Launching as a Vimeo Staff Pick, Ewa Smyk’s laureled graduation film from the National Film and Television School (U.K.) Homebirdhas made its online premiere. Produced entirely in a paint-on-cel technique, the film is a moving, dialog-free story about believing in yourself as you move forward in life, while embracing your past.
The online debut follows successful international festival run that landed the film on the Academy Awards and BAFTA longlists and totted up more than 20 awards and special mentions, including a Silver Screen Young Director Award (2022).
“I’m so extremely excited to be able to finally share this story with everyone,” said Smyk. “I believe it will resonate with anyone who’s left home to make their mark on the world. Constantly being exposed to amazing and diverse art, it’s so hard to remember that there is a place for every voice in the creative industry — if you can just stay true to yourself, and stay hopeful, your work will find its people.”
Synopsis: Homebird’ tells a story of a young artist, Nina, who moves to a new city. Struggling to succeed in the creative field, she soon finds herself retreating into the rose-tinted memories of the village she left behind.
The foundations of the film were created in hand-drawn 2D animation combined with 3D-modeled and hand-drawn backgrounds; the elements of each frame were then painstakingly painted on acetate using marker pens and acrylic gouaches. In the end, Homebird required thousands of hand-painted images and over two years to complete.
Smyk directed and animated Homebird and wrote the film with Ralph Mathers. Leah Bathany Jones was producer, Pep Bosch i Calvo was cinematographer, Amy Pettipher was editor, Iasonas Houssein was production designer and Tatiana Borges Alvares Sances was sound designer. The original score was created by Ukrainian composer Natalia Tsupryk.
Homebird‘s notable accolades also include awards from the Galway Film Fleadh (Best International Animation Short), GLAS Animation Festival (Family – Special Mention) and Indy Shorts (Animation Short Audience Choice Award and Grand Prize). The film also screen in competition at Berlin, Cinanima, Encounters, Anim’est and Bucheon, among 80-plus festival selections.
Smyk is an animation director and art director, graduated from Central Saint Martins and NFTS (MA Directing Animation). Her commercial portfolio includes an animated sequence for the BBC’s This Is Joan Collins. She is a recipient of the Młoda Polska grant (Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland), Mars and Flare BBDO Scholarship and the John Brabourne Award.
Pass through the portal and enter the fantastical world of Lonely Castle in the Mirror — the acclaimed anime feature directed by Keiichi Hara (Miss Hokusai, Colorful, The Wonderland), based on the bestselling novel by Mizuki Tsujimara. Delving into the painful but necessary topics of bullying and other coming-of-age struggles, we are pleased to offer an exclusive clip from this acclaimed film, produced Japanese studio A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online and Kaguya-sama: Love Is War franchises) and now available on home video from GKIDS with distribution by Shout! Factory.
Lonely Castle in the Mirror was the first Japanese animated feature to be selected for the Rotterdam International Film Festival, where it had its international premiere, and was nominated for Animation of the Year at the 2023 Japan Academy Film Prize. The home video release includes an Art Gallery and Trailers as extras.
Synopsis: Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanted castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.
The English-language dub voice cast features Micah Lin as Kokoro Anzai, Huxley Westemeier as Rion, Giselle Fernandez as Aki, Kieran Regan as Subaru, Zoe Glick as Fuka, Adrian Marrero as Masamune, Riley Webb as Ureshino and Vivienne Rutherford as Wolf Queen.
Lonely Castle in the Mirroris available now on Blu-ray and DVD from GKIDS and Shout! Factory, and on all major digital platforms.
Pull up your Wellies and return to the verdant fields of Mossy Bottom Farm in a new, complete collection starring Aardman’s adorable ovine star: Shaun the Sheep! From the Academy Award-winning independent animation studio, Shaun the Sheep: The Complete Series will arrive as a seven-disc set on December 12, distributed by Shout! Studios.
The release will make the complete series available for the first time ever on Blu-ray (available for pre-order now through ShoutFactory.com and Amazon). The set will also be available on DVD the same day.
Synopsis: Catch Shaun, Bitzer, the Farmer and the rest of the Flock in countless sheepish shenanigans and outrageous behavior as they navigate life at Mossy Bottom Farm. Shaun the Sheep is an award-winning series (Annecy Cristal, BAFTA, International Emmy Awards) recognized the world over for its slapstick humor, distinctive look and strong, quirky characters.
First appearing in Nick Park’s 1995 Academy Award-winning Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave, Shaun then went on to star in his own series and several movies. Now fans can bring home the fun and joy of Shaun and his farmyard family in this complete collection with all six seasons, shorts and specials, just in time for the holidays.
The complete series set includes all 170 episodes on seven discs (the first time Seasons 5 and 6 have been available to own). The collection also includes Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, the 2021 half-hour Netflix holiday special which follows Shaun, Timmy and the Flock — as well as some new characters — in a mischief-filled festive caper, and over an hour of bonus material with Mossy Bottom Shorts, Championsheeps and the 2015 special, Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer’s Llamas.
As fans await the box-set launch, they can enjoy Season 6 of Shaun the Sheep — now available to own digitally in the U.S. for the first time, through platforms including Apple, Hulu, Google Play and Prime Video.
(L-R): Nadine Samuel, Michael Hirsh and Laurie Gordon
Animaze – The Montreal International Animation Festival (animazefestival.com) celebrated its 10th year at the recent edition, welcoming many international attendees and screening animated shorts from filmmakers around the globe.
“What we saw this year at Animaze was incredible works from young to seasoned filmmakers from around the globe which left us gasping at times of some of the breathtaking beautiful variety of content and engaging storytelling,” says Laurie Gordon, Founder of Animaze.
Canadian animation industry trailblazer Michael Hirsh opened the festival as special guest, keynote speaker and Lifetime Achievement Award winner in the Cinéma du Musée theater.
The individually crafted awards were this year designed by multidisciplinary Montreal artist, Nadine Samuel. Samuel’s artistic approach focuses on the democratization of culture and the development of laboratory spaces that make creative processes accessible to communities in Quebec and abroad, including in Peru and Haiti.
A Tree Once Grew Here
Louis I. King of the Sheep
Hardboiled
Animaze 2023 Award-Winning Films:
● A Tree Once Grew Here — United States – Producer/director – Johnnie Semerad (Storyline Award)
● Louis I King of the Sheep — Germany – Director – Markus Wulf (Audience Choice Award)
● Hardboiled — United States – Director – Peter Sluszka (Audience Choice Award)
● Above Ground — United States – Producer – Kevin Sharpley – (Special Social Awareness Category)
● Kauyumari – The Blue Dear (Le Cerf Blue) — Mexico – Arnold Abadie – (Special VR-360 Category)
● Pincio — Italy – Emanuele Gabbi – (Experimental Short)
● The Awakening: The First Day — U.S.A. – Jose Diaz Contreras and Santiago Carraguilla
● My Jumper, It Roars! — Australia – Isabella Spagnolo
● Frida in the Sky — Canada – Dani Sadun – (Student Canada Award)
● Ashta — Canada – Ryan Bechara – (Student Canada – QC Award)
● The Lost Courier — China – Ma ZiDong – (International Student Award)
Global anime destination Crunchyroll announced today that it has acquired the North American rights for the new animated feature film The Concierge. The film is set to be released by Aniplex in Japan on October 20 and expected to come to Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures territories in 2024.
Adapted from Tsuchika Nishimura’s manga The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store (published in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Zōkan), follows a trainee concierge at a very special store where the customers are all animals, and the most valued among them are extinct species.
Synopsis: Akino is a trainee concierge at the Hokkyoku Department Store, an unusual department store that caters exclusively to animals. Under the watchful eyes of the floor manager and senior concierges, Akino runs around to fulfill the wishes of customers with a myriad of needs and problems in her pursuit to become a full-fledged concierge.
The main voice cast includes Natsumi Kawaida as Akino, Takeo Otsuka as Elulu and Kenjiro Tsuda as Woolly.
The Concierge made its World Premiere this past June at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and its North American Premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival. The film will screen in competition at the Animation Is Film festival in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 21 at 3 p.m. PT. (Tickets are now on sale).
The Concierge is the first feature film from director Yoshimi Itazu (Welcome to the Ballroom), produced by Production I.G in Japan (Ghost in the Shell, PSYCHO-PASS, Haikyuu!).
StudioCanal, in partnership with Mercis Media and Superprod Animation (Anna & Friends, Pat the Dog, Song of the Sea), announced plans to develop and produce a new CGI-animated series of the worldwide renowned children’s classic Miffy. The series is in development with Canal+ and will launch on the channel in 2025.
Francoise Guyonnet, Executive Managing Director TV Series, StudioCanal, made the announcement at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) in London, concurrently with Marja Kerkhof, Managing Director, Mercis and Clément Calvet and Jérémie Fajner, Co-Founders of Superprod Group.
“We fully respect the legacy of this wonderful character and are delighted to be part of the transformation of Miffy who, while retaining the same iconic look, now has a fresh and contemporary vision,” said Guyonnet. “Along with our co-producers at Mercis and Superprod Animation, we want to make sure that such a beloved character will stand the test of time, by widening her appeal to capture the hearts of children and families across the globe. After the continued success of StudioCanal’s Paddington, a treasured and cherished character for 65 years, it’s wonderful to make this announcement today which underlines our ambition in the quality franchise space.”
Based on the world-famous character created by Dick Bruna in 1955 and featuring in more than 30 books, the brand-new animation series will be aimed at preschool-aged children and Miffy’s fans of all ages.
The “sweet, lively little bunny” has evolved into a more complex, funny and engaging character who lives in an exciting, contemporary world: The new Miffy series is distinguished by its emphasis on character-driven stories that teach emotional lessons. Miffy herself is positive, creative and spontaneous — sometimes even impulsive, which can lead to tricky situations that she cleverly overcomes, thanks to her positive attitude and empathy.
“StudioCanal boasts a unique experience of working with classic and iconic brands in the children’s space, and we are very pleased to have entrusted them and Superprod Animation to work with us on this important project,” noted Kerkhof. “We are so excited for Miffy to be reintroduced to future generations with complete new stories, new sets and locations and new characters such as her young brother Bun. This series will be a new milestone for Miffy.”
Calvet and Fajner added, “It is such a pleasure to work on such an amazing and strong IP and to develop and produce it with StudioCAnal and Mercis. Miffy means a lot to us and our teams are thrilled to develop this new series with our coproduction partners and Canal+. We have been very careful to keep Miffy’s positive attitude and her sense of adventure while reimagining her world to reflect today’s kids and the world around them. Like many families these days, her mum goes out to work while her dad stays home to look after the family. She now has a little brother and lots of diverse and interesting friends.”
The CG-animated Miffy will be available as 78 x 7-minute episodes aimed at children ages three to five, produced in Superprod Animation’s studios. International sales will be handled in The Netherlands and Japan by Mercis, which is also handling merchandising and publishing rights for the new series, and by StudioCanal and Superights in the rest of the world, making new playdates for Miffy following its debut on Canal+.
Speaking on behalf of the broadcaster, Christine Cauquelin-Malitte, Director of Program Units and Documentary Channels, Youth and Animation, commented, “Canal+ is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Mercis, StudioCanal and Superprod on such a great IP as Miffy! ‘Canal+ thinks big for little ones; means we have big ambitions for the content we provide for kids. Our approach is largely illustrated by what we call ‘Original Recreation,’ which brings together what we consider to be the most creative and entertaining content that sparks children’s imaginations. We’ll be very proud to present Miffy’s new series in our future line up.”
Noir Caesar Entertainment, the indie creative company dedicated to supporting artists from marginalized communities founded by former NBA player and pop culture entrepreneur Johnny O’Bryant III, is teaming up with Osamu Tezuka Productions to develop an updated graphic novel of Tezuka’s classic manga Alabaster. A Kickstarter campaign to publish the collab has just been launched.
The updated Alabaster will be written by the award-winning Bitter Root writer/co-creator Chuck Brown with artwork by renowned illustrator, Anna Weiszczyk (Godkiller, Home).
Reimagined for a new generation of readers as a contemporary graphic novel, Alabaster reinterprets Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man, and follows a former successful Black athlete, James Block, who is framed by his girlfriend and wrongfully imprisoned. While inside, James befriends a disgraced scientist that gives him the solution to his problems — a laser gun that either turns its subject invisible or kills them upon usage. After serving his prison sentence and locating the device, James disfigures himself in a failed experiment that turns him partially translucent, like alabaster. Angry, vengeful, and with a new identity, Alabaster wreaks havoc on bigots and hypocrites alike.
“We’ve always admired and respected the great Osamu Tezuka and his work. When we discovered Alabaster, we were convinced could add a new dimension to Tezuka’s original concept and bring this classic tale to a new generation of readers,” said O’Bryant. “We’re grateful to Tezuka Productions for selecting Noir Caesar as they share a commitment to finding new ways to fulfill Tezuka-sensei’s vision to combine Japanese influenced manga and anime with Western-style storytelling.”
Yoshimi Suzuki, Head of International Partnerships of Tezuka Productions Co., commented, “If Osamu Tezuka were alive and met Johnny O’Bryant today, he would have shown great interest in working with a team of and young multi-talented artists from diversified cultural backgrounds that have a deep love toward Japanese anime and manga. I can’t help but expect great synergy generated between Alabaster and the unique cultural backgrounds Noir Caesar and their creative team bring. I hope Noir Caesar fully displays their creativity in this project.”
Brown (flawedcomic.com) is a multiple Eisner and Ringo award-winning, independent writer, and co-creator of works for Marvel, Rotten, Dark Horse Comics and Image Comics. Based in South Carolina, making content for over 18 years, Brown has also written comics for Zenescope Entertainment, 12-Gauge Comics and Line Webtoon. His book Bitter Root, that he co-created and wrote, has won multiple Eisner Awards and is being adapted into a major motion picture by Ryan Coogler, Regina King and Legendary Entertainment.
Weiszczyk (annawieszczyk.portfoliobox.net) is an award-winning comic-book artist based in Kraków, Poland. Her works appear in Alterna Comics, Image, Archaia, Black Mask Studios, Strange Circus as well as other anthologies.
Learn more about the Alabaster project, see supporter perks and contribute to the Kickstarter campaign here.
This week is looking rosy for fans of Pinkalicious & Peterrific, with four brand-new episodes due to debut this week on PBS KIDS, pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS App. One of these episodes will even welcome a very special musical guest star!
Airing Friday, October 6, “Yo-Yo’s Musical Journey” finds Pinkalicious worried when her community’s Kazoo Club just can’t seem to get along in time to play together for the concerto. Pinkalicious receives some help from Yo-Yo Ma to learn about the magic of music and the power it has to bring people together.
The interstitial for the episode also features the 19-time Grammy Award-winning cellist himself, as he plays with a group of Boston-area elementary school-aged kids and they discuss the impact music can have in making someone feel different kinds of emotions.
Now in its fifth season, Pinkalicious & Peterrific is based on the Pinkalicious books series by Victorian Kann & Elizabeth Kann. Produced by Sixteen South in association with WGBH Kids, the series encourages children ages three to five to engage in self-expression and creative arts — such as music, dance, theater and visual arts — as they follow the adventures of imaginative, artistic and pinktastically unique Pinkalicious and her little brother, Peter.
New Episodes:
Gnome Variety Show / Tidy Up
“Gnome Variety Show” — Norman just can’t seem to find his special talent for the Gnome Variety Show, luckily Pinkalicious and Peter are there to help him figure it out so he can wow the crowd at the big performance.
“Tidy Up” — When Pinkalicious and Peter make a mess of their living room, Tidy Tim, the cleaning fairy, shows them that cleaning up together can be a fun game!
Color of the Year / Toothy McManners
“Color of the Year” — Pantonio the Color Fairy is preparing to unveil his new Color of The Year! But when he can’t come up with a new color, Pinkalicious and Peter try to provide him with some inspiration.
“Toothy McManners” — When Pinkalicious and Peter accidentally invite the pirate Toothy McSquint and Pinkalicious’ teacher Ms. Penny to dinner on the same night, they realize they’ll have to teach Toothy some table manners to have a polite dinner. Will Toothy remember how to behave?
Mommy Gnome / Bon Appetit
“Mommy Gnome” — Norman’s Mommy Gnome is coming to town and he has to make the garden just the way she likes it! But when Norman shows her how special his garden is she realizes he’s just as good at taking care of it as she is.
“Bon Appetit” — Daddy gives Pinkalicious a special hat that turns everything she touches into cupcakes! But when she can’t take it off she finds out making cupcakes all the time isn’t always so sweet.
Yo-Yo’s Musical Journey / Happy Pinkville Day
“Yo-Yo’s Musical Journey” — When the Kazoo Club just can’t seem to get along in time to play together for the concerto, Pinkalicious receives a little help from Guest star Yo-Yo Ma to learn about the magic of music.
“Happy Pinkville Day” — After a bad thunderstorm ruins all the special things about Pinkville Day, Pinkalicious and her family learn the true meaning of the holiday by coming together with the community to celebrate.]
Magic Frame Animation and Creation Entertainment Media today announced their co-production of upcoming CG-animated feature film, Rebellious (95’), which will have its global premiere at AFM (Oct. 31-Nov. 5). The partners further revealed that writers Analisa LaBianco (Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Tom and Jerry in New York) and Jeffery Spencer (Secret Magic Control Agency) have been attached to the project. Sasha Shapiro (Dirty Grandpa) is the producer of the film.
“We are so excited to share this special project for the first time at AFM. This story and its unique characters from a range of cultural backgrounds, stand out from other fairytales,” said Linda Chirita, Head of Sales & Co-Productions at Magic Frame Animation. “Rebellious is all about empowerment, with the princess at the center of the action! We look forward to sharing this story with audiences and potential partners next month.”
About the film:
In this modern fairytale, a headstrong princess is kidnapped by an evil sorcerer, Kezabor. The princess’s clever fiancé must use his wit in an epic quest to find her, while the princess boldly challenges her captors and plots a daring escape. The film puts a contemporary spin on the classic fairytale, introducing the “modern princess.” Rather than surrendering to circumstances out of her control, she has autonomy and chooses her own path.
Taking inspiration from the classic Beauty and the Beast story, Rebellious is set amongst an array of exotic locations including mystical forests and dangerous dungeons. The film will introduce a diverse range of characters from unique backgrounds, in a modern take on the classic fairytale.
Rebellious is being directed by Alex Tsitsilin (Secret Magic Control Agency), produced by Shapiro and Sefi Carmel (Legacy of Lies), CEO of Creation Entertainment Media. Carmel is also composing the music, created in Dolby Atmos by SphereTrax. The sound design and Dolby Atmos mixing is by Soundtrack Creation in London.
The cast is set to be announced in the coming months.
“The incredible team behind this film have brought this modern fairytale to life through its dynamic characters, and we are delighted to share it with potential buyers next month at AFM,” said Carmel. “Inspired by aspects of some of the most popular fairytales, Rebellious has so much to offer including a brave princess and a whole lot of action!”
Hulu has debuted the teaser trailer for its imminently arriving, blood-drenched action-fantasy Undead Unluck, which premieres as part of the Animayhem collection this Friday, October 6.
Synopsis: What happens when an unlucky girl meets an undead guy? Pure chaos! Tired of inadvertently killing people with her special ability Unluck, Fuko Izumo sets out to end it all. But when she meets Andy, a man who longs for death but can’t die, she finds a reason to live — and he finds someone capable of giving him the death he’s been longing for.
An adaptation of Yoshifumi Tozuka’s popular manga, serialized in Shonen Jump, Undead Unluck comes from UNLIMITED PRODUCE by TMS in collaboration with animation studio david production (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Fire Force, Cells at Work!).
To celebrate the series launch, Hulu will be hauling a sneak peek at Episode 2 of the new series to New York Comic Con to unveil during a special screening on Thursday, October 12 at 11:30 a.m. EST (Room 405, Javits Center). Con attendees won’t want to miss the chance to score giveaways and experience the surprises in store!
Sony Pictures Television – Kids (SPT – Kids), which produces and distributes content for children in over 200 countries worldwide, announced today that the studio is bringing an expansive new slate of animated and live-action kids properties to buyers at MIPJunior.
“Our specialty as one of the industry’s most prolific producers of kids content is to bring buyers the next generation’s high quality, hit children’s franchise, just as we did for Netflix with Creature Cases and Hilda, and for Disney with SuperKitties,”said Joe D’Ambrosia, EVP & General Manager. “Our distinctive and diverse development lineup has already generated early enthusiasm and we’re looking forward to continuing conversations with our buyers at the market.”
Bewitched: Based on the iconic television series, the new Bewitchedfollows Samantha’s pre-teen daughter Tabitha and combines the teenage double-life adventures of Hannah Montana with the magic school antics of Harry Potter.
Stuart Little: A fresh retelling of a beloved classic for kids 6+. It’s Freaks and Geeks… but with a mouse. Freaks and Squeaks?
Wheel of Fortune: In collaboration with SPT’s game show division comes a kids’ version of Wheel of Fortune that stays true to the format but incorporates gameplay twists for a younger audience such as physical and comedic challenges to earn letters or buy vowels.
Hotel Whiskers: Welcome to Hotel Whiskers, the first-ever home away from home for animals of all stripes and types, including pets! Think Suite Life of Zach and Cody… but with animals.
Sharks on Wheels: In an all-shark world, teams of racers in hot-rodded (a.k.a. “sharkified”) vehicles battle it out on the racetrack for the ultimate prize: the Megalodon Cup. It’s Wacky Races meets Drive to Survive!
The Powers: In collaboration with Sow You Entertainment comes The Powers. Meet five-year-old Will. He’s the youngest member of a family of singing silly supervillains and he’s got a problem: he’s just no good at being bad. Each seven-minute episode is a mini-rock opera with catchy hooks that’ll keep parents and preschoolers singing along as Will helps his family learn how to be good.
Slayer Family Band: When a family band inherits cursed musical instruments to battle demons, they soon discover that the family that slays together, stays together!
Doomlands, Season 2
Blue Ant Media will also debut its latest kids, family and animation content offering at MIPCOM this month, as part of the company’s first market appearance as a combined studio with marblemedia and Distribution360. The line-up includes season two of Roku’s first-ever adult animated series, Doomlands, and the animated action-comedy Armadillo Avalanche, currently in development slate.
Doomlands, Season 2 (20 x 11’ | 10 x 22′; Look Mom! Productions for Roku) From the irreverent mind of Josh O’Keefe, Doomlands is Roku’s first-ever adult animated series. The show started as creator O’Keefe’s university film project turned crowd-funded pilot and was later developed by Josh Bowen and Look Mom! Productions with help from writers Mark Little and Kayla Lorette.
The second season of this quirky scripted, animated adult comedy follows the misadventures of Danny Doom, his sidekick Lhandi, their mobile pub and a travelling band of bar flies as they wander through a desert wasteland. All are back to face ruthless desert gangs, memory-stealing creeps and the ultimate spectacle in the wastelands, The Edge Race.
Armadillo Avalanche
Armadillo Avalanche(10 x 30′) Currently in paid development with two scripts available, this animated action-comedy is available for international co-production and pre-sale partnerships opportunities.
When an all-girl tweenage punk band accidentally rips a hole in the fabric of the universe with their music, they find themselves imbued with superpowers, fighting monsters, and rocking out while doing it together. The series evolved from marbleKids’ original digital shorts of the same name, funded through the Shaw Rocket/Canada Media Fund Shorts Program. Created by Celeste Koon and showrun by Evan Thaler Hickey, the series is inspired by the power of pop punk music and what you can do if you commit to something bigger than yourself.
Raffi
Lunes (Chile), Villavicencio Studio (U.S.) and MIAM! distribution (France) have inked a worldwide distribution deal on 2D animated preschool series Raffi (12 x 7’). The series will be launched by MIAM! distribution at MIPJunior, joining a lineup that already includes sustainability-themed toons like Edmond and Lucy, Little Malabar and The Tinies.
Raffi is about the special friendship between Ema, a curious little girl, and her lovable dog Raffi (inspired by Ricardo Villavicencio’s own Pomeranian). They live on a farm, and dream of becoming the best farmers in the world, just like Ema’s mother. Through their journey, they discover the true origins of food, far from the aisles of a supermarket!
Raffi has already received recognition from multiple festivals this year. Notably, it is in the Official Selection of Children’s Short Film from Latin America of the 30th edition of the Festival Internacional de Cine de Valdivia, FICValdivia. The series was also selected for the Festival Carton de Argentina 2023 in the category international series, for the Festival Ojo de Pescado category TV & Web Series and for the comKids’s Prix Jeunesse Iberoamericano and for the UNICEF Prize at the Festival of La Guarimba.
Tiny Toot
Monster Entertainment is coming to MIPJunior and MIPCOM with three new series in production: Tiny Toot (26 x 7′ for children 2-5 years old) from Toolbox Film in Denmark, already pre-sold to DR in Denmark, SVT in Sweden, NRK in Norway, YLE in Finland and RTE in Ireland). The first 13 episodes will be completed in November and the last 13 in March 2024. Doodle Girl (26 x 7′, children 4-8) from Studio Meala in Ireland, commissioned by RTE in Ireland and due to be delivered in September 2024. And Holt(26 x 11′ for children 6-11) from Igloo Animations in Ireland and Digitoonz in India, commissioned by RTE, due to be delivered in June 2025
The distributor is also serving up second seasons of Fia’s Fairies (52 x 7′, children 3-7), the No. 1 rated Irish preschool animation series, from Ireland’s Little Moon; Urban Tails(52 x 2′, children 4-8) from Pink Kong in Ireland, commissioned by RTE; Pins and Nettie (52 x 5′, children 2-5) from Daily Madness; Peek Zoo (52 x 7′, children 4-8) from Ireland’s Igloo Films, commissioned by RTE; the non-verbal internet sensation Noodle and Bun (26 x 5′ children 4-12) from South Africa’s Polycat Animation, pre-sold to Canal Plus amongst others; the hybrid live-action/animation Storybud(30 x 7′, children 8-12) from Ireland’s Kite Entertainment, commissioned by RTE; as well as Season 8 of hit STEM series Earth to Luna (208 x 12′), from Brazil’s Pinguim Content, commissioned by Discovery Latin America.
Other highlights of the Monster MIP slate include the worldwide hit preschool series The Day Henry Met…(104 x 5′, children 3-6) from Ireland’s Wiggleywoo, and the non-verbal animation series Ollie, from Lumiere in Belgium (52 x 4′, preschool).
Fireman Sam
WildBrain and Mattel, Inc. announced new season greenlights for Fireman Sam and Polly Pocket, based on the popular Mattel brands. WildBrain has also secured a multitude of new international distribution deals for previous seasons of both shows, in addition to new deals for other Mattel hits Bob the Builder and Little People. The new greenlights and distribution deals are part of a multi-year co-development, production, distribution and licensing agreement between the two companies.
The new seasons of Fireman Sam and Polly Pocket are currently in production at WildBrain’s Vancouver animation studio. Buyers attending MIPCOM (October 16–19) are invited to screen the series and visit WildBrain at stand #R7.N13 to learn more. “We continue to see great demand around the world for Mattel’s celebrated and treasured kids’ series Fireman Sam, Polly Pocket, Bob the Builder and Little People. These shows have established themselves as perennial favorites with kids and families, and we look forward to sharing them with new international audiences,” said Caroline Tyre, VP Global Sales & Rights Strategy at WildBrain.
Fireman Sam and the Pontypandy Rescue Team will return in all-new CG-animated episodes in Season 16 (26 x 10’), which is scheduled to begin delivery in spring 2024. In the new season, our titular hero and the Pontypandy Rescue Team are still saving the people and animals of Pontypandy — and they now have an upgraded Fire Station and a state-of-the-art Mobile Command Unit to help them! The people of Pontypandy will be facing dangers from sea monsters, flaming kites, short-circuiting scarecrows, magic shows and a cheeky new mole. The excitement culminates in a thrilling six-episode finale featuring the music, food, parades, and magic of the Pontypandy Festival, all topped off by a special surprise guest star.
New deals for Fireman Sam in Germany include KiKA for S14, Leonine Studios for S13-14, Prime Video for S14-15 plus The Great Fire of Pontypandy special, and Deutsche Telekom/Magenta TV for S11-13 plus the specials The Great Fire of Pontypandy, Heroes of the Storm, Norman Price and the Mystery in the Sky, Set for Action! and Alien Alert. In France, new deals have been struck with Canal+Kids/Piwi+ for S13 and Okoo/France 5 for France télévisions for S14. In Poland, new deals have been inked with CDA Premium for S12-13 plus the Alien Alert special, Puls 2 for S13 and Top Kids for S9-10. Also on board for new seasons are CANAL+ (Austria) for S10-11; Cartoonito (Italy) for S14-15; Cartoonito (U.K. & Eire) for S15; RTL Telekids (Netherlands & Luxembourg) for S14-15; RIK (Slovakia & Czech Republic) for S6-7; RTÉ (Ireland) for S14-15; Britbox for S1-4 and Milkshake! for S14-15 in the U.K., and NRK (Norway) for S15.
Additional international deals brokered include Quebecor Content (French-speaking Canada) for S13; Showmax (Africa) for S11-15 plus Heroes of the Storm and Alien Alert specials; ETV (Africa) for S11-12; Canal+Ethiopia for S11-13; Hop! (Israel) for S16; ABC Commercial (Australia) for S1-15 plus Heroes of the Storm, Alien Alert, The Great Fire of Pontypandy and Snow Business specials; Jim Jam for Middle East and Africa (S11) and Europe (S10-11); and Edye (the U.S. and its territories, Latin America & the Caribbean) for S7.
Polly Pocket
Polly Pocketand her friends will return in Season 6 (38 x 11’), slated for delivery in summer 2024. In the new season, Polly and friends are travelling our world and dimensions beyond — from Brazil to Unicorn World to Skatesville! They’ll be exploring new pocket-sized worlds, rescuing animals in Littleton and beyond, and helping their favorite dance star as she takes the stage in Rio de Janeiro. Through each episode, they discover that every new place is filled with potential new friends and fun!
New European deals inked by WildBrain for the 2D-animated Polly Pocket series include POP for S3-4 and ITVX Kids for S3-5 and the Sparkle Cove Adventure special in the U.K.; Gulli for S5 and TFOUMAX for S4 in France; Cartoonito (Italy) for S5; Sweet.TV (Ukraine) for S1-2; CANAL+ (Austria) for S1-2 and Leonine Studios (Germany) for S2.
Additional international deals include Family Jr. (Canada) for S5; Amazon Kids+ (U.S.) for S4-5; Showmax (Africa) for S1-4; Warner Bros. Discovery (Latin America) for S5; TVNZ (New Zealand) for S4-5; Stan (Australia) for S1-5; SBC (Seychelles) for S3-4; Canal+ Ethiopia for S2-4; and True Visions (Thailand) for S1-5. Broadcasters have also picked up Mattel’s classic version of Polly Pocket, which originally premiered in 2010, including CDA Premium (Poland) for S3 and S6 alongside Viet Content (Vietnam) for S1-11.
Mattel’s CG-animated Bob the Builder series, produced by WildBrain Studios, has been picked up by broadcasters including CANAL+ (Austria) for S1; Sweet.TV (Ukraine) for S1; Top Kids (Poland) for S2-3; Rik for S1-2 in Cyprus and S2-3 in Slovakia and Czech Republic; Viet Content (Vietnam) for S3; Box Kids TV (Brazil) for S1 and TIGA (Thailand) for S2-3.
Additionally, WildBrain has secured new partnerships for Mattel’s classic Bob the Builder series, including with Amazon Kids+ (U.K.) for S14-15; Kixi (Germany) for S1-4; Baby First (U.S. and its territories, plus Latin America) for S17-18. Additionally, Quebecor Content (French Canada) and CDA Premium (Poland) have picked up S3 of the CG version and Mega Machines: The Movie; and Showmax (Africa) has picked up the movie and S1-3. In Germany, Deutsche Telekom/Magenta TV has picked up S1-4 of the classic series, plus the specials Roads and Bridges, A Christmas to Remember, Snowed Under: The Bobblesberg Winter Games and Built to Be Wild. In Australia, ABC Commercial has acquired S1-18 of the classic version, S1-3 of the CG version and a package of specials.
For seasons one and two of Mattel’s preschool CG series Little People(total 104 x 11’), based on the Fisher-Price brand, WildBrain has also inked new distribution deals with Top Kids (Poland) and Box Kids TV (Brazil).
Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning animated feature is brought to life in Tony Award-winner John Caird’s (Les Misérables) stage adaptation Spirited Away: Live on Stage. Filmed during the production’s 2022 run at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, the critically acclaimed stage show will be available on all major digital platforms from October 24 and on Blu-ray on November 14 from GKIDS with distribution from Shout! Studios. GKIDs released the filmed version across North America this spring as part of the 2023 Studio Ghibli Fest.
Brought to life with puppets designed by Toby Olié, costuming by Sachiko Nakahara, sets by Jon Bausor and musical numbers inspired by the 2001 animated fantasy (composed for the film by Joe Hisashi, orchestrated and arranged for the show by Brad Haak with support from Conor Kee), the stage show is released as two separate filmed performances of the production, starring renowned Japanese actresses Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi, double-cast as the lead heroine Chihiro. Character actor Mari Natsuki, who voiced the sorceress Yubaba and her twin sister Zeniba in the original movie, returns to her original role, mirrored by voice actor Romi Park double cast as the characters.
Both performances will be available on digital platforms. The Blu-ray will house a two-disc set to include both versions and can now be pre-ordered on GKIDS.com/SpiritedAwayStage and ShoutFactory.com.
Spirited Away: Live on Stage with Kanna Hashimoto – Cast:
Chihiro: Kanna Hashimoto
Haku: Hiroki Miura
Kaonashi (No Face): Tomohiko Tsujimoto
Lin/Chihiro’s Mother: Fu Hinami
Kamajî: Satoshi Hashimoto
Yubaba/Zeniba: Mari Natsuki
Spirited Away: Live on Stagewith Mone Kamishiraishi – Cast:
Chihiro: Mone Kamishiraishi
Haku: Kotaro Daigo
Kaonashi (No Face): Koharu Sugawara
Lin/Chihiro’s Mother: Miyu Sakihi
Kamajî: Tomorowo Taguchi
Yubaba/Zeniba: Romi Park
Apple TV+ today announced its holiday lineup of all-new kids and family programming, featuring the debut of the Apple Original special The Velveteen Rabbit, based on the 1922 children’s book written by Margery Williams, launching on November 22, plus brand new holiday-themed episodes from beloved series including The Snoopy Show, Frog and Toad andShape Island, premiering globally December 1 and a special New Year’s Eve themed episode of Sago Mini Friends on December 22.
The streamer will also offer a special gift to nonsubscribers in the form of special, free of charge windows to watch classic animated holiday specials from Mendelson/Melendez Productions and Peanuts Worldwide, including It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown available Saturday, October 21 through Sunday, October 22; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving available Saturday, November 18 through Sunday, November 19; and A Charlie Brown Christmas available Saturday, December 16 through Sunday, December 17. These specials are available to subscribers now and every day.
Apple TV+ Kids & Family Holiday Lineup:
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown — Stream for Free Saturday, October 21 to Sunday, October 22
Join the Peanuts gang for a timeless adventure as Charlie Brown preps for a party, Snoopy sets his sights on the Red Baron and Linus patiently awaits a pumpkin patch miracle.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
50th Anniversary of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving — Stream for Free Saturday, November 18 to Sunday, November 19
Celebrating 50 years of this Peanuts classic, Peppermint Patty invites everyone to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving, even though he’s going to see his grandmother. Snoopy decides to cook his own version of a Thanksgiving meal with help from his friends.
The Velveteen Rabbit
The Velveteen Rabbit — Premieres Wednesday, November 22
Based on the treasured, classic children’s book by Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit celebrates the magic of unconditional love. When seven-year-old William receives a new favorite toy for Christmas, he discovers a lifelong friend and unlocks a world of magic.
The 40-minute special from Apple TV+ and produced by Magic Light Pictures introduces Phoenix Laroche (The Royal Nanny) starring as William alongside an all-star cast including the voices of Alex Lawther (Andor) as the Velveteen Rabbit, Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown) as Wise Horse, Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as Playroom Fairy, Bethany Antonia (House of Dragon) as Female Rabbit, Lois Chimimba (Still Up) as Car, Paterson Joseph (Vigil) as King, Clive Rowe (So Awkward) as Lion, Nathaniel Parker (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries) as Male Rabbit, Tilly Vosburgh (Inside Man) as Momo as well as Samantha Colley (Genius) as Mother.
Magic Light Pictures co-founder Martin Pope produces (Academy Award nominee The Gruffalo and BAFTA & International Emmy winner Revolting Rhymes) with a screenplay by Tom Bidwell, creator of the BAFTA- and International Emmy-nominated My Mad Fat Diary and the Oscar-nominated short Wish 143.
Frog and Toad “Christmas Eve”
Frog and Toad Christmas Special — Premieres Friday, December 1
In “Christmas Eve,” Frog and Toad are looking forward to spending the winter holiday together, but a last-minute errand into town sidetracks Frog, causing Toad to wonder if his best friend will make it home in time. In this Apple TV+ original series based on the beloved book series by Arnold Lobel, Frog and Toad are not at all alike. Frog likes new adventures. Toad likes the comforts of home. Yet despite their differences, Frog and Toad are always there for each other — as best friends should be.
The talented voice cast includes Academy Award winner Nat Faxon (Our Flag Means Death) and Emmy Award nominee Kevin Michael Richardson (The Simpsons) as Frog and Toad, as well as appearances by Ron Funches (Trolls), Fortune Feimster (Good Fortune), Cole Escola (At Home with Amy Sedaris), Aparna Nancherla (The Great North), John Hodgman (Up Here), Yvette Nicole Brown (Disenchanted), Stephen Tobolowsky (The Goldbergs), Emmy Award nominee Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Selene Luna (Coco), Emmy Award nominee Margaret Cho (Fire Island) and Betsy Sodaro (Duncanville).
The Snoopy Show ” Happiness Is Holiday Traditions”
The Snoopy Show Christmas Special — Premieres Friday, December 1
In “Happiness Is Holiday Traditions,” Snoopy searches for the perfect tree topper; Woodstock gets trapped in a window display; and Snoopy and Woodstock visit Spike for Christmas. An Apple TV+ original series from Peanuts and WildBrain, The Snoopy Show gives the world’s most iconic dog his close-up and dives into new adventures with the happy-dancing, high-flying, big-dreaming beagle, who’s joined by best friend Woodstock and the rest of the Peanuts gang.
Josh Scherba, Anne Loi, Stephanie Betts, Paige Braddock, Craig Schulz and Mark Evestaff serve as executive producers. Alex Galatis serves as executive story editor.
Shape Island “The Winter Blues”
Shape Island Winter Special — Premieres Friday, December 1
Shape Island, the acclaimed stop-motion series for kids and families based on the internationally bestselling trilogy of Shapes picture books written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen, is back on December 1 with an all-new holiday special titled “The Winter Blues.” The chilly season leaves Square feeling sad, so Circle and Triangle try to cheer him up by creating a new holiday: Yeti Night.
The clever, funny and inspiring stop-motion animated series from Apple TV+ takes place on a charming island and invites viewers to join serious Square, intrepid Circle and tricky Triangle on their silly adventures as they dig up some fun, search for answers and build on their friendship — all while learning how to navigate each other’s differences. Shape Island shows kids that friendship can take many shapes.
The series features the beloved familiar voices of Gideon Adlon (Blockers), Scott Adsit (30 Rock), Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) and Yvette Nicole Brown (Disenchanted). Shape Island was co-created by Barnett and Klassen, who serve as executive producers alongside Bix Pix Entertainment’s Emmy Award-winners Kelli Bixler and Drew Hodges. Ryan Pequin serves as co-executive producer and head writer.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas — Stream for Free Saturday, December 16 to Sunday, December 17
In this beloved Peanuts special, feeling down about the commercialism of Christmas, Charlie Brown becomes the director of the gang’s holiday play. Can he overcome his friends’ preference for dancing over acting, find the “perfect” tree and discover the true meaning of Christmas?
Sago Mini Friends “New Year’s Steve”
Sago Mini Friends New Year’s Eve Special — Premieres Friday, December 22
In an all-new holiday special titled “New Year’s Steve,” Harvey makes a wish to stay awake until midnight when a firefly swoops in to help — and kickstarts a scavenger hunt for the whole crew.
The series is an adorable nod to gratitude, featuring Harvey the floppy-eared dog and his best friends, Jinja the cat, Jack the rabbit and Robin the bird. Along with a unique cast of residents as colorful as their own whimsical world, the four friends play, explore, imagine and celebrate daily in their joyful town of Sagoville. In each episode, Harvey and all his friends express their true thankfulness for all things, big and small, through optimism, kindness, preschool-friendly humor and unforgettable original songs!
Sago Mini Friends is executive produced by Daytime Emmy Award nominees Jennifer Dodge (PAW Patrol), Ronnen Harary (PAW Patrol), Tone Thyne (Wonder Pets!) and Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy). Daytime Emmy Award nominees Laura Clunie (PAW Patrol) and Toni Stevens (PAW Patrol) serve as co-executive producers, with Chad Hicks (Kingdom Force) as series director. The series is produced by Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Spin Master Entertainment (PAW Patrol) and animated by 9 Story Media Group’s Emmy Award-winning studio Brown Bag Films. Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, distinguished professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and expert in the science of happiness, serves as the gratitude expert on the series through Apple TV+’s changemakers initiative.
Organizers of the U.K.’s Manchester Animation Festival have announced the program for the ninth edition, taking place November 12-17. The lineup covers more than 100 animation-focused events, including screenings, panels, workshops, masterclasses, making of sessions and studio talks. Events will be held live across the city at venues such as HOME cinema, Bridgewater Hall and ODEON before becoming available to enjoy online (Nov. 18-30).
To make the festival as inclusive as possible, MAF be adding English descriptive subtitles to the majority of films in the program, and will have BSL interpreters at intros/Q&As as well as trials for relaxed screenings (sensory-friendly).
Tickets and passes for MAF 2023 go on sale Friday, September 29 at noon GMT.
This year’s festival sting was created by Will Becher, the Academy Award-nominated co-director of Aardman’s A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmaggedon. Check it out below!
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Festival Highlights
MAF 2023’s feature film program will present the Manchester premiere of Netflix’s highly anticipated Aardman sequel Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, which will also feature in the “Making Of” sessions. (Netflix will also present an advance screening of three episodes from the upcoming series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.) This year’s long-form selections also include:
Kensuke’s Kingdom – Based on Michael Morpurgo’s bestselling novel, Kensuke’s Kingdom tells the story of a boy swept overboard during a storm on a worldwide sailing trip with his family. Starring Cillian Murphy, Sally Hawkins and Ken Watanabe. The film is made by Lupus Films, who received the MAF Fellowship Award last year.
White Plastic Sky – This powerful film introduces a post-apocalyptic Budapest in the year 2123. In this future without animals and plants where the price of human survival is high, a young man breaks every rule to save his wife. The film has screened at several Film Festivals and received a special mention at Animafest Zagreb.
Mars Express– Nominated for an Annecy Cristal, this futuristic thriller follows private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner who are hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On their journey, they uncover a secret that threatens to change the face of the universe.
The Peasants– Fresh from its world premiere this month at Toronto Film Festival, this hand-painted film adapts a Nobel prize winning novel about an early 20th century Polish peasant woman who creates havoc by marrying an older rich man. The film is also Poland’s entry for International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.
Chicken For Linda!– Following on from its win at Annecy Film Festival for Best Feature Film, this heartwarming comedy follows the story of mum Paulette who has promised to cook chicken with peppers for her daughter Linda, even though she cannot cook at all. But how will she find a chicken on the day of a general strike?
Wish
The exclusive filmmaker Making Of… sessions will spotlight Dawn of the Nugget, with Aardman director & animator Suzy Fagan Parr, who serves as additional sequence director on the cluckin’ exciting sequel. Comics artist and animation producer ND Stevenson will also be on hand to discuss the Netflix adaptation of their funny and heartfelt fantasy-adventure Nimona. And producer Juan Pablos Reyes will shed some light on the behind-the-scenes magic of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ holiday release, Wish.
Triple Academy Award-winning studio PASSION Pictures will present a studio talk led by Executive Producer & Head of Production, David Park. MAF attendees will also get to hear from Kugali CEO Hamid Ibrahim in an enlightening discussion about the trailblazing pan-African company. In the anniversary spotlight Magic Light Pictures at 20, the team behind such classics as The Gruffalo and Stick Man will give audiences an in-depth look at some of their impressive array of works.
Additional panels and sessions across the week will also explore The Art of the Music Video, as well as an in depth discussion on the BBC Children’s initiative: Inform, Educate, Animate. MAF will have Industry Excellence Award sessions on Storyboarding and Character Design, and U.K.-based animation news site Skwigly will present a selection of films from its animation community, as well as the ever-popular Skwigly Quiz.
In addition to MAF’s usual short film competition and panorama programs showcasing the breadth of international talent in animation, this year the festival is putting a special focus on Croatian animation with two programs of short films from the nation; one contemporary and one classic. Audiences can also gain insights from filmmaker Kata Gugić of Bonobostudio in a talk about on the Croatia-based studio.
Additional special programs will explore transgender identities through animation and delve into the rich storytelling of Animated Africa with two curated collections of short films.
Hey Duggee!
MAF’s Family Day makes a welcome return on Sunday, November 12, including festival favorites such as the BBC Family Box Set, the Short Films for Children selection and a wealth of dedicated family events. Claymation and LEGO Stop Motion workshops offer an engaging activity for kids to discover and show off their creative talents. MAF will also be hosting the Young Animator of the Year Awards again, celebrating animators aged 11-18 from across the country.
MAF’s Industry Day has been renamed for 2023 to the Animation Nation Forum. Taking place on Thursday, November 16, sessions will include a yet-to-be announced industry keynote, a focus on the state of play within animation from a panel packed with industry heavyweights, as well as a dedicated panel on AI. Networking and social opportunities, pitching surgeries and portfolio reviews will also be on offer; a fantastic opportunity to meet with industry professionals and receive feedback on ideas and skills.
Amy Gledhill
Once again hosted by National Comedy Awards 2023 nominee, comedian and actor Amy Gledhill, the annual MAF Awards ceremony will be held Thursday, November 17. This year’s Film Awards will have categories of Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Student Film, Best Children’s Film, Best Commissioned Film, Best Immersive Film and, new for this year, Best British Film.
As previously announced, for the first time in 2023, the winner of the Short Film category will automatically qualify for Oscar Academy Award consideration. Across the festival there will be 103 different short films from 26 different countries representing the very best animated short films from across the world.
Visit manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk for more details including the full schedule of events (with additional announcements due in the coming weeks).
Toonz Media Group and Epic Story Media have teamed up with chef, cookbook author and television personality Aliya LeeKong to whip up a new culinary-themed 52 x 11′ animated children’s series, Issa’s Edible Adventures. The series aims to tell multicultural and multiracial stories using food and cooking as narrative, entertaining viewers globally.
“After the birth of my first daughter, Asya, I realized there were no interesting food properties out there for kids nor was there a central character to be its ambassador — the way Doc McStuffins taught about wellness, for example,” says LeeKong. “There were also very few characters that were multiracial and multicultural, which I clearly think is important for children, like my daughters, to see. And, thus, Issa’s Edible Adventures was born — combining my own loves of food, cooking, travel and kids.”
The show follows seven-year-old Issa, a tiny aspiring chef with a big heart who, with her best friends Tartufo the hilarious Basque pig and Maha the magical bird, ventures into the world in search of the one ingredient that’ll complete the amazing dish she knows will bring joy to the life of a friend, a family or guest of the Hotel Du Monde, where her mother is Executive Chef.
In search of the most delicious and extraordinary culinary experience yet, Issa journeys from the center to the edge of the Earth, inspiring young viewers with a curiosity about the world and an openness to knew flavors as well as the important lesson that the things that make us different can also help bring us together.
“Issa’s Edible Adventures offers authentic educational content for kids in an area where kid’s content is scarce — food. The series is being developed into a wholesome content with focus on education, inclusivity and adventure around the world,” notes P. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group. I am confident that this series will become the household name in the near future.”
Toonz, Epic and LeeKong have agreed to jointly develop, finance, produce and distribute the series. While Epic will have exclusive distribution and L&M rights in U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Australia and New Zealand, Toonz will retain the distribution and L&M rights in rest of the world. The teams will expand Issa’s world beyond the animated series via books, consumer products and more.
Ken Faier, President of Epic Story Media, says, “We’re extremely excited to work with Aliya and the Toonz team to bring this unique show and Aliya’s vision to a global audience. The series will resonate with today’s families by celebrating different cultures and bringing people together … all through food! A guaranteed recipe for success!”
The Toonz delegation will be at MIPCOM this year at R7 L23 in Italian Pavilion for meetings regarding this series and others between October 14-19.
The Visual Effects Society (VES) has announced its newest VES Fellows, who will be celebrated with the other honorees at a special event in October. This year’s venerated VES Fellows, who will be bestowed with the post-nominal letters “VES,” are: Jeff Barnes, Toni Pace Carstensen, Bob Coleman, Chuck Finance, Shannon Gans, Tim McGovern and Ray McMillan.
“Our VES honorees represent a group of exceptional artists, innovators and professionals who have had a profound impact on the field of visual effects and in service to our global Society,” said VES Board Chair Lisa Cooke. “We are proud to recognize those who helped shape our shared legacy and our worldwide VFX community, and continue to inspire future generations of VFX practitioners.”
VES 2023 Fellows
Jeff Barnes
Jeff Barnes, VES is an entertainment and technology creative executive who continues to make marked impacts across Silicon Valley and Hollywood. As the Executive Vice President of Creative Development at Light Field Lab, Barnes drives cross-channel marketing initiatives and content creation for the company’s groundbreaking SolidLight holographic display platform.
Barnes previously co-founded and led powerhouse entertainment and visual effects companies, including CaféFX, The Syndicate and Sententia Entertainment. His studios were world-class providers of award-winning imagery on over 80 studio-released feature films, including Armageddon, The Aviator, Pan’s Labyrinth, Alice in Wonderland, Iron Man and Universal Studios theme park ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Barnes has actively contributed to the development, support, and advancement of the creative community, serving as Chair and Vice Chair of the VES global Board of Directors, and was honored as a VES Lifetime Member.
Toni Pace Carstensen
Toni Pace Carstensen, VES is a founding member of the Visual Effects Society, joining the organization as member 0004 and serving as the Society’s first Treasurer. She was a founding member of the Executive Committee and served on the global Board of Directors for many years, as well as Co-Chair of the Global Education Committee, co-editor of the first edition of the VES Handbook of Visual Effects and with the Education Committee, generated the concept for VESAGE, a book showcasing the personal art of VES members.
Carstensen serves as longtime Chair of the Vision Committee, which continues to engage with frontiers including VR/AR and holograms, and Treasurer of the Los Angeles Section. Her feature credits include VFX Producer/Digital Production Manager on Avatar, Minority Report and Fantasia 2000.
Carstensen is a VES Lifetime Member and recipient of the 2017 VES Founders Award.
Bob Coleman
Bob Coleman, VES is also being honored this year as a VES Lifetime Member. Coleman is the President and Founder of Digital Artists Agency. With a roster of VFX talent that includes Academy Award, VES Award and Emmy Award-winning artisans, DAA is recognized as a preeminent below-the-line agency, exclusively representing VFX artists for feature films, television and commercials.
Coleman’s career in film production, visual effects and post production spans over 40 years and includes senior leadership positions with Victor Duncan Inc., Optimus Inc., Editel Chicago, Lucas Arts, Skywalker Sound, Digital Magic, and Virgin Digital Studios entities 525 and Virgin Television de Mexico. Coleman has served on the VES Awards Committee for 23 years, including nine years as Chair.
He has had a long tenure on the VES global Board of Directors and its Executive Committee, as well as providing significant contributions and leadership for the VES Business Labor and Law, Benefits, VES Summit and Membership Committees.
Chuck Finance
Chuck Finance, VES has been a valuable member of the VES for more than 20 years, following a long career in educational, information, and theatrical filmmaking. Early in his career, he gained a reputation for producing and directing science films for the American Geological Institute, National Science Foundation, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other commercial film production companies.
Finance was the co-founder of Perpetual Motion Pictures, where he oversaw production of visual effects, titles and opticals for such films as Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Leviathan and Mom and Dad Save the World; and then went on to work as a freelance VFX Producer and VFX Consultant for film and TV.
Finance played an instrumental role in the VES Awards, with his deep involvement on the Awards Committee for almost two decades, include service as the Chair and Co-Chair.
Shannon Gans
Shannon Gans, VES is a producer and builder of studios and teams at the leading intersection of creativity, technology and business. She is part of the Apple team behind its new mixed-reality headset, in charge of mixed-reality content for the device; and is also an executive producer on an animated series for Jon Stewart at HBO.
Gans is best known as the CEO and Co-Founder of New Deal Studios, a 21st Century Creative Studio, a visual effects, design and production studio known for award winning sequences on more than 200 of the biggest films and commercials including Interstellar and The Aviator. Gans has extensive production and development experience in real time, independent feature films, commercials, visual effects, and spatial interactive content.
Gans has played a leadership role with the Society in serving several terms on the global VES Board of Directors.
Tim McGovern
Tim McGovern, VES Is also being honored this year as a VES Lifetime Member and the 2023 Founders Award recipient. McGovern is an acclaimed visual effects supervisor and creative Director, who began his career at the inception of digital/computer visual effects, in the otherwise analog VFX industry, doing award-winning work in VFX and computer animation. In addition to winning an Academy Award for Digital Visual Effects for Total Recall, he garnered five Clios, a Hugo and a Mobius award.
He was a founding member of Sony Pictures Imageworks, and ran it as Senior VFX Supervisor, as well as the SVP of Creative and Technical Affairs. Since leaving Sony, McGovern has worked as an independent visual effects supervisor and filmmaker. He has supervised VFX for Hollywood Films in Mumbai, and now works at DNEG Mumbai, while also serving as Chief Creative Officer at Whisper Pictures, a development and production company focused on animated family films.
McGovern has played key leadership roles with the VES over the last 20 years, including service as a member of the global Board of Directors, as the Board’s Vice Chair, as a founding Co-Chair of the VES Awards Committee and member of the Virtual Production Committee. He was the founding Chair of the VES Committee for Outreach to Developing Regions and has greatly contributed to the Society’s growth in multiple regions on four continents, including working with VES members to form Sections in Washington state, Georgia, France, Germany, India and assisting to help Montreal and Toronto achieve Section-hood.
Ray McMillan
Ray McMillan, VES is a venerated visual effects supervisor/producer, director and director of photography, known for his work on films including The Day After Tomorrow, The Incredible Hulk and X-Men. His career has been punctuated with more than 40 awards for his work, including International Clios; New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Chicago Art Director’s Awards and International Film and TV Festival of New York Awards.
McMillan started as a classically trained animator at Children’s Television Network, and then moved into visual effects for commercials, feature film and series across the U.S. and Canada — including working this past year as VFX supervisor on the Apple+ series Jane.
McMillan is deeply involved with the VES Toronto Section, serving multiple terms as the Section Treasurer and Secretary, and chairing their studio screenings.
As previously announced, McGovern was named recipient of the 2023 VES Founders Award. McGovern; Coleman; the Society’s designated Archivist and Curator Sandra Joy Aguilar; producer and AMPAS Governor Brooke Breton, VES have been awarded Lifetime VES memberships. The 2023 class of VES Hall of Fame honorees includes Samuel Z. Arkoff; Lawrence W. Butler; Wah Chang; Norman Dawn, ASC; Walter Percy Day, OBE; Marcel Delgado; Farciot Edouart, ASC; and Edward D. Wood, Jr.
Hasbro has announced two celebrity guest stars will be popping in for a visit with Peppa Pig in the all-new, three-part Peppa Pig Wedding Party Special that is set to premiere in Spring 2024, timed to the iconic animated character’s 20th anniversary. The trio of episodes will have young fans and their families jumping into imaginative adventures inspired by real-life wedding party traditions.
In the special, dress maker Ms. Leopard (voiced by pop star Katy Perry) assists with the preparations for the first-ever wedding seen in Peppa Pig. Mr. Bull and Mrs. Cow surprise everyone with their wedding announcement and with one day to prepare, everyone rallies around to make it memorable!
Then, with one day to prepare, jeweler Mr. Raccoon (voiced by Orlando Bloom) assists with the preparations for the big day. Mr. Bull and Mrs. Cow surprise everyone with their wedding announcement and everyone rallies around to make it memorable!
All casting and filming for the Peppa Pig Wedding Party Special were contracted and completed before the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, and are compliant with SAG-AFTRA rules and conditions.
Mrs. Leopard (voiced by Katy Perry)
Mr. Raccoon (voiced by Orlando Bloom)
“We’re incredibly thrilled to have such an A-list talent join the family-fun adventures in Peppa Pig! As a loving parent and fan of Peppa herself, Katy Perry is a perfect fit to voice the character of Ms. Leopard,” said Olivier Dumont, President of Hasbro Entertainment. “Reaching this brand milestone of two decades and being able to work with outstanding talent like Katy is a testament to the worldwide success of Peppa Pig and her ability to deliver entertainment no fans will want to miss.”
Dumont added, “It is such an honor to have Orlando Bloom bring his talents to Peppa Pig in this exciting wedding-themed special. Orlando is an extraordinary actor, dad and philanthropist, and we’re proud to have him join the Peppa roster just in time to celebrate the brand’s 20th anniversary next year. With this captivating moment in Peppa entertainment, along with the many other projects we have in the works across consumer products, partnerships, location-based-entertainment and more, we’re providing fans across the globe with endless ways to celebrate Peppa throughout the year.”
A British-born preschool animation sensation, Peppa Pig has been airing for almost 20 years, across nine seasons in over 180 territories as of 2023. Globally successful, the brand has spawned multiple fan engagements across TV, live events, theme parks and retail.
The animated television series follows Peppa Pig, a cheeky little piggy who lives with her family — younger brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig — as well as her diverse community of friends. Peppa encourages her kid viewers to jump in and explore the world around them, with the confidence to treat every first step as a new adventure.
A new high-def collection of films by one of modern animation’s most lauded auteurs is arriving just in time for the holidays, as GKIDS and Shout! Factory announce they are teaming up to release Masaaki Yuasa: Five Films on December 19. The six-disc set gathers the visionary filmmaker’s imaginative, diverse feature films in one colorful package.
The box set features new artwork designed by Yuasa throughout the packaging, a 13″ x 21″ poster of this artwork and an exclusive 60-page book about the celebrated animator, including excerpts from his sketchbook.
Widely regarded as one of the most imaginative and influential filmmakers working in animation, Masaaki Yuasa’s energetic style has been compared to Tex Avery and Max Fleischer. He is one of contemporary anime’s most prolific auteurs and has lent his humor and dynamism to genres as diverse as psychedelic thrillers, transcendent rock-operas and sweetly subversive teen romances.
This set includes Masaaki Yuasa’s five celebrated and industry-lauded feature films – 2004’s Mind Game(Fantasia International Film Festival winner for Best Film, Best Director and Best Script), 2017’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl (winner of the 41st Annual Japanese Academy Award’s Animation of the Year), 2017’s Lu Over the Wall(2017 Annecy winner for Best Feature), 2019’s Ride Your Wave (Fantasia International Film Festival winner for Best Animated Feature), and 2021’s Inu-oh (2022 Golden Globe nominee for Best Animation) – along with a host of never-before-seen bonus features.
Mind Game
Mind Game
Audiences will begin to grasp what they are in for early on as loser Nishi, too wimpy to try to save his childhood sweetheart from gangsters, is shot in the butt by a soccer-playing psychopath, projecting Nishi into the afterlife. In this limbo, God — shown as a series of rapidly changing characters — tells him to walk toward the light. But Nishi runs like hell in the other direction and returns to Earth a changed man, driven to live each moment to the fullest.
The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl
As a group of teens go out for a night on the town, a sophomore known only as “The Girl with Black Hair” experiences a series of surreal encounters with the local nightlife … all the while unaware of the romantic longings of Senpai, a fellow student who has been creating increasingly fantastic and contrived reasons to run into her, in an effort to win her heart. Featuring boundless imagination and visual wit, The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl is a celebration of the unconventional, confusing routes that life and love can take, from one of the most exciting voices in anime today.
Lu Over the Wall
After his family moves from Tokyo to a small fishing village, teenager Kai spends his days sulking and adrift. When his classmates invite him to play keyboard in their band, their jam sessions bring an unexpected guest: Lu, a young mermaid whose fins turn to feet when she hears the beats, and whose singing causes humans to compulsively dance. But when an ancient prophecy threatens Lu and the village, Kai and his new friends must save the day in this toe-tapping adventure for the entire family.
Ride Your Wave
Hinako is a surf-loving college student who has just moved to a small seaside town. When a sudden fire breaks out at her apartment building, she is rescued by Minato, a handsome firefighter, and the two soon fall in love. Just as they become inseparable, Minato loses his life in an accident at sea. Hinako is so distraught that she can no longer even look at the ocean, but one day she sings a song that reminds her of their time together, and Minato appears in the water. From then on, she can summon him in any watery surface as soon as she sings their song, but can the two really remain together forever? And what is the real reason for Minato’s sudden reappearance?
Inu-oh
Born to an esteemed family, Inu-oh is afflicted with an ancient curse that has left him on the margins of society. When he meets the blind musician Tomona, a young biwa priest haunted by his past, Inu-oh discovers a captivating ability to dance. The pair quickly become business partners and inseparable friends as crowds flock to their electric, larger-than-life concerts. But when those in power threaten to break up the band, Inu-oh and Tomona must dance and sing to uncover the truth behind their creative gifts.
Special Features
English-language dub of The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl for the first time on Blu-ray
Two short films by Masaaki Yuasa: Happy Machine (2007) and Kick-Heart (2013)
Filmmaker commentaries for Mind Game, Lu Over the Wall and Inu-oh
Scene breakdowns and commentaries from each feature film
Masaaki Yuasa draws characters from Mind Game, Lu Over the Wall and Inu-oh
Filmmaker interviews about Lu Over theWall,Inu-oh and The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl
A Night Out with Yuasa: An exclusive interview with Masaaki Yuasa at a Los Angeles speakeasy, where he discusses his inspirations, favorite type of restaurants, perfect vacation, dancing and more
A 60-page book featuring an essay by Emily Yoshida and excerpts from Masaaki Yuasa’s sketchbooks
The next edition of LightBox Expo — the visual arts celebration created by character designer/illustrator Bobby Chiu (Disney’s Alice in Wonderland) and event organizer/filmmaker Jim Demonakos (Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters) — is just around the corner! Featured in the three-day event taking place in Pasadena, California from October 27-29 will be a range of creator sessions; including.
Animation Magazine can share exclusively that one can’t-miss event will be a First Look atChicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, featuring director Sam Fell and Aardman Co-Founder Peter Lord. The film will arrive exclusively on Netflix on December 15.
Hatching A Plan:
Join director Sam Fell and Aardman Animation Co-Founder Peter Lord as they crack open a soufflé of scintillating secrets from behind the scenes of Aardman’s latest stop-frame digital kitchen — Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Foxes strictly prohibited.
“We’re excited to present educational panels throughout the show that allow new and upcoming artists to hear about pathways into the industry,” says Chiu. “In addition, much of the programming allows artists of all levels to learn new tips, tricks and techniques to up their art game, making it the perfect place to come learn no matter where you are in your artistic journey.”
“LightBox Expo features over 600 artists, more than 200 panels and demos, plus over 300 creators in artist alley,” Demonakos notes. “Attendees to this year’s event will be able to purchase plus toys of the LBX Mascots, a hoodie specifically designed to cater to traditional and digital artists, a selection of custom sketchbooks and more!”
One of the show’s other highlights is The Concept Art Awards, an annual award ceremony designed to recognize and bring increased awareness of the role of concept artists throughout the world of movies, television, video games, and more. This year’s finalists include Kristafer Anka (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Debby Coleman & Maria Yi (Elemental), Nacho Molina (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem), Tyler Carter (Nimona), Dawn Carlos (Tales of the Jedi), Genevieve Tsai (Animaniacs), Meybis Ruiz Cruz (Entergalactic) and many more.
You can view the finalist pieces and learn more about the Concept Art Association and the 2023 Concept Art Awards, presented by LightBox Expo, at conceptartassociation.com.
Chiu and Demonakos created LightBox Expo as a way to unite the best artists in the animation, illustration, live action and gaming industries under one roof for the ultimate celebration of art. For more information about LightBox Expo, visit lightboxexpo.com and follow them on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Discord.
Crunchyroll has been down the ol’ anime patch and plucked a bountiful harvest of spooky treats for fans to enjoy this Halloween season. Beginning October 1 and through the rest of the month only, select terrifying titles and creepy comedies will be free to watch with ads for anyone who has signed up for a free Crunchyroll user account. Titles include Tokyo Ghoul, ZOMBIE LAND SAGA, Mieruko-chan, Blue Exorcist, this year’s new breakout hit from studio MAPPA, Hell’s Paradise, and more.
Crunchyroll also recently added more hot series to its AVOD catalog earlier this year, including Chainsaw Man, SPY x FAMILY, VINLAND SAGA, Lycoris Recoil, My Dress-Up Darling, BLUELOCK, and more.
The anime destination this week also unveiled its initial Fall 2023 Anime Lineup of series due to simulcast weekly all season long for subscribers. Check out the listings by premiere date below, and pop over to the Crunchyroll News page for synopses, trailers and more info on each show.
AvailableNow
Sasaki and Miyano: Graduation
A Girl & Her Guard Dog
My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
September 30
Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange
October 1
Shangri-La Frontier
MF Ghost
Berserk of Gluttony
The Family Circumstances of the Irregular Witch
Overtake!
October 2
Shy
I’m in Love with the Villainess
A Playthrough of a Certain Dude’s VRMMO Life
Ron Kamonohashi’s Forbidden Deductions
Migi&Dali
October 3
The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent
October 4
KamiErabi GOD.app
Kizuna no Allele 2nd Season
16bit Sensations: Another Layer
Bullbuster
I’m Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness
