phenomenal Happy Tots YouTube channel, which achieved a remarkable milestone of 1 million subscribers in just one year! One of Happy Tots videos even garnered an astonishing 100 million views.

Room on the Broom, The Stick Man, Zog and most recently Tabby McTat. Recently, they announced their twelfth collaboration: an adaptation of Tiddler, set to air on BBC One this Christmas. The special features a star-studded cast including Hannah Waddingham and Rob Brydon. Each 30-minute special takes about 22 months to produce, crafted

Tabby McTat

by a dedicated team that aims to honor the original stories while creating a magical viewing experience for families. The adaptations have not only been critically acclaimed but also commercially successful, airing in 50 languages across 180 countries. They have won numerous awards, including BAFTAs and International Emmys. In addition to Donaldson and Scheffler’s works, Magic Light has adapted Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes and produced a live-action/animated hybrid of The Velveteen Rabbit, featuring the voice of Hollywood royalty Helena Bonham Carter. Beyond Christmas specials, Magic Light launched the preschool series Pip and Posy, based on Scheffler’s books. After two successful seasons on Channel Five’s Milkshake! and Sky Kids, it has expanded into a spin-off show, Pip and Posy: Let’s Learn, and is broadcast in 29 languages worldwide.

Tiddler

Pip and Posy

Illuminated Films introduces A Bear Named Wojtek, a 30-minute animated drama that tells the remarkable true story of Wojtek, a bear adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II, who played a crucial role in the Battle of Monte Cassino. The film has gained international acclaim, winning several awards and being selected for prestigious festivals, including Annecy, Animayo and Riverrun 2024. Director Iain Gardner was inspired by Wojtek’s story while working in Edinburgh, where the bear spent his final days. Producer Iain Harvey collaborated with a talented team from Scotland and Poland to bring this poignant narrative to life. Production began during the COVID-19 pandemic, overcoming significant challenges. The film features an award-winning score by Canadian composer Normand Roger, enhancing its emotional impact. Beyond its captivating tale, A Bear Named Wojtek explores themes of war’s brutality, loss, refugee struggles, and friendship’s enduring value. The film serves as a timely reminder of the human costs of conflict and the strength found in companionship. It is a Wojtek Animation Limited production, co-produced by Filmograf and The Illuminated Film Company in Poland and Scotland respectively.

HPD Media showcases two fully developed projects at MIPCOM, while actively seeking financiers, broadcasters, or co-producers.

Fanzo (3-6 years old, 52x11’, 3D) is an adventurous and

EXCELLENT CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMES FROM YOUR FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT AG

With over 3,500 half-hours of programming available for various territories and in multiple languages, Your Family Entertainment AG (YFE) offers engaging, top-quality children’s programmes for TV channels, streaming platforms, and mobile distribution. Their highlights include exciting titles like Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten,Tutenstein, Shaq’s Garage, Rainbow Rangers, the globally loved Fix&Foxi, and many more! You can see the latest program trailer here: https://vimeo.com/967887208

comedic project currently in development. When Trouble strikes the crystal-powdered world of Fanzo, brave heroes Ray, Twirl, Rex, and Spark, call upon Earth kids Lucas and Zoe for help in stopping the cranky villain Digor. Together, they leap into action to save the day and protect Fanzo from Digor’s wicked plans.

AVA & The Lost Season (3D, 90’) is a fantasy project also in development. In a kingdom trapped in an eternal winter conjured by the King’s evil daughter, a young girl embarks on a journey with a whimsical scientist, an ice giant, and her loyal oversized pet goat to bring back spring and save her younger brother from the clutches of the Black Cold - an illness spawned by the eternal frost.

A Bear Named Wojtek

AVA & The Lost Season

SPIELWARENMESSE

Connecting animation with toys

EAJ interviewed Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG

Toys and animation. A special link. What do you think? There is a strong and obvious link between both industries. Animated movie and TV characters are often sought after for licensing in the toy industry and retail, as they are considered reliable sales drivers. That’s why you’ll find plenty of licensed products with motifs from this segment at the Spielwarenmesse – including collectible figures, soft toys and backpacks as well as costumes for dressing up as your favourite animated hero.

Can you tell us more about the Spielwarenmesse and why it should also be a must-attend event for professionals and companies in the animation industry?

The Spielwarenmesse is the world’s leading event for the toy sector. Held each year at the end of January, it showcases the market across 13  product groups in 18  halls of the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre. The mix of market leaders and start-ups ensures a unique diversity of products. Also, as an efficient networking platform, the Spielwarenmesse offers all participants enormous opportunities – whether for finding new cooperation partners, maintaining existing business relationships or gaining insights into markets in other countries.

Christian Ulrich

Which are the main highlights for 2025?

We will deliver a comprehensive offering for all participants, with opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing as well as our special areas. Take, for instance, RedNight – the perfect occasion to expand business networks at the exhibitor parties on the Thursday evening of the trade fair. Then there will be the daily talks from international speakers in the Toy

SAVE THE DATE

Spielwarenmesse

28 January – 1 February 2025

Nuremberg, Germany

To learn more, visit the official website www.spielwarenmesse.de/en/

Business Forum, with informative industry insights on the latest developments and trends. The Toys for Kidults area is just one of our Specials worth a visit. The name says it all here – the centrally located space in Entrance Mitte showcases all of the many different products for adults who love to play, covering the areas of Collectibles, Creative Fantasy and Tabletop Games. In the ToyTrends area nearby, visitors will be able to check out the defining trend topics for the business year ahead.

Any tips you would love to share with our readers – animation producers and other professionals?

If you would like to immerse yourself in the world of licences, then our LicenseLounge is the place to be. That’s where you’ll find opportunities for networking and dialogue about current trends in licensing every day of the trade fair. Our LicenseTalks also deliver valuable insights and information on best practices. What’s more, you’ll find numerous walking acts out and about during the trade fair. These familiar characters from animated movies and TV series will ensure you capture impressive selfies and enjoy unforgettable moments at the Spielwarenmesse.

France, Ireland, and Italy: the most represented countries at the Cartoon Forum 2024

by Rossella Arena

The selected 75 projects of Cartoon Forum 2024, shortlisted from 107 submissions, hail from 20 countries. The selection is led by France (36 projects), followed by Ireland (7), and Italy (5).

France

France remains a leading force in the European animation industry.The Cartoon Forum selection offers a diverse range of 36 engaging children’s TV series and specials, that reflect the country’s rich animation landscape. Notable among them is Bin Buddies ( 52x7’, 3D, 5-7)

by Millimages. Set in Nicelittletown, the series features trash collectors as heroes, with characters Maddy the ostrich, Rodrigo the lion, and Turbo the raccoon promoting positivity and teamwork as they tackle challenges.

Lost in the Future (52x11’, 2D, 6-9, ) by Ellipse Animation is adapted from a comic book by Editions Dupuis It follows five friends who find themselves in a future where technology has been abandoned in favour of nature. They navigate unpredictable adventures in a jungle village filled with unusual creatures.

The Wolf in Underpants (3x26’, 2D, Family) from KMBO Production and Les Films de l’Arlequin, is based on a popular comic strip. The series explores themes such as «the business of the fear» and consumerism through the lens of a village frightened by a misunderstood wolf, while an insightful owl challenges these perceptions.

In The Shrimps (52x11’, 2D, 6-10) by Autour de Minuit, Meredith is a 9-year-old shrimp who dreams of becoming an astronaut or ocean president, highlighting self-acceptance amidst her quirky family’s antics.

Animals in a Nutshell (2D and 3D, 20x4’, Young Adult) is a science-focused series based on the zoology columns of Le Monde journalist Nathaniel Herzberg. Each episode features a “star” animal and recent scientific discoveries.

Lost in the Future

Animals in a Nutshell

Ireland

Ireland’s animation sector has experienced significant growth, nearly quadrupling by 2019, with Irish animation comprising almost 50% of all the country’s total production spend. Among the 7 Cartoon Forum projects, that demonstrate the vibrant creativity within Ireland’s burgeoning animation industry, is Rachel’s Pet Parlour by Giant, a series (40x11’, 3D, 5-7) that features Rachel Hart, a young pet groomer who empathizes with animals to help them feel loved and look their best. The show emphasizes understanding animal emotions and seeks partners for development and production to expand its audience.

Bobby & the Bottle Brigade, by Something big-France and Kavaleer-Ireland, is an animated comedy series (52 x 11’, 2D, 4-6) that focuses on humour and disability representation, starring 8-year-old Bobby and his aquatic rescue team on Planet Zuplez, where Bobby navigates his underwater adventures with the help of a wheelchair-adapted bathyscaphe.

Boxford & Bounce by Revelator is a heartwarming 2D show (52x3’, 2D, 2-5) about two siblings with contrasting personalities, promoting joyful and kind behavior in preschoolers through their woodland adventures. Tonko (22x26’, 2D, 6-11) by Triggerfish, sees Tonko as he discovers an ancient family mask that allows him to transform into his ancestors and harness their mystical superpowers.

Italy

This year Cartoon Forum had a special Spotlight on Italy

The event brought together nearly 100 Italian participants, showcased trailers from 25 Italian companies and featured five project pitches.

One standout project is Guglielmo the Inventor, co-produced by POPCult (Italy), Animalps Productions (France), and Krutart (Czech Republic). The series (26x13’, 2D, 6-12) is set in late 1800s Italy, at Villa Griffone, the residence of the Marconi family. It focuses on young Guglielmo and his brother as they experiment with methods of communication, covering all scientific fields. They need to find a way to communicate at a distance when their cousin Daisy from Scotland returns home after the summer.

What if children wrote the rules of the world? The creators of the Mission Delta series (26x10’, 2D, 6-9) are convinced that children would write their own rules based on respect and community participation.

Produced by Eagle Original Content and MAD Entertainment, the series is inspired by the books Missione Democrazia and Missione Parità by Maria Scoglio and Cristina Sivieri Tagliabue. It tells the adventures of a group of young astronaut cadets at the prestigious WASA (World Aeronautical and Space Agency) academy, as they undertake a challenging mission to explore and make habitable Delta, a planet in a distant galaxy.

MindTOONness by Vismanimation is an educational series of TV specials (10 x 25’, 2D, 4-8), featuring relatable characters like Luna the panda. It addresses important issues such as personal growth and perception through engaging storytelling, supported by psychological insights and appealing illustrations. Inspired by the SerenaMente book series, this project aims to build on its publishing success.

MindTOONness

Cartoon Forum 2025 will take place from 15 to 18 September in Toulouse. Registration will open in April 2025. For For any further information: www.cartoon-media.eu/forum/

Boxford & Bounce

MIP AFRICA

A Hub for African Film, Television, and Animation. Takeaways from MIP Africa 2024

MIP Africa formed part of the third annual FAME Week Africa, held in Cape Town, South Africa from 1-7 September 2024.

An exciting window into the rapid growth of the African continent’s film,  television and  animation industries, the broader FAME Week event also explored the intersection of the film with the fashion and music industry in a definitive cultural moment for African film and television.

MIP Africa was launched in South African film hub, Cape Town, on the tail end of the Covid years but has seen a steady increase in attendance with this year’s conference marking another 13% growth in registrations. Countries represented include Botswana, Namibia, Canada, Jamaica, USA, France, UAE, New Zealand, Belgium, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Germany, India, Japan, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, China and Mauritius.

The Cape Town International Animation Festival formed part of MIP with animation delegates gathering to network and exchange around innovation and process. WATA’s (Women Activating Transformation Africa) Venessa Buthulezi was in conversation with Tufts University Lecturer and Enkai director, Ng’endo Mukii, discussing Ng’endo’s extensive mixed media experience in the animation industry; a journey from grassroots to the current space she occupies.

All the winners in the Kid’s Category were animated works produced on the continent; Bino and Fino (EVCL, Nigeria)

and Nuzo and Namia  tied for first place in the Pre-School division.  Bino and Fino  is about siblings exploring African culture through music and art and  Nuzo and Namia  follows twins on their magical adventures across Africa.  Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire  (Triggerfish Animation Studios) took home the prize in the Older Kids category. This sci-fi series currently on Disney+ features ten short films from six African countries.

In a significant milestone, South Africa and Canada signed an updated Co-Production Treaty, expanding its scope to encompass new media,  animation,  and television production.  This treaty aims to facilitate cross-border collaborations and stimulate growth in the audiovisual industries of both countries.

Find out more about FAME Week Africa and MIP Africa at www.fameweekafrica.com

CINANIMA

A flurry of animated gems to screen at this year’s CINANIMA

By Mariana Hristova

The 2024 edition of CINANIMA will take place in Espinho, Portugal, from 8-17 November

“As one of the oldest international festivals for animated films in the world, we believe we have the responsibility to create programs that uplift and celebrate animation. We always strive to give space to countries with little representation while continuing to showcase the best from the largest production countries,” says Andé Ramada, a member of Festival’s programming team.

Five films will compete in the International Feature Competition, including hits such as Gints Zilbalodis’ Flow and Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail. The jury for this section includes Deanna Morse, Les Mills and Piet Kroon. Meanwhile, the International Short Competition will feature 38 new titles. The jury for this category includes Bruno Simões, Joanna Quinn, Marta Pajek, Juan Carlos Concha and Olivier Cotte. Additionally, 38 more films will screen in the Student section, and the National Competition jury (made up of Coke Riobóo, Filipa Gaspar and Wandson Lisboa) will evaluate 32 local productions. Last but not least, the Students Jury is made of Daria Kashcheeva, Joana Toste and Sergio Kotsovoulos.

Among the out-of-competition highlights are special screenings of Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and The Heron, Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman’s The Peasants, and José Bandeira and Humberto Santana’s mini-series The Rock and the Wave

This year’s edition coincides with an important moment in Portuguese history: the 50th anniversary of the country’s democratic regime. “Cinanima was created by those who fought for the freedom we now celebrate. As a forever thankyou letter to our founders, the theme of this 48th edition is

freedom,” Ramada explains. Several retrospectives have been curated around this theme: ASIFA China has programmed a selection titled Stories of Freedom from the archives of the Xiamen International Animation Festival; Olivier Cotte will present the historical selection Freedom, the Ultimate Seek; on behalf of ASIFA, Thomas Renoldner will showcase three films under the title Loss of Freedom, and the hope to overcome the traumas of the past; and the ARA Association of Portuguese Animators has also curated a special part of the programme, titled Expression of Freedom.

Lastly, Nancy Phelps’ book On the Animation Trail – 20 Years of Animation Festival History (illustrated by Joanna Quinn) will be unveiled, together with the presentation of other three books to be held by Olivier Cotte, including 100 ans de cinéma d’animation Walt Disney - L’Homme qui rêvait d’être un enfant.

International Short Competition, Beautiful Men

International Short Competition, Adiós

CEE ANIMATION FORUM

The CEE Animation Forum elevates Central and Eastern European animation to global heights

By Marko Stojiljković

The upcoming edition of the Plzeň-based CEE Animation Forum spotlights the region’s growing influence in global animation, with a focus on international collaboration and its expanding market

The CEE Animation Forum is the leading pitching, financing, and co-production event in the animated film sector in Central and Eastern Europe. The gathering aims to boost the projects’ international visibility and potential, while enhancing access to the wider European market. The upcoming 12th edition of the gathering will run from 12 to 13 November at the Moving Station in Plzeň, Czech Republic.

“Over the last 11 editions, we’ve witnessed the remarkable growth of the animation industry in Central and Eastern Europe. The region is rapidly becoming a key player in the global animation market, and I’m very proud that the CEE Animation

“The selection for this year highlights the diversity of topics and techniques”

Forum has been part of this success, actively contributing to and supporting this growth,” says Marta Jallageas, managing director of the CEE Animation Forum, speaking to EAJ.

The forum’s three main activities include a pitching competition (showcasing 31 projects across four categories: feature-length, TV series and specials, shorts, and student shorts), the Market event, and one-on-one meetings. “We’re excited to continue developing the Market, which we introduced last year as a unique space where projects at all stages – from concepts to completed works – can be showcased without the need for a pre-selection process,” Jallageas explains. “It also gives a snapshot of the European animation landscape and creates real opportunities for co-productions, distribution, and industry networking,” she adds.

“This year’s edition of the CEE Animation Forum is particularly exciting, with a remarkable increase in applications from a diverse range of countries, reflecting a 30% rise from last year. The selection for this year highlights the diversity of topics and techniques. The strength of the CEE Animation Forum lies in uniting emerging authors with experienced professionals across Europe, fostering more ambitious projects with a broader international scope,” she signs off.

Marta Jallageas

SÖRÄNGENS FOLKHÖGSKOLA

Immerse yourself into Animation at Sörängens Folkhögskola

By Serena Previderè

The school offers a 3-year animation program that focuses on movement, artistic design, and storytelling. The curriculum provides a comprehensive understanding of the entire process involved in creating an animated film.

Located just outside Nässjö (Sweden), Sörängens Folkhögskola provides a creative and inspiring environment with the aim of nurturing talent and contribute to the growth of the Swedish animation industry and cultural life. Immersed in nature, the school functions as a fully equipped boarding school, complete with classrooms, a gallery, a sound studio, a gymnastics hall, a sauna, a library, and an auditorium furnished with musical instruments.

The educational program spans over 3 years. The NEW Animation program is designed for individuals who want to learn animation from the ground up. Participants engage in practical exercises to gain hands-on experience in the production of animation, building a strong portfolio for future endeavours. The core concept of the program is based on learning through practical experience, allowing participants to delve into traditional 2D animation, storytelling, design, and production.

Students are encouraged to participate in the entire production process multiple times, from generating ideas to delivering the final product. While the primary goal is to gain experience in animation, they are encouraged to explore other roles within the field to find their best fit. The focus is not solely on mastering the technical skills; students also learn important soft skills such as effective communication, time management, and teamwork. Communication plays a significant role in the program, highlighted by regular tension meetings to facilitate cooperation.

Embracing diversity, Sörängens Folkhögskola is HBTQIcertified and actively works to create an inclusive space for everyone, regardless of their background. With a holistic approach, the program incorporates morning film viewings, discussions, and physical activities to activate body, mind, and soul. Every morning, a gymnastics training session is conducted to awaken the body and prime the hands for the day, aiming to prevent soreness.

In the pursuit of creating a secure environment, essential for nurturing art which thrives on fragility and trust, the selection of staff is of great significance. At the heart of the team are animation experts Pär Berg and Annika Giannini, supported by a carefully chosen group of guest teachers.

For inquiries or applications, contact the school at sorangens.folkhogskola@rjl.se

Legal developments in Europe: Metaverse Challenges and Moldova’s Media Subsidy Fund

The IRIS newsletter of the European Audiovisual Observatory informs about the legal news affecting the audiovisual sector in Europe. Below is a summary of the latest highlights.

The Council of Europe’s report, The Metaverse and its Impact on Human Rights, the Rule of Law, and Democracy, developed with the IEEE Standards Association, explores the metaverse’s potential societal reshaping. Launched at the EuroDIG Conference and publicly available for download since August, it emphasizes a human-centric approach to technology development. The metaverse, envisioned as a vast network of interconnected 3D virtual worlds, raises significant concerns regarding privacy, data collection, and user safety. Key recommendations include creating inclusive frameworks for assessing human rights impacts and ensuring children’s rights through age-appropriate designs. The report identifies critical questions about regulatory needs and the roles of various stakeholders in governing this emerging technology. It

advocates for global collaboration to develop legal structures that protect individual rights while addressing potential risks to democracy and free expression. The Council of Europe plans to build on these findings in future studies on content moderation and legal adequacy in immersive environments.

On August 2, 2024, Moldova’s Law on the Media Subsidy Fund came into effect, aimed at enhancing media pluralism. The fund’s budget is sourced from the national budget, donations, and other legal financial avenues. The Ministry of Culture will annually determine “priority areas” for media subsidies based on public discussions, focusing on media literacy, investigative journalism, and public interest issues. Eligibility for applicants includes adherence to the Moldovan Journalists’ Code of Ethics, absence of recent sanctions from the Audiovisual Council, annual activity reporting, and formal legal registration. A new Expert Council will govern the fund, developing criteria for grant allocation and monitoring fund usage. This council comprises seven members: four selected by the Press Council or media organizations and three appointed by various ministries. As of August 1, 2024, the Press Council proposed candidates for the Expert Council. The Ministry of Culture is forming a Media Policy Directorate to oversee implementation. The Fund is expected to commence operations in 2025.

Laura Houlgatte, the new 2025 Chair of the European Audiovisual Observatory’s Advisory Committee

SAVE THE DATE

What makes The European Animation Journal unique and why to follow us!

Why The European Animation Journal is different and its added values:

• It is the first publication to deal vertically with the rich world of European animation, as no one else has done in the past.

• It has an extensive network of partner events and a rich database of industry professionals worldwide.

• Its content is curated by a European team of journalists, giving voice to the protagonists of Europe’s animation community.

• All news and insights are delivered through its media ecosystem, from website to newsletter, from social pages to magazine, to give maximum exposure to each novelty and insight

• The world of animation is brought into contact with ancillary and related worlds such as publishing, licensing and toys.

The next events to follow!

Roma, Italy

Cannes, France

Yerevan, ArmeNia

Cannes, France

Madrid, Spain

Espinho, Portogallo

Pilsen, Czech Republic

ASIAN

CARTOON

ANIMAR

ASIA

Taipei City, Taiwan

Brussels, Belgium

Barcelona, Spain

Singapore

www.miamarket.it/en/ www.mipcom.com/

www.reanimania.com/reafest/about www.mipcom.com/ www.cartoon-media.eu/springboard/

https://cinanima.pt/en/ https://ceeanimation.eu/

https://aas.kidscreen.com/

https://www.cartoon-media.eu/business/

https://animarconvention.com/ www.asiatvforum.com/

2025 will be an intense year for The European Animation Journal, with a packed calendar of events to follow. Write to info@brands-media.com to learn more, submit your editorial proposals, media partnerships and discover how to join us!