Cartoon Movie’s spotlight on Nordic animation between March 8-10 in Bordeaux, France, is an opportunity for global distributors and co-financiers to discover some of the region’s most high-profile projects. The initiative is backed by the Norwegian Film Institute, the Icelandic Film Centre, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Nordisk Kulturfond, the Nordic Council of Ministers and Finnanimation.

“The spotlight on a European country/region attracts both limelight and business cooperation opportunities,” said Cartoon general director Annick Maes. “As a thriving and innovative region with many strong storytelling talents, the Nordics will present interesting and unique projects that we are excited to give special attention during this year's edition.”

Mikrofilm producer Tonje Skar Reiersen (Titina), project manager at Nordic Animation, says animation in the Nordics is enjoying “a golden age with increased output, greater diversity, more talents and bigger ambitions than at any other point in history.“

She explains that the Nordic countries - taking inspiration from their long tradition of storytelling, have “a distinct culture for stories that transcend generations and speak of what it means to be human, with “stories that show that people are equal, not matter how different.”

The eight projects to be pitched at Cartoon Movie are the following:

In production:

  • Just Super (3D) by Rasmus A. Sivertsen, produced by Qvisten Animation (Norway).
    Sales TrustNordisk. About gaming enthusiast Hedvig (11) whose life is turned upside down when she is forced to replace her father as the town’s superhero.
  • Titina (2D-live action, archives) directed by Katja Næss for Mikrofilm (Norway), in co-production with Vivi Film (Belgium). Sales Les Films du Losange. The tale of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and Italian engineer Umberto Nobile’s quest to conquer the North Pole, seen through the eyes of the fox terrier Titina.

In development:

  • Niko-Beyond the Northern Lights (3D) co-directed by Kari Juusonen and Jørgen Lerdam for Animaker (Finland). Co-production with Anima Vitae (Finland), Ulysses Filmproduktion (Germany), A. Film Production (Denmark) and Moetion Films (Ireland). Third opus in the adventures of the little flying reindeer.
  • Ploey 2 (3D) produced by GunHil (Iceland). Tale of courage, friendship and high adventure that shows that even the smallest and frailest have an important role to play.
  • Valemon: The Polar Bear King (2D-3D) directed by Mikkel Sandemose for Maipo Film (Norway). Based on one of Scandinavia’s most beloved folk tales.

In concept

  • Odd is an Egg (2D-3D) directed by Rune Spaans and Kristin Ulseth for Maipo Film (Norway). Feature spin-off of the 2016 short film. Odd is terrified of his egg-shaped head, until he falls in love with Gunn.
  • Magical Friends (2D & cut out) directed by Natalia Malykhina Bratli for Ulvenfilm (Norway), co-produced by Kool Produktion, Norway. Film between the modern and the traditional, the fabulous and the real.
  • My True Imaginary Friend-Mr Clutterbuck (3D, live action & CGI), directed by Jørgen Lerdam for Monkey Business Pictures (Finland). Co-produced by Aurora Studios, Finland. Adaptation of the acclaimed Finnish children’s book Good Night Mr Clutterbuck by Mauri Kunnas.

Besides the pitching session of a total of 57 international projects, Cartoon Movie will be handing out its awards for Best Producer, Distributor and Director of the Year.

Denmark’s Jonas Poher Rasmussen, triple Oscar-nominated for his animation documentary film Flee, will be vying for Best Director against Michaela Pavlátová for My Sunny Maad (Czech Republic), Julien Fournet for The Adventures of Pil (France) and Florence Miailhe for The Crossing (France).

In the Distributor of the Year category, Sweden’s arthouse company Folkets Bio will be competing against Poland’s New Europe Film Sales (rep of the Nordic animated films Gordon & Paddy, Christmas at Cattle Hill), France’s Charades and Portugal’s Spamflix.