The chips have fallen: The Walt Disney Co., which acquired Blue Sky Studios as part of its $71.3 billion buy up of 20th Century Fox in 2019, is officially shuttering the Greenwich, Connecticut animation shop, founded in 1987. Blue Sky had grossed $5.9 billion for Fox across 13 CGI-animated feature films, including the blockbuster Ice Age and Rio franchises, sci-fi hit Robots, Oscar-nominated Ferdinand and bodyswap buddy comedy Spies in Disguise, released nine months after the Disney-Fox merger.
The studio had slated Noelle Stevenson graphic novel adaptation Nimona, directed by Oscar winner Patrick Osborne (Feast), for a 2022 release. Production has halted and the film, which had 10 months of work ahead according to Deadline, will not be released. An unnamed studio spokesperson told the outlet: “Given the current economic realities, after much consideration and evaluation, we have made the difficult decision to close filmmaking operations at Blue Sky Studios.”
Blue Sky’s doors will officially close in April. Disney will reportedly work with the 450 employees affected to explore open positions at other internal studios, such as Walt Disney Animation, Pixar and 20th Century Animation.
Blue Sky Studios was founded by Chris Wedge, Michael Ferraro, Carl Ludwig, Alison Brown, David Brown and Eugene Troubetzkoy when their previous employer, tech and VFX house MAGI, shut down. The studio went from commercial work to creating the animated roaches in Joe’s Apartment (1996). After receiving a majority stake investment from 20th Century Fox’s VIFX in 1997, Blue Sky created animated characters for films like Alien Resurrection, Fight Club and Star Trek: Insurrection, before Wedge’s Oscar-winning CG-animated short Bunny rocketed the studio into feature animation.
Blue Sky Studios feature films:
Ice Age (2002), director Chris Wedge | Box office: $383M
Robots (2005), Wedge | $260M
Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Carlos Saldanha | $660M
Horton Hears A Who! (2008), Jimmy Hayward & Steve Martino | $297M
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009), Saldanha | $886M
Netflix and Higher Ground Productions have revealed first-look images and set the delicious delivery date for Waffles + Mochi — a new 10 x 20′ live-action/puppet series for cuisine-curious kids, featuring Michelle Obama. The show premieres March 16 exclusively on Netflix.
Synopsis: Once upon a thyme, deep in The Land of Frozen Food, lived two best friends named Waffles and Mochi with one shared dream: to become chefs! The only problem? Everything they cooked was made of ice. When these two taste-buddies are suddenly hired as the freshest employees of a whimsical supermarket, they’re ready for the culinary adventure of a lifetime.
With the help of friendly new faces like the supermarket owner, Mrs. Obama, and a magical flying shopping cart as their guide, Waffles and Mochi blast off on global ingredient missions, traveling to kitchens, restaurants, farms and homes all over the world, cooking up recipes with everyday ingredients alongside renowned chefs, home cooks, kids and celebrities. Whether they’re picking potatoes in the Andes of Peru, sampling spices in Italy, or making Miso in Japan, these curious explorers uncover the wonder of food and discover every meal is a chance to make new friends.
Waffles + Mochi is an exciting invitation to get kids and grown-ups cooking together in the kitchen and connecting to cultures around the globe.
Waffles + Mochi features the puppeteering talents of Michelle Zamora (Waffles), Russ Walko (Mochi and Intercommy), Jonathan Kidder (Busy), Diona Elise Burnett (Steve the Mop and voice of Magicart), Taleia Gilliam (Shelfie), Andy Hayward (puppet swing), Piotr Michael (voice of Mochi) and George Konner (voice of Intercommy).
Showrunners Erika Thormahlen (Pet Therapy) and Jeremy Konner (Drunk History) executive produce, alongside Tonia Davis, Priya Swaminathan and Barack and Michelle Obama (Higher Ground Prod.)
Animal Logic (The LEGO Movie franchise, Peter Rabbit, Happy Feet) confirmed today that the feature musical adaptation of Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz will be the next project produced out of their animation studio in Vancouver. The Warner Animation Group movie is based on the book by award-winning British author Michael Morpurgo.
The family film aims to connect audiences of all ages, appealing to fans of the original Wizard of Oz film while introducing the story to a whole new generation. Told from the perspective of Dorothy’s beloved canine companion, the screenplay was written by John August (Frankenweenie, Aladdin 2019), with two-time Tony nominee Alex Timbers attached to direct. The film will be produced by Derek Frey, who previously headed-up Tim Burton Productions.
Pre-production has begun on the animated feature, with Timbers currently meeting key creatives and producers in Vancouver and recruitment of artists and practitioners ramping up over the next few months.
Toto is the latest addition to an already prolific partnership between Animal Logic and Warner Bros., spanning more than 20 years. The Vancouver studio is currently in production on an animated film based on the DC Super Pets franchise, directed by Jared Stern and set for release in 2022. Known internationally as a digital hub, particularly for animation, Vancouver’s strong talent pool has allowed the studio to continue its growth and success alongside their Sydney headquarters.
This announcement compliments an already full slate underway at Animal Logic’s Sydney studio, with a number of projects in production and development. To view available roles and expressions of interest, visit animallogic.com/careers.
Following the success of its critically acclaimed series The Barefoot Bandits, New Zealand animation studio Mukpuddy has announced an out-of-this-world adventure awaits in its new family comedy The Adventures of Tumeke Space. The show launched on the HeiHei kids’ platform and TVNZ On Demand on Monday, Feb. 8, and was made with funding from NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.
The new series follows aspiring hero Tumeke Space (voiced by Glen-Paul Waru), his trusty robot sidekick JNR-572, a.k.a. “Junior” (Josh Thomson), and reluctant ally Wahine Troubles (Kura Forrester) search for Tumeke’s long-lost koro — a legendary space hero — while battling against the Pink Menace, loyal subject of the evil Queen and her tyrannical “Moral Supremacy.”
The Adventures of Tumeke Space also features the vocal talents of award-winning comedian Urzila Carlson, Kimberley Crossman (Golden Boy), Donna Brookbanks (Funny Girls) and Alison Quigan (Shortland Street) in key guest roles. The series is created and directed by Mukpuddy founders Ryan Cooper, Alex Leighton and Tim Evans, who also serve as showrunners.
The Adventures of Tumeke Space
As the principals explain, Tumeke Space started life on a Post-It note stuck to Cooper’s desk, and the idea was put on the backburner in 2014 when The Barefoot Bandits was greenlit. However, Tumeke found his way into Bandits as Tane, Fridge and Riley’s favorite TV space hero. In season 2, the Bandits discovered a “lost episode” of Tumeke Space, which gave us a closer look at his intergalactic exploits. Now The Adventures of Tumeke Space is finally ready to take off on its own.
But first, the studio had to overcome their own cosmic challenge: Just when Mukpuddy finally got the chance to make Tumeke Space, New Zealand went into COVID-19 lockdown the very same week that animation was about to start. But after a frantic couple of days of setting crew up to work from home, Tumeke Space was able to start production the day after lockdown began … And, months later, completed animation during Auckland’s second COVID-19 lockdown.
The Adventures of Tumeke Space
“To my knowledge we’re one of the only shows, if not the only show in NZ, to actually begin production in lockdown,” Cooper remarked. “People don’t really understand just how different animation is to a live-action show… and in this instance, the differences thankfully worked in our favor.”
“We’re just so stoked with our crew,” added Leighton. “Working in isolation was a tough adjustment for everyone. The fact that we were able to keep moving forward is all thanks to them.”
Showrunner/designer and Mukpuddy co-founder Alex Leighton puts on some finishing touches while working from home, surrounded by inspiring characters.
Originally formed in 2002, Mukpuddy began life as three animation school graduates — Ryan Cooper, Alex Leighton and Tim Evans — hustling to make web-toons in a Pakuranga basement. Eighteen years on, Mukpuddy has cemented its position as one of New Zealand’s most successful animation studios, with a crew of 50 and several titles to their credit, including Quimbo’s Quest, Jandal Burn, The Drawing Show and Pipi Mā. This fall, the studio announced it has acquired rights to adapt Spike Milligan’s classic children’s book Badjelly the Witch.
A promising gladiator from Puerto Rico is seeking glory in the global animation arena: Gladius Studios has emerged as an industry leader in the Caribbean by servicing a variety of platforms with award-winning projects, and unsheathed its own original concepts. Having already delivered the first animated series fully produced on the island, Fantomville, the studio marked the successful release of its Latin American folklore-inspired mobile game That Poor Pig in November, and is charging ahead with a new series titles Slimies (30 x 7′), its first 3D animated feature, Hotel Paraiso, and a Fantomville movies.
We recently reached out to Founder & CEO Heri Martínez de Dios to learn more about the studio’s strengths and its plans for a bright future.
Can you tell us a little bit about the history of your studio?
Heri Martínez de Dios: Gladius Studios is the largest animation studio in the Caribbean and is located in beautiful Puerto Rico. As an entrepreneur, the idea of bringing these creative industries to the island sparked the flames of creativity in me and I was driven to bring them the first professional digital animation studio. I wanted to create jobs for the local talent graduating within these fields and to produce animated projects of all levels, ranging from commercials, short films, series and animated films at the same high level of production in other countries. I wanted to showcase the talent in Puerto Rico. Lastly, I wanted for Gladius Studios, in addition to being a production house for animated and film projects, to also produce projects such as video games and emerging technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, apps and virtual production, to be all under the same roof.
Heri Martínez de Dios
What are some of your most successful titles?
With only seven years since its inception, Gladius Studios is a multiple Emmy and Telly Award-winning company. It has won awards at festivals for its animated commercials showcased in movie theaters and on TV. Gladius Studios’ video game Ese Pobre Lechón (That Poor Pig), which features folkloric themed animation that accentuates the charms of Puerto Rico, ranked #1 in downloads on Google Play. We also have the 3D animated feature film Fantomville in development. Its trailer earned Gladius Studios an Emmy Award, as well as the 2D animated with live-action series titled Slimies. Our next animated film is called Hotel Paraíso. At the time of this interview, we are in talks with Japan and the United States considering possible co-productions with other studios.
What kind of animation do you specialize in?
Gladius Studios has created all kinds of animated production work. We create content in 2D, 3D, or both combined. We also work with photorealistic CGI.
Which animation tools do you use at the studio?
We use all available tools for the completion of high-end quality projects including Maya, Toon Boom Harmony, ZBrush, Unreal, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Premiere, Davinci Resolve, Pro-Tools, Unity, RenderMan, as well as other Adobe products. We are constantly updating both hardware and software for our services and integrating new, emerging technologies.
Ese Pobre Lechón (That Poor Pig)
How many people are currently employed there?
We have around 60 staff at the firm and we are considering another new expansion for July 2021, either in Puerto Rico or in the United States. This would generate more jobs and opportunities.
What are some of your exciting projects for the new year?
We plan to continue moving forward and release the projects of our own intellectual property that are already under development, such as Fantomville and Slimies. We are also in negotiations to establish two international projects. There are other animated projects such as commercials, interactive experiences, and virtual and augmented reality experiences for private clients such as advertising agencies and other companies.
What would you like your animation partners to know about your studio?
Gladius Studios has projects with high production value ready to be pre-purchased or to be invested in – they are spectacular, multicultural and at a reasonable cost. Likewise, Gladius Studios is available as a production studio for projects in the United States and the world. Puerto Rico has the best tax incentives in the entire nation and almost up to 55% ROI. Add to that our award-winning workforce and it is a win-win for everybody.
Gladius provides the more cost-effective alternative outside of the mainland, using the same currency and language. In addition, Gladius Studios executives have the representation of publicists and lawyers in Los Angeles, CA for all business inquiries. Gladius Studios participates in top expos for film, animation and video games in the United States. Gladius Studios is solidly equipped so that any project, be it animated, video game or film, can be fully produced in all its phases, from idea and script to post- production and the final product. We are a one-stop-shop for everything animation and virtual reality.
Fantomville
When did you know you wanted to work in animation?
The year was 1998 while working at Atlantic University, the main University of Digital Arts in Puerto Rico, where I serve as Executive Vice President. I began developing the first academic Laboratory for Animation there and when I started to see the results of the first animations created by the students, I knew that there was talent and passion for these new industries. I told myself, “I have to do something.”
What are your biggest challenges in 2021?
Just like the rest of the world, the main thing is to overcome COVID-19 together while continuing our work and ongoing projects. It’s also in protecting the health of all our animators, programmers, creatives, and employees so that the firm can remotely and in person, fulfill all its exciting projects.
Our goal in 2021 is to create new alliances, expand the brand and incorporate new strategies and services to our pipeline. This is going to be a spectacular year for Gladius Studios.
What do you love best about working in animation?
I love everything about it – from creating, entertaining, innovating, educating, motivating and overall demonstrating how something wonderful can be created thanks to the medium of animation. All done with the capabilities that life has given us especially when it is done within a diverse team with exceptional talents and personalities.
Learn more about Gladius Studios at https://gladius.pr. Watch trailers for upcoming projects and demo reels on the studio’s Vimeo page.
Fox has given a formal series order to a new series from Emmy-winning Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon, who struck a broadcast network only, exclusive direct animated comedy deal with the Disney-owned entertainment company in June of last year. The fully-owned series will be produced by Fox’s animation studio Bento Box Entertainment (Bob’s Burgers) and is slated to premiere in 2022.
The untitled series will take viewers back through the mists of time to the mythic days of ancient Greece, where a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters try to keep on the world’s first city running without killing each other. Harmon’s next animated odyssey is currently casting.
“Leave it to Dan Harmon to turn the mythos of early Greek civilization into remarkably sharp commentary on today’s politics, celebrity and pop culture,” Fox President of Entertainment Michael Thorn told Deadline. “This project is an incredibly irreverent family comedy as told by one of the town’s most inventive storytellers. We are proud to be partnered with Dan on this series, which strengthens our hold on the animation space and, as we continue to build Fox Entertainment, marks an important first step for us with our first fully-owned scripted property.”
Fox’s primetime comedy animation development/production pipeline includes the recently announced Cocky from The Knick creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, supernatural mystery adaptation Crag Banyon P.I., Greater Good, Demi-God, Ocean Village, an untitled Jermaine Fowler project, The X-Files: Albuquerque, Temporary Humans and Housebroken.
Palm Springs International Animation Festival and Annecy award winner My Favorite War is now available to stream on Vimeo On Demand. Based on director Ilze Burkovska-Jacobsen’s childhood memories of creating her own escape route from the totalitarian regime that was Soviet Latvia, the Norwegian/Latvian feature aims its anti-war and pro-democracy message at a global, adult audience using cut-out animation and documentary elements.
On discovering the remains of a German soldier in her sandbox, the heroine wonders what is buried beneath state propaganda, and sets off on a voyage of discovery.
Read more about the powerful autobiographical film in Ramin Zahed’s feature story from the September issue of Animation Magazinehere.
My Favorite War is submitted to the Academy Awards’ Animated Feature Film category. As the winner from Annecy’s Contrechamp competition, it has also submitted to the Annie Awards organized by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood. It was recently awarded Animator of the Year at the Palm Springs International Animation Festival.
Other prizes include the French critics’ award from Annecy (France), a Special Distinction Award from the Bucheon International Film Festival (Korea), the Grand Prix at the New Chitose Airport Animation Festival (Japan) and Best Animation Director and Best Animated Film in Latvia, which boasts a very strong animation industry dating back five decades. (Last year’s Contrechamp winner was the Latvian animation feature Away.)
Living in Norway since the early ‘90s, Burkovska-Jacobsen and the team behind My Favorite War previously won an International Emmy in the Kids: Digital category for her animation series My Body Belongs to Me (2017).
My Favorite War is available to stream in all countries, excluding Belarus, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, Spain and the U.K.
Leading European childrens & youth entertainment company Planeta Junior is heading to the virtual Kidscreen Summit (Feb. 8-Mar. 5) with new Planeta Junior Original Productions to delight children in every family, each for a different reason. These include new series Milo, Superpigs, Spectacular Bella and Tilly, the Power Within.
Developed by the new Planeta Junior Content Department led by Paula Taborda dos Guaranys, these new productions reinforce the company’s content production strategy focus on developing high quality series for kids, youngsters and families all over the world.
Tilly, the Power Within (52 x 11′) is the exciting and colourful brand new Planeta Junior Original production aimed at 4- to 7-year-old kids. Based upon an idea by Daniel Lovecchio and Pury Estalayo and developed by Lina Foti, who was involved through Lion Forge in last year Academy Award-winning animated short film Hair Love, Tilly, the Power Within follows six-year-old Gem and Joe in a journey where they learn to face all the challenges that come with exploring and discovering the world around them. With the help of Tilly, a soft-plush toy that comes to life every time Gem or Joe screams “Tilly!”, they’ll explore, understand and cope with the world.
Superpigs
Superpigs (26 x 22′) is a fast-paced, entertaining and humorous series for 5- to 9-year olds following the crime-fighting superheroes as they battle to outwit The Big Bad Wolf and defend their city. The series, produced by Planeta Junior and Fourth Wall, combines comedy, mystery, action and drama in an epic show that values teamwork as the way to solve cases. Our heroes use their intuition and skills, alongside an array of modern gadgets and vehicles to keep their city safe. Emmy-nominated writer Andrew Viner is developing the series that will empower kids all over the world this year.
Milo
Milo (52 x 11′) is the cutest new animation series produced by Fourth Wall for Channel 5/Milkshake! in association with Planeta Junior. The series, which targets 3- to 5-year olds, will be aired in the U.K. by Spring 2021 and will soon be followed by other European countries. Families all over the world are about to enjoy the adventures of this five-year-old cat who, joined by his best friends Lofty and Lark, discovers the world of vocations through their wonderful uniforms and outfits. Through role-play, children learn about being Doctors, Mechanics, Explorers, Chefs, Postal Workers and many more and all are celebrated in a positive light. The series is produced with the support of the BFI’s Young Audience Content Fund.
Spetacular Bella
Spectacular Bella (52 x 11′) is a fantasy and adventure CGI series following Bella, a 5-year old with a very active imagination. Since she started wearing glasses, she thinks they are special lenses which magnify the wonders of the universe. With them, she has super powerful vision and sees things that no one else can see. From visiting Ancient Greece to impersonating Leonardo DaVinci, Bella and her friends make sense of the world through fellowship and courage, presented in a dynamic and modern way. Spectacular Bella is a gender-neutral and inclusive animation series produced by Planeta Junior, All Screens Films and Team Up Entertainment and developed by Scott Frank, executive producer of PAW Patrol, and Nadine Van der Velde, creators of The Fresh Beat Band.
Duncan Studio (Mary Poppins Returns, Next Gen), Peter Dinklage’s Estuary Films and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana are teaming up to produce the animated feature This Was Our Pact, based on the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel by author Ryan Andrews. Will Collins, writer of the Golden Globes-nominated Wolfwalkers for Apple TV+ and the Academy Award nominated Song of the Sea, will adapt the story to screen.
Ken Duncan and his studio’s original content arm, Duncan Originals (launched in 2019), will work jointly with Estuary’s co-founders Dinklage and David Ginsberg, with development financing and additional support provided by Corus Entertainment. Additionally, Dinklage will voice one of the lead characters, a mysterious and charismatic bear. Also producing is Rob Hollocks, Josh Feldman and Estuary’s Brad Saunders.
Andrews’ Eisner Award-nominated This Was Our Pact graphic novel was a 2019 Booklist Editor’s Choice, a 2019 Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year and a 2019 Parents Magazine Best Children’s Book of the Year. This Was Our Pact is the second feature film as part of the recent development partnership between Duncan Studio and Nelvana.
This Was Our Pact is a magical family adventure: It’s the night of the annual Autumn Equinox Festival, when the town gathers to float paper lanterns down the river. Legend has it that after drifting out of sight, the lanterns soar off to the Milky Way and turn into brilliant stars. But this year, Ben and his classmates are determined to find out where those lanterns really go, finding themselves on an extraordinary journey filled with wondrous new sights and strange characters with only two rules; no one looks back and no one turns for home.
“This Was Our Pact is a fantastic tale full of twists and turns, but at its heart is the relationships between the characters, and their developed friendship. We’re excited to capture the unique qualities of the book, in the visual style as well as storytelling – it is utterly captivating and enchanting,” said Duncan. “With Will Collins coming on as our writer, we know this will be a film that will thrill the many fans of the graphic novel and help Ryan Andrews’ wonderful work discover new audiences.”
“I’m delighted to be a part of the team tasked with adapting This Was Our Pact into an animated feature,” commented Collins, whose Wolfwalkers has just been honored with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Animated. “Ryan Andrews created a gem of a coming-of-age story which takes the reader on a journey through a unique, mysterious and beautiful place. From the outset I knew these boys, I knew the joy and pain of their friendship, and I willed that friendship to triumph with every turn of the page. It’s a pleasure to be collaborating with Ken Duncan and the talented teams at Duncan Studio, Estuary Films and Nelvana Studios to bring this story to life.”
Peter Dinklage is represented by CAA. Will Collins is presented by UTA. Ryan Andrews is represented by APA.
Shout! Factory, a leading multi-platform media company, and acclaimed animation studio LAIKA announced a new entertainment distribution alliance to bring the studio’s first four award-winning legacy films to the home entertainment marketplace in the U.S. The announcement was made today by Melissa Boag, Shout’s Senior Vice President of Family Entertainment, and David Burke, LAIKA’s Chief Marketing Officer and SVP, Operations.
This multi-year agreement provides Shout! Factory with U.S. home entertainment distribution rights in all packaged media to LAIKA’s first four Oscar-nominated films: Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012) and Coraline (2009). Leveraging unparalleled access to archived content from LAIKA, new bonus content, collectible packaging and specialty releases are in development.
Additional announcements and activities tied to the partnership will emerge in the forthcoming months.
“We’ve been huge fans of LAIKA, Travis Knight and his extraordinary team. Their legendary ingenuity, independent spirit and compelling storytelling have inspired us and continue to entertain audiences worldwide,” said Boag. “We’re incredibly excited about this new opportunity with LAIKA and look forward to presenting these beloved films with enlightening extras and lavish packaging to fans and collectors everywhere.”
“We’re delighted to launch our partnership with Shout! Factory,” said Burke. “Their ability to maximize value for legacy titles by bringing films to entirely new audiences well after their theatrical release cycle is unparalleled in the industry. We look forward to a long and impactful relationship with these industry leaders.”
The content deal was negotiated by Jordan Fields, Vice President of Acquisitions, and Steven Katz, Vice President of Business Affairs for Shout! Factory, and LAIKA’s Head of Business Development Michael Waghalter and Colin Geiger, General Counsel and Head of Business Affairs.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan. The film follows clever, kindhearted Kubo as he ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town. But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey and Beetle and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen — a magical musical instrument — Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King and the evil twin Sisters to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family and fulfill his heroic destiny.
Starring Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, Art Parkinson, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Brenda Vaccaro. Screenplay by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler. Produced by Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight. Directed by Travis Knight.
The Boxtrolls (2014) is a comedic fable which unfolds in Cheesebridge, a posh Victorian-era town obsessed with wealth, class, and the stinkiest of fine cheeses. Beneath its charming cobblestone streets dwell the Boxtrolls, foul monsters who crawl out of the sewers at night and steal what the townspeople hold most dear: their children and their cheeses. At least, that’s the legend residents have always believed. In truth, the Boxtrolls are an underground cavern-dwelling community of quirky and lovable oddballs who wear recycled cardboard boxes the way turtles wear their shells. The Boxtrolls have raised an orphaned human boy, Eggs, since infancy as one of their dumpster-diving and mechanical junk-collecting own. When the Boxtrolls are targeted by villainous pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher, who is bent on eradicating them as his ticket to Cheesebridge society, the kindhearted band of tinkerers must turn to their adopted charge and adventurous rich girl Winnie to bridge two worlds amidst the winds of change – and cheese.
Starring Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Dee Bradley Baker, Steve Blum, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan and Simon Pegg. Produced by David Bleiman Ichioka, Travis Knight. Screenplay by Irena Brignull, Adam Pava. Based on the book Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. Directed by Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable.
In the comedy thriller ParaNorman (2012), a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman, who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all, grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul-whisperer bravely summons up all that makes a hero – courage and compassion – as he finds his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits.
Starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, Jodelle Ferland, Tempestt Bledsoe, Alex Borstein and John Goodman. Produced by Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight. Written by Chris Butler. Directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler.
Coraline (2009) combines the visionary imaginations of two premier fantasists, director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and author Neil Gaiman (Sandman) in a wondrous and thrilling, fun and suspenseful adventure — the first stop-motion film ever to be conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3-D, unlike anything moviegoers had ever experienced before. In Coraline, a young girl walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life – only much better. But when this wondrously off-kilter, fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her counterfeit parents try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination and bravery to get back home and save her family.
Starring Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey Jr. and Ian McShane. Produced by Bill Mechanic, Claire Jennings, Henry Selick and Mary Sandell. Based on the book by Neil Gaiman. Written for the screen and directed by Henry Selick.
Director Joanna Quinn and producer/screenwriter Les Mills’ new animated short film feat Affairs of the Art has won the 2021 Award for Best Animation at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. The first co-production between Beryl Productions International and National Film Board of Canada, the hand-drawn film was presented as a world premiere among the 78 films in the international competition.
With Affairs of the Art, Quinn and Mills continue the series of beloved, hilarious and award-winning animated U.K. films starring “Beryl,” a 59-year-old factory worker who’s obsessed with drawing and determined to become a hyper-futurist artiste. We also meet her grown son, Colin, a techno geek; her husband, Ifor, now Beryl’s model and muse; and her sister, Beverly, a fanatical narcissist living in L.A. Affairs of the Art provides glimpses into Beryl’s, Beverly’s and Colin’s peculiar childhoods, and we see that obsession is in this family’s DNA.
The French film festival awarded its National Competition animation prize to Souvenir Souvenir by Bastien Dubois. See all the 2021 award winners of Clermont-Ferrand here.
During the Big Game on Sunday, viewers were treated to a brief but exhilarating special look at Raya and the Last Dragon, which is getting a simultaneous release in select theaters and on Disney+ on March 5. The spot hints at the cursed breaking of Raya’s world and the battles that await our hero (and her sought-for mythical companion).
Advance theater tickets are available now through Fandango, and stay-at-home audiences can pre-order Disney+ Premier Access to the new epic animated fantasy on Disney+.
Raya and the Last Dragon takes us on an exciting, epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where Raya, a lone warrior, must track down the legendary last dragon to stop an evil force that has returned after 500 years to once again threaten her homeworld.
The film features an outstanding voice cast, including Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izaac Wang, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Benedict Wong, Jona Xiao, Sandra Oh, Thalia Tran, Lucille Soong, Alan Tudyk, Gordon Ip, Dichen Lachman, Patti Harrison, Jon “Dumbfoundead” Park, Sung Kang, Sierra Katow, Ross Butler, François Chau and Paul Yen.
Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada are directing, with Paul Briggs and John Ripa co-directing. Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho are the producers, and Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim wrote the screenplay.
Children’s content veteran Kim Howitt has joined Amy Friendman’s team at WarnerMedia Kids and Family as the new Senior Creative Executive. Howitt’s purview will include oversight of the creative development of third-party animation, co-productions and live-action content across preschool, kids and family demographics for the division, which holds Cartoon Network, Boomerang and HBO Max K&F.
In her new role, Howitt will work closely with VP Adina Pitt, who takes on an expanded role leading Kids and Family acquisitions, co-productions and content partnerships for linear and streaming in the U.S., and linear in Latin America.
Howitt brings more than 25 years of experience creating media brands and content for kids and families. She has an extensive background in the development and ideation of multiplatform content, long and short form, live-action and animation production. Howitt was a pioneer in digital commerce content, leading creative for Publicis Groupe’s experimental project Honeyshed. Her dynamic work style seamlessly knits together both boutique creative teams and major industry leaders, where she has created and inspired award-winning content for Apple, Disney, MTV, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Scholastic, and others.
Most recently, as Head of Development for HMH Productions, Howitt helped to build the award-winning HMH Production company, within the renowned educational publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which included their fourth season of the latest Emmy-winning Carmen Sandiego animated series.
Premium kids & family AVOD network and studio WildBrain Spark is partnering with Danish media house Copenhagen Bombay to co-produce the third season of the charming non-dialogue 3D animated comedy series, Kiwi & Strit.
Under the deal, WildBrain Spark also takes exclusive distribution rights to the show’s third season on YouTube, YouTube Kids and additional AVOD platforms worldwide (excluding China), and select rights to seasons one and two for these platforms. All other rights across the three seasons are handled by Copenhagen Bombay in-house sales department, Copenhagen Bombay Sales.
Production on season three of Kiwi & Strit will begin later this year, following the same 26 x 5′ format as the previous two seasons produced by Copenhagen Bombay. This partnership builds upon WildBrain Spark’s launch of the official Kiwi & Strit YouTube channel in September 2020. Targeting children aged two-six years, the channel features three-minute clip compilations from the series, and generated over 600,000 views and a watch time of 1.4 million minutes from September to December 2020. Copenhagen Bombay has recently completed production on season two of Kiwi & Strit, which is set to premiere this year.
“With its wonderful humor and engaging characters, Kiwi & Strit is an ideal premium IP for co-production with WildBrain Spark. We look forward to bringing our deep data insights to the collaboration with Copenhagen Bombay on this third season and amplifying awareness of the brand through an effective AVOD strategy alongside linear broadcast,” said Jon Gisby, EVP & Managing Director at WildBrain Spark.
Sarita Christensen, CEO & Founder of Copenhagen Bombay, said, “This new partnership with WildBrain Spark for Kiwi & Strit is a collaboration we strived to achieve ever since the first season. We’re excited to expand the IP and to reach an even broader audience. The team at WildBrain Spark is the perfect match for Copenhagen Bombay and together we’ll create many more high-quality stories for Kiwi & Strit.”
Kiwi & Strit is created and produced by Copenhagen Bombay, in co-production with NDR and Studio Hamburg Enterprises GMBH. The series is co-created by Jannik Tai Mosholt and Esben Toft Jacobsen. The first season was co-written by Mosholt and Jacobsen, and seasons two and three will be written and directed by Jacobsen.
The series follows a pair of funny and furry little creatures, Kiwi and Strit, who live in a clearing in the forest. The two are very different – Kiwi is considerate, careful and yellow, while Strit is wild and purple. Their approach to almost everything is different, but they learn how to work together to solve each other’s and their forest friends’ problems.
U.S.-based Park Star Media is partnering with South Korean toy company Handsome Studio to co-develop and produce the animated series Uncle Mermaid. Aimed at teens & up, this slice-of-life series is about a mermaid man who moves away from his underwater city and strives to find a meaningful life among humans in the bustling city of Seoul.
A digital-first, short-format Uncle Mermaid animated series has already been completed. This year, Park Star Media will focus on developing a long format TV series for Uncle Mermaid and is looking to secure broadcasters and distribution partners. Park Star Media will also localize and manage Uncle Mermaid comics on global webcomic platforms such as Webtoon.
The Uncle Mermaid toy figurine has grown to become an increasingly popular IP in South Korea, where it had an exhibition at the Korean Craft Museum last November.
This isn’t the first time Park Star Media has produced an animated series based on a toy line. Last year, Park Star Media partnered with WildBrain Spark to co-produce and launch the new digital-first kids’ superhero series Super Binks, a brand also originally created as a toy figurine range in Asia. WildBrain Spark is handling YouTube channel management across the new Super Binks global channel, and the series has also been released on Amazon Video Direct.
Park Star Media is a production company that creates and produces media content for all platforms. Based in Los Angeles and Seoul, Park Star Media develops brands and IP for the worldwide market with a focus on kids and family entertainment.
***This interview originally appeared in the March ’21 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 308)***
The name Don Hertzfeldt brings to mind some of the most clever and original indie shorts of the past two decades. Ever since the California native burst on the scene with his student shorts Lily and Jim (1997) and Billy’s Balloon (1998), he has continued to move forward with each hilarious, brilliant and profoundly moving work. The Oscar-nominated 2000 short Rejected (2000), the Sundance fave The Meaning of Life (2005), his acclaimed Bill trilogy (Everything Will Be OK, I’m So Proud of You and It’s Such a Beautiful Day) and the Oscar-nominated and Annie-winning World of Tomorrow (2015) often pop up on ‘Best of’ lists. Last year, Hertzfeldt introduced the third part of his sci-fi epic, The Absent Destinations of David Prime, on Vimeo. Hertzfeldt was kind enough to answer a few of our questions recently:
Congrats on the recent success of the third part of World of Tomorrow. Can you tell us a little bit about your process on this latest chapter?
Don Hertzfeldt: “Episode Three” took about two years to make. It was produced at home in Austin like the other ones, so dates and budgets get sort of loose and untracked over here. Other than my cast, Julia and Jack, the only other person involved with the production this time was my girlfriend Taylor, who lent a hand in lighting and compositing the more complicated visual effects shots. Everything else, from writing to editing to sound to design to animation to direction, it’s all just me. And let’s be honest, maybe that’s getting a little ridiculous.
I find I’m starting to get really jealous of people who work in live action and are able to churn out multiple projects in a year and still have time to sit on a beach. I’ve been having conversations with a bunch of streaming places in the hope of finding a more permanent home, with actual budgets for getting more help in the room here. I’m perfectly capable of continuing to work this way if I have to, the money is fine, it’s just the time, the time, the time. I’m still hand-coloring every frame by hand with the paint bucket tool and thinking, “Maybe I’m a little overqualified for this!”
Don Hertzfeldt
What were some of the more difficult aspects of diving back into this complicated futuristic universe?
The movie takes place before, during, and after the events of the first two episodes — spanning hundreds of years — so the script was super tricky to get right. It’s a weird animal, operating as both a prequel and a sequel, which was a fun thing to try and figure out, but daunting. My notes were full of mad diagrams and exclamation points and arrows. And I was very conscious of the fact that when you go back and start messing with past storylines, especially with something as beloved as the first World of Tomorrow, if you screw it all up, not only do you make a bad movie but you wreck those previous episodes for everyone, too. So, I was constantly refining the details of these timelines in order to not leave open any big dumb plot holes, or make anything feel like an emotional cheat.
The intertwining plots of Episode Three turn into this big farce, which is part of the fun, and I certainly didn’t expect everyone to understand every nuance of all the time travel by the end of it. It’s OK to be confused, these movies go way over the top — my job was making sure people don’t give up or check out along the way. The hope is that even if you’re a bit lost, you’re still right there with me emotionally at the end. But, as a fan of science fiction, if anyone does care to work out the logic puzzles on a napkin, it all still needs to add up.
The Absent Destinations of David Prime
Which aspects of the new work were you most happy about?
After the setup of the first two episodes, it felt great to finally break this universe open and get out there and explore. The first two episodes were very introspective and conversation-based and I love them, but I wanted to go in the complete opposite direction this time and shut down any idea that might start to feel like a formula. So the characters in Episode Three actively drive their own narrative across space and time, and nobody speaks at all in like the final third of the movie. If the series was going to carry on and stay interesting, it really needed to stretch. Episode Three felt like the first really big stretch.
Many people in the animation community idolize you for how you held on to your original visions and didn’t go the commercial studio route like many of your contemporaries did. Was this all part of the plan?
It’s funny, the only thing I’ve done my best to avoid all these years is advertising work. I think the big animation studios make wonderful things: They’ve just never wanted to work with me. I guess after so many years, people just figured that it was a stubborn decision of mine to avoid the studios, too, and stay independent. But since the beginning, none of my movies would have ever been made if they needed to be pitched. It was always easier to just roll up my sleeves and do it myself than wait around for permission, a bigger budget or a bigger crew. That’s probably true of most independent film in general.
I always think of music metaphors when it comes to this sort of thing: The big animation studios are like symphony orchestras, full of these incredibly talented individual musicians who are contributing to a big beautiful thing. And the independent animators are like rock bands, who maybe only know a handful of chords — but at least we’re writing our own songs. I have a lot of respect for those symphony orchestras and I can also understand why I’ve never been asked to play Carnegie Hall.
The Absent Destinations of David Prime
It’s so wild to think that the director who gave us classic comedy stick-figure shorts like Rejected and L’Amour is now taking us along on this brilliant, poignant sci-fi epic. What is your take on that?
It’s a little crazy that people are still watching the older cartoons. I was just a teenager and you never expect your terrible student films to still be floating around over 20 years later. luckily, some of the old stuff like Rejected was supposed to look bad, it was part of the story, which back then allowed me to get away with some animation murder. But it’s also safe to say that I still frequently don’t know what I’m doing. You never stop learning, and that’s what makes each new project so interesting to jump into: to go make a new mess and try and work your way out of it. I’ve never been real sure about that phrase, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” Most people who make it never stop faking it. That’s not a criticism. I just don’t think anyone ever really knows what they’re doing. that’s how you grow, you stumble around and make mistakes. Over the years, you learn new tricks and just get a little more confident. But to “make it” sounds like a nightmare to me. I can’t imagine anything more boring and creatively dead than to think you have it all figured out.
What can you tell us about World of Tomorrow Episode 4?
I’ve written a few chunks of it, but I’m not sure if it’s what I’ll do next. COVID really blew up the distribution plans for Episode 3 — it was going to open in theaters nationwide — and I’m still trying to figure out where World of Tomorrow will land in the long run. For now, the episodes are only streaming on-demand on Vimeo. The whole industry is still reeling hard from 2020, we’ll get an offer one week and then the next week, it’s, “Sorry, never mind, we all just got laid off.” So, it might be a good time to just take a really long break and see how everything settles. My niece was four when I recorded her for the first movie and she’s 11 now. If i have to continue to animate the rest of these totally alone, Julia Pott might be the next one to age out of her role!
What kind of advice do you offer young folks who are just making their own versions of Billy’s Balloon and hope to be the next Don Hertzfeldt?
Please don’t try to be me. You have your own voice. Go be better than me!
World of Tomorrow: The Absent Destinations of David Prime is available to rent or buy on Vimeo. Find more of Hertzfeldt’s work at bitterfilms.com.
A new trailer for Netflix original anime Pacific Rim: The Black has risen from the depths, ready to bring epic kaiju vs. battle bot action to screens around the world. Based on Legendary Entertainment and Guillermo del Toro’s blockbuster film franchise, the show’s sharp style is crafted by celebrated anime studio Polygon Pictures, known for producing the streamer’s series Levius and Ajin: Demi-Human as well as the Godzilla movie trilogy.
Pacific Rim: The Black (7 x 30′) is co-created by Craig Kyle (Thor: Ragnarok) and Greg Johnson (X-Men: Evolution), and premieres worldwide on March 4, only on Netflix.
Building on the success of Zog and the Flying Doctors, Magic Light Pictures, the multi-Oscar nominated company, is bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved story Superworm to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for Christmas 2021.
The first-rate voice cast for the adaptation will be headlined by Oscar winner Olivia Colman as narrator and Emmy nominee Matt Smith playing the hero, Superworm. They are joined by Patricia Allison (Sex Education) as Butterfly, and Rob Brydon (Gavin & Stacey) as the Crow, with other cast to be announced later in the year.
“This is such a lovely project to be involved with. When reading the script, and imagining all those goings on at the end of the garden, I could really get a feel for the pure fun and joy that the film will bring. I’ve always loved these charming productions at Christmas and I’m delighted to be voicing the narrator,” said Colman.
Smith enthused, “I’m delighted to play the part of Superworm! And join such a fabulous cast of actors, artists and storytellers. What fun to be part of the BBC’s Christmas line up in this great children’s tale.”
Patricia Allison and Rob Brydon
“The Magic Light animations are such an important part of the Christmas TV schedule, I’m excited to become part of that tradition,” said Allison. “Butterfly is a very determined character, and a loyal friend, so I’m looking forward to recording a lot.”
“This will be my ninth appearance in a Donaldson/ Scheffler adaptation,” Brydon noted. “Working on these Magic Light productions is always a delight and deciding how to voice characters is such fun. I love watching them on TV at Christmas — a lovely way to round off my year.”
Superworm is a hero with a difference. Super-long and super-strong, he’s always on hand to help out all the other animals and insects — whether he’s saving baby toad from an accident, rescuing beetle from falling down a well, or even good-naturedly offering himself up as a skipping rope for some bored bees. Superworm and his best friend Butterfly make a great team but Superworm too often takes all the credit. When the wicked Wizard Lizard hears about Superworm’s special skills, he sends his servant Crow to kidnap Superworm. Despite everything, with her friend in deep trouble, Butterfly comes to the rescue, convincing the other creatures to help her with a daring plan…
Superworm
Superworm is being directed by Sarah Scrimgeour (Big Game) and Jac Hamman (animation supervisor, Zog), from a script by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang (The Snail and the Whale). Producer is Barney Goodland with executive producers are Martin Pope & Michael Rose for Magic Light Pictures. The composer is Rene Aubry, who has written the music for the collection of Magic Light films. Animation services will be provided by Blue Zoo Animation Studio.
“We’re delighted to be making Superworm for BBC One,” said Pope, Co-Founder of Magic Light Pictures. “It’s a lovely comedy. Superworm’s a brilliant central character, who has great friends who will ultimately triumph over the wonderfully entertaining villain, in this delightful story based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.”
Donaldson and Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo, collaborated once again on this animated half hour, which has been acquired by Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer and Tommy Bulfin, Commissioning Editor, BBC Drama.
Superworm is the ninth TV adaptation of a Donaldson/Scheffler title for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The annual Magic Light Pictures films have become firm fixtures in the Christmas schedules. Magic Light has been providing these festive family treats to BBC One for over a decade, and their films are among the most popular family titles on BBC iPlayer. In the lead up to last Christmas, original festive idents featuring The Gruffalo and Zog book-ended shows on BBC One.
Zog and the Flying Doctors, which aired on Christmas Day 2020 and starred Sir Lenny Henry and Rob Brydon, secured 7 million viewers in all-screen +30 day figures.
“The Donaldson and Scheffler adaptations are a lynchpin of the Christmas schedule and we’re thrilled to be collaborating with them and the award-winning Magic Light Pictures again this year,” said Bulfin, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor. “I can’t wait for audiences to fall in love with Superworm, who is super-long and super-strong.”
Get ready to enter The Happy Land of Birthdays as Nelvana and Discovery’s joint venture, redknot, greenlights its third series: Super Wish (52 x 11′). Created by Nelvana’s Vanessa Esteves and Emmy Award winner Adrian Thatcher, the animated series takes place in a magical world of never-ending celebration. Produced by redknot, production begins Spring 2021. The series will air on Corus Entertainment’s YTV in Canada and Discovery Kids in Latin America in 2022.
The 2D-animated series aimed at kids 4-8 follows Jesse, who inadvertently uses his extra special 10th birthday wish – a super wish – to wish his birthday party would disappear … and to his surprise, it does! Now he and his friends must venture through the mystical birthday dimension to track down and undo his wish. As they encounter wondrous characters and comical adventures, Jesse and his friends rediscover the magic of birthdays and how great it is to be a kid.
“Super Wish is a fantastical adventure filled with teamwork, friendship and colorful characters, created by Nelvana’s very own talented Vanessa Esteves and Adrian Thatcher, who lend their valuable breadth of knowledge to this project with their many years of experience in the industry,” said Pat Burns, Executive Manager, redknot. “The series is the perfect addition to redknot’s production slate as we work to develop and produce unique children’s content with positive messaging and developmental values.”
“Featuring familiar birthday elements such as candles and piñatas, and even gifts coming to life in unexpected ways, Super Wish is a fun, unique and exciting new series that explores the magical world of birthday celebrations, drawing inspiration from cultures around the world” said Adriano Schmid, Senior Director of Production, Discovery Kids Latin America. “The series also explores valuable lessons surrounding trust and friendship, taking responsibility and accepting others’ differences as strengths, all while having lots of fun!”
Vanessa Esteves is a supervising producer, writer and content creator with over 17 years of experience in the animation industry. Esteves has worked in multiple genres with a strong focus on bridge-preschool and comedy. Esteves has most recently overseen Agent Binky: Pets of the Universe, Max & Ruby and Ranger Rob along with Nelvana’s series of digital music videos, Toon Bops.
Adrian Thatcher is a Toronto-based animated series director who has worked in animation for over 22 years at both Walt Disney Television Animation and Nelvana. In 2010, Thatcher won a Daytime Emmy Award for individual achievement in art direction in recognition of his work on the Nelvana series Willa’s Wild Life. Thatcher’s most recent directing credits include Ollie’s Pack, Bravest Warriors, Ranger Rob and Oh No, It’s an Alien Invasion!
Super Wish is executive produced by Doug Murphy (Corus and Nelvana), Colin Bohm (Corus and Nelvana), Pam Westman (Corus and Nelvana), Pat Burns (redknot), Vanessa Esteves (Nelvana), Adrian Thatcher (Nelvana) and Adriano Schmid (Discovery).
New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF) announced its 2021 Special Programs on Friday morning. Animated fare is taking center stage at the 24th edition, which will open March 5 with a premiere event for Netflix animated series City of Ghosts. Chilean-Brazilian animated feature Nahuel and the Magic Book will make its North American premiere on March 6 as the 2021 Opening Spotlight. The festival will conclude with a Closing Spotlight screening of Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon with an exclusive, live conversation with the film’s directors Don Hall and Carlos López-Estrada and appearances by voice cast members.
All three programs continue the Festival’s longstanding tradition of offering new films that bridge worlds and broaden horizons. This year’s selection spotlights stories of kids discovering their cultural histories, defining their own identities and shaping their futures by connecting with the past. Completely virtual for the first time, NYICFF 2021 will provide families across the country access to the best animated, live-action and documentary features and shorts from around the globe, amplifying diverse voices and sparking conversations about this complex cultural moment and the complicated events taking place around the world.
“Our mission has always been to provide young audiences with the nuance, complex programs that we know they can understand and appreciate,” said NYICFF Executive Director Nina Guralnick. “We are excited to present films that generate the kind of joy and inspiration that comes from exploring the many cultures and shared humanity of the world we live in — especially during a time when we are unable to travel much further than our own households.”
NYICFF Programming Director Maria-Christina Villaseñor said, “We’re thrilled to be highlighting City of Ghosts, Nahuel and Raya as animated works that harness children’s propensity for curiosity, sharp observation and attentive listening to connect generations and underrepresented cultures and histories. These inventive, artistic, delightful and deeply meaningful works embody NYICFF’s core mission of fostering a more intelligent, diverse film culture for kids.”
City of Ghosts
Opening Night: City of Ghosts
City ofGhosts comes from Emmy-winning writer/director Elizabeth Ito and is inspired by her own experiences as a fourth-generation Japanese-American — or yonsei — growing up in the multicultural neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Featuring a charming blend of animated characters and live-action settings, City of Ghosts is a documentary-style series about a group of ghost-loving kids in L.A. who learn about the rich history of their city through encounters with friendly neighborhood ghosts. Each episode is based on the stories of characters voiced by real residents from different neighborhoods. The Ghost Club help others explore their city by communicating with ghosts of the past.
Ito serves as exec producer and showrunner of the six-episode series. She won a 2017 Primetime Emmy for her work on Cartoon Network’s animated series Adventure Time and created the CN short Welcome to My Life, which won the NYICFF Audience Award and which she discussed at the Festival’s inaugural Animators All Around panel that same year. In 2020, Ito served on the NYICFF jury alongside fellow filmmakers, actors and academic/industry leaders committed to recognizing and supporting the best new works for young audiences and around the world.
Viewers can watch the first episode of City of Ghosts on Netflix when it premieres on March 5 (watch the trailer here) before joining NYICFF at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT for an exclusive live conversation with Ito and other members of the show’s creative team. The conversation will be available across the Festival’s social media accounts, and passholders will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A through the Festival’s official streaming platform.
“One of the big reasons why I created City of Ghosts was to celebrate the ingenuity, humor and imagination of children — which, to me, makes NYICFF the perfect place to be celebrating City of Ghosts‘s premiere,” said Ito.
Nahuel and the Magic Book
Opening Spotlight: Nahuel and the Magic Book
NYICFF’s 2021 Opening Spotlight program, taking place on March 6, features the North American premiere of Nahuel and the Magic Book, a new animated feature from Chile and Brazil, followed by a special Q&A with director Germán Acuña. Acuña has crafted a richly detailed and expressive 2D animated feature, utterly distinctive yet with shades of stylistic influence from Studio Ghibli, set within a universe of magic and ancient indigenous mythology. The son of a fisherman, Nahuel wrestles with his deep fear of the sea. An ancient magical book seems to offer a solution but leads to more challenges in this epic tale of finding strength and connection.
Raya and the Last Dragon
Closing Spotlight: Raya and the Last Dragon
NYICFF will offer audiences an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Disney’s latest animated feature, Raya and the Last Dragon, and the research and artistry that went into it. The stellar creative team of co-directors Don Hall (co-director, Big Hero 6) and Carlos López-Estrada (Blindspotting), together with screenwriters Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians) and Qui Nguyen (Vietgone) take as inspiration the rich cultures of Southeast Asia to craft the captivating mythological universe of Kumandra, where humans and dragons once lived together in harmony. Now, 500 years later, the same monsters that drove the dragons from the land have returned, and it’s up to lone warrior Raya to track down the last dragon and save the world.
Additional programming announcements are forthcoming.
NYICFF@ Home will take place March 5-14, entirely online. More information available at www.nyicff.org.
