On June 12-15 in Annecy, International Animation Film Market (MIFA) is to take place under the aegis of Annecy International Animation Film Festival (France).For the second time, FILM.UA Group will present its animation projects in different stages of production: Mavka. The Forest Song animated feature (Animagrad, FILM.UA Group), Brave Bunnies animated series (FILM.UA Group, Glowberry, Sardine Productions), Mom Hurries Home animated series (Glowberry, FILM.UA Group, Animagrad), and Hrafn's Academy, animated series “for teenagers and adults with high IQ” (FILM.UA Group).
Producers Iryna Kostyuk and Olga Cherepanova will present their projects at Ukrainian national stand #4.Е04. Besides, the delegation will include Animagrad representatives, namely executive director Oleksiy Tolubko and art director Christian Koskinen, who will be looking for potential partners for Whizz Kids and Tiki, animated series in the studio’s development and will be adopting world experience of animation production. Also, LINOLEUM International Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival will be presented at the Ukrainian stand by its program director Anastasia Verlinska.
At this major European animation market which gathers representatives of the biggest global studios, investors, buyers and distributor, the new poster to Mavka. The Forest Song will be released. It will be available at the Ukrainian national stand. Mavka. The Forest Song will be participating in MIFA for the second year in a row. Last year this was the place of its first teaser premiere.
“During the year of active development, Mavka. The Forest Song has gained momentum and transformed from a film concept into a multifaceted, multi-platform brand Mavka’s Universe, which is constantly developing and strengthening. AR and VR apps are in development along with books, 3D shows, clothing lines, and authentic jewelry. Some collaboration projects have already been presented,and they are enjoying enormous success. Film production has started, and at MIFA market we will show a finished scene to our international counterparts and partners. Along with producing a feature, we are also starting the creation of Mavka. The Forest Song series,” says Iryna Kostyuk, project producer.
In collaboration with powerful partners who keep joining the brand, new and original project implementations are being developed. The first result was the republished books: a series including the classic work by Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrainka, an exposition for children, and a sketchbook – all dedicated to the cartoon’s future release.
One of the project key partners is WWF in Ukraine. Thanks to WWF support the abovementioned books were published using FSC-certified paper. Besides, the book sales became a start for a long-term environmental campaign Home for the Lynx initiated by Mavka team and WWF Ukraine and aiming to draw attention towards disappearing animal species and primordial forests.
Just a reminder: at film market in Cannes, pre-sales of rights for the cartoon have started.
MIFA will also host an international premiere of a teaser to a new animated series Brave Bunnies from Glowberry creative production. The series for pre-schoolers will tell about a family of Bunnies deciding to change their usual way of life in Carrot Valley and to set out on a Big Journey. Each episode will tell about the family’s adventures, emphasizing the unique nature of their new acquaintances. The release of Brave Bunnies first season is planned for 2019.
“This year, Glowberry presents a new series for the smallest ones about friendship and interaction with different characters and ways shown through the allegory of the animal world. Brave Bunnies series has significant international potential, and we are thrilled to have an opportunity to present it at MIFA in Annecy for such wide audience,” says Olga Cherepanova, Glowberry creative producer, commenting participation in the festival.
Besides, the national stand will present Mom Hurries Home, a series now in development, which has enjoyed positive feedback at various international festivals, including last-year MIFA.
FILM.UA Group is also using MIFA to launch its ambitious new animated series “for teenagers and adults with high IQ,” Hrafn's Academy. The story centers on an outstanding Icelandic biochemist Hrafn Sigurdsson,who is terminally ill. As his time is running out, Professor Sigurdsson’s only chance to survive is to discover the cure on his own. The scientist opens an academy for gifted students in Ukraine of all places. The Academy is a laboratory: Hrafn needs kids with an IQ level to match his own for clinical trials of the experimental treatments he’s developing. In an engaging and culturally relevant form we want to talk about the importance of knowledge (or lack thereof), but also about how little knowledge matters if it’s not builton the foundation of human values.
It’s a story full of weird and wonderful characters and storylines, brilliantly merging science fiction, black comedy, adventure,and absurd comedy genres that have proven their popularity over the past years.
“I think we’ve struck the right chord here, as the project got immediate traction internationally. Hrafn’s Academy was already picked up by Animation Production Day in Stuttgart, and here in Annecy, we are happy to announce that Icelandic GunHil animation studio (a Sagafilm company) are now co-developing the project with us. The idea is to best reflect both Ukrainian and Icelandic components of the story while positioning Hrafn’s Academy for the international audiences. Hrafn’s Academy also features a lot of amazing cultural references (for example,the location for the Academy is based on a real Soviet location). If you’ve been following Mavka, you already know how important it is to be “glocal,” so our strong recommendation is to watch this project closely!” say Iryna Kostyuk and Kateryna Vyshnevska, project producers.
Hooray and see you in Annecy!
