TOULOUSE, France — Spain-based Imira Entertainment and Italy’s pubcaster RAI are among the nominees for the Cartoon Tributes at Cartoon Forum, a European TV animation co-production event bowing Sept. 12. The awards will be unveiled on Sept. 14.
A producer-distributor for Toonz Media, Imira Entertainment’s slate has included “Lucky Fred,” “Lola & Virginia” and “Sandra, the Fairytale Detective,” all recently sold to Netflix.
Other distributors/investors in the running for the Tribute Awards are France’s About Premium Content, Italy’s Atlantyca and Germany’s Beta Film.
Awards are made in three categories: Broadcaster, investor-distributor and producer of the year.
Having allied with France Televisions to produce animation series –among diverse formats– in a new move aiming to combat the draw of U.S. online platforms, Italian pubcaster RAI mainly airs its animation shows via RAI 2, and niche channels RAI Yoyo and RAI Gulp.
Other broadcasters contending for the broadcaster tribute prize are France Télévisions, The Netherlands’ Kro-Ncrv and Radio Télévision Suisse.
Nominated European producers take in France’s Dandelooo and Studio 100 Animation, Finland’s Gigglebug Entertainment, Ireland’s Kavaleer Productions, and Germany’s Wunderwerk.
Dandeloo will bring to Cartoon Forum the series “Stinky Dog” – made in co-production with Didier Brunner’s Folivari and Vincent Tavier’s Panique!,– a 52-part 13-minute-episode series, following the adventures of a maverick mutt and a flattened cat.
Studio 100 will pitch “Galactic Agency” about the ups and downs of a bunch of all-repair specialist friends coming to the rescue at any destination on the edge of the universe.
Also presenting at Toulouse’s Cartoon Forum, Gigglebug will offer “Best & Bester,” a 78 short-format children’s comedy where two ultra-competitive buddies spend the time arguing including about what’s the best thing ever.
Kavaleer pitches a live action/2D-3D hybrid, “Neenawsaurs!” and “Alva & the Trolls,” following five-year-old Alva who with her magical troll-bead bracelet is able to unexpectedly call upon five singular friends.
Wunderwerk will offer two TV shows –pirate series “Brothership” and “Millie,” featuring a clumsy cow gifted with singular capabilities. The series is based on the Alexander Steffensmeier best-selling books.
Last year’s Cartoon Forum Tributes went to France’s M6, part of the RTL Group, U.K. distributor Cake Entertainment and French production outfit Autour de Minuit.
Cartoon Forum runs Sept. 11-14.
