‘Grand Prix of Europe’ Director Waldemar Fast Explains the Film’s Route from Theme Park to Big Screen Adventure

Zooming in from Germany’s MACK Animation and directed by filmmaker Waldemar Fast, the family adventure Grand Prix of Europe is accelerating onto screens worldwide with its spirited car racing fable centered around Europa-Park’s beloved longtime mice mascots, Ed & Edda. The film marks Fast’s feature directorial debut, following his work as an animator and artist on a slew of projects including the Monster Family movies, Swift and The Amazing World of Gumball.

Here in this vibrant candy-colored contest of mouse versus machine made to celebrate the German theme park’s 50th anniversary, the film’s storyline finds young Edda dreaming of racing in the big leagues. She hatches a plan to disguise herself as her favorite racer to become a Grand Prix competitor to try and help save her family’s struggling amusement park business.

 

Produced by Michael Mack, Europa-Park Resort CEO and founder of the MACK Magic entertainment firm, and executive produced by Tobias Mundinger and Lars Goldenbogen in partnership with Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany, Grand Prix of Europe also features a high-octane score by Oscar winner Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front, Conclave). The English-language voice cast is led by Gemma Arterton as Edda and Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Ed, alongside Hayley Atwell, Lenny Henry and Rob Beckett.

“In 2022 I was asked if I would like to direct Europa-Park’s very first animated feature film,” Fast tells Animation Magazine. “When I came on board, there were two main concepts on the table. One idea centered on a story set inside the theme park, and the other a high-energy racing adventure. In both versions, the park mascots Ed & Edda were meant to take the lead roles. After many discussions with MACK Magic and the international distributor Timeless, the race-through-Europe idea won out. Europa-Park wanted to mark this milestone not only with festivities in the park, but also by bringing its first animated film to theaters worldwide.”

Edda’s Grand Tour

Fast’s vision was to merge the visceral thrill of a pulse-pounding racing competition with the vast cultural and scenic allures of a picture postcard version of Europe. Europa-Park is divided into several themed lands based on different countries. Visitors literally stroll through European destinations, so it was the perfect choice to have the narrative also take place across Europe.

“I wanted to take audiences on an emotional and dynamic journey, letting them experience the unique atmosphere of each country,” Fast explains. “Architecture, landscapes, and overall design all play a key role, and it was important to present them in a way that’s both authentic and family friendly. Grand Prix of Europe is about celebrating adventure, diversity, and togetherness, all wrapped up in the excitement of a spirited race.”

Regarding the actual production process, each pixel of Grand Prix of Europe was crafted in-house by the visionary artists at MACK Animation. Additional motion graphics were created at Imagestorm in Ludwigsburg, Germany.

“We used Autodesk’s Maya for animation, Houdini for FX and simulation and Arnold for rendering,” he adds. “Compositing was done in Nuke. The team at MACK Animation comprised around 100 people. The animation department had 23 animators, helmed by three supervisors: Benedikt Niemann, Andreas Lugert and Nicolai Tuma.

“The studio in Hannover has a long tradition of creating colorful, imaginative, and beautifully detailed visuals, and that spirit is woven into every frame of this film. From the smallest prop to the biggest crowd scene, their craftsmanship and artistry brought an incredible richness and vibrancy to the story. For me as a director, it was a joy to see how the software and tools weren’t just technical choices. They became the paintbrushes that helped shape the film’s tone and style. Our talented character designers Peter Oedekoven, Oliver Kurt, Hakan Akögretmen and Uwe Heidschötter masterfully brought these characters to life, ensuring they were expressive, lovable and perfectly suited for the big screen.”

And any respectable automobile racing project, whether rendered in live action or animation, is only as cool as its high-performance cars — and Grand Prix of Europe excels in that category.

“The race cars were also a critical part of the visual storytelling,” Fast reveals. “They needed to feel exciting and dynamic for the audience while still reflecting the characters’ personalities. This task was expertly handled by Oliver Marraffa, Emanuel Tornquist, Marek Benieda and Jens Benecke, who made each vehicle unique, visually engaging, and fun to watch on the track.

“Finally, Tino Röger, as art director, ensured that all these designs, characters, vehicles and environments fit seamlessly into a cohesive visual world. He maintained a consistent design language throughout, giving the film a unified and polished aesthetic that makes every frame feel like part of the same exhilarating adventure.”

Race to the Finish

The creative team’s biggest challenge was the looming deadline, and after starting on the ambitious project in June of 2022, Fast’s all-out sprint to the May of 2025 checkered flag was on.

“Which, in animation terms, felt like driving a race car with the brakes half on, while dodging unexpected obstacles on the track like last minute script changes, scenes that needed a creative U-turn, and all the inevitable technical hiccups that love to pop up at the worst possible moment,” Fast notes. “All of this is part of the standard process of developing an animated feature, but we had to finish it in turbo mode.”

From day one, Fast worked diligently hand-in-hand with Europa-Park, Mack and the talented crew at MACK Animation. It was a true team effort, and the focus was always on presenting Ed & Edda in the most charming, warm and endearing way possible.

“For me personally, this project has been a dream come true,” Fast concludes. “Grand Prix of Europe is my debut feature as a director, and to be trusted with such an important and high-profile film was both a huge responsibility and an incredible honor. To be part of Europa-Par’s history with such a special project, and to see these characters come alive on the big screen for the very first time, has been nothing short of magical.”

 

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Grand Prix of Europe peals out into U.S. theaters on Friday, November 7 through Viva Kids.