Cartoon Movie invites half a dozen Nordic animated projects for 25th anniversary

Last year the Nordics had an exception presence at the major European animation rendez-vous Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux with a special Nordic Spotlight.

This year again, half dozen films and projects from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have been invited to find new European co-financiers, distributors or festival platforms.

Toplining the Nordic line up at Cartoon Movie (March 7-9) is the Danish pre-school film Rosa and the Stone Troll by Karla Nor Holmbäck, selected among 8 finished films to be sneak previewed. The film based on Josefine Ottesen’s children’s books opened in Denmark February 9, collecting 4 stars from Politiken and Filmmagasinet Ekko. LevelK handles sales.

Another sneak-peek is the German/Belgian/Norwegian co-production Richard the Stork 2, sequel to the 2017 film, which has already secured pre-sales in more than 20 territories. The film about Richard the sparrow, adopted by a stork family is co-directed by Mette Tange and Benjamin Quabeck. Norway’s Den siste skilling is co-producing with majority German partners Knudsen Pictures and Belgian co-producers Walking the Dog. The film will be released March 23 in Germany via Wild Bunch, April 12 in France via Paradis Films and April 21 in Norway via SF Studios.

Two Nordic films will be pitched at ‘In Concept’:

• The Legend of Magnus the Good (Norway) directed by Frank Mosvold for Kool Produktion (see separate story)
• Trash Monsters (Finland/Germany) produced by Anima Vitae, in co-production Ulysses Filmproduktion. The 3D computer-based family film tells of the kids Sofia and Budi who need to overcome their differences to defeat the trash monsters’ invasion. The story is co-written by Antti Haikala, Teemu Auersalo and Markus Laitinen.

Two Danish projects in development - the majority produced Yap Yap The Secret Forest and minority co-production Julián - are competing for the €20,000 Eurimages Co-production Development Award.

Yap Yap - The Secret Forest is directed by Jens Møller, based on his own original story, co-written with John Chambers. The CGI coming of age tells of Naia who lives alone with her parents in a towering megalopolis. One day, she finds the hidden entrance to Yap Yap, a forestland inhabited by strange and magical creatures of nature. The project produced by Denmark’s Parka Pictures with Sweden’s Milford.

Julián directed by Louise Bagnall for Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon, is based on Jessica Love’s book Julián in a Mermaid, about a boy who wants to be a mermaid. Co-production partners include Denmark’s Sun Creature, France’s Folivari, Canada’s Aircraft Pictures and the UK’s Wychwood Media.

The Eurimages Co-production Award will be handed out March 9, together with the winners of the Cartoon Tributes 2023. Among the nominees running for Best European Producer of the Year are Titina’s co-production partners Mikrofilm from Norway and Vivi Film from Belgium.

A total of 58 films will be showcased at Cartoon Movie. Sixteen countries are participating as majority co-producers, with France, Germany, Italy and Spain as biggest content providers.

3D animation is the prevailing technique with 26 projects, followed by 2D animation (16 projects), mixed 2D/3D projects (13) and other techniques such as drawing or stop-motion (3). Adventure and comedy titles targeting families are the most popular genres.

This year’s country focus is Ukraine.

For further information, check: www.cartoon-media.eu