Russia’s Wizart Animation has closed pre-sales in multiple territories ahead of AFM for its animated feature “The Snow Queen and the Princess,” and has inked a package deal across Scandinavia for the first four titles in the successful “Snow Queen” franchise.
The fifth movie in the series, which will be released in 2022, has been acquired by Klb Sas for France and French-speaking territories in Europe and Africa. The company will release the animated feature in theaters and on VOD platforms.
“We are very proud and excited to continue working with Wizart’s titles,” said Karen Levy Bencheton, president of Klb Sas, which distributed “The Snow Queen: Fire and Ice” to cinemas and broadcasters in France. “The audience was thrilled with this animation full of emotion, action, adventure and magic. The ‘Snow Queen’ franchise is so popular among the French audience because the story is always based on strong values like family,...
The fifth movie in the series, which will be released in 2022, has been acquired by Klb Sas for France and French-speaking territories in Europe and Africa. The company will release the animated feature in theaters and on VOD platforms.
“We are very proud and excited to continue working with Wizart’s titles,” said Karen Levy Bencheton, president of Klb Sas, which distributed “The Snow Queen: Fire and Ice” to cinemas and broadcasters in France. “The audience was thrilled with this animation full of emotion, action, adventure and magic. The ‘Snow Queen’ franchise is so popular among the French audience because the story is always based on strong values like family,...
- 11/1/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Speakers at the “Breakthrough of Russian Animation” panel held during the Key Buyers Event on Thursday discussed the advantages of teaming with international partners.
“If you want to see your animated series on the global scene, you need to develop your IP with international experts on board,” Ksenia Gordienko, director of the animation department at Ctc Media, tells Variety, mentioning “Kid-e-Cats.”
“The idea was developed by Dmitry Vysotsky and Andrey Sikorsky, but we have an international story editor in London, we get input from our global rights distributor Apc Kids, based in Paris, and dubbing is done in New York.”
The company is set to follow the same pattern with “Little Tiaras,” about to be showcased at Shanghai Television Festival and swapping felines for princesses.
The key to success is to be everywhere, Victoria Bolotova, head of media international sales at Digital Television Russia, says. “Kids can watch your content,...
“If you want to see your animated series on the global scene, you need to develop your IP with international experts on board,” Ksenia Gordienko, director of the animation department at Ctc Media, tells Variety, mentioning “Kid-e-Cats.”
“The idea was developed by Dmitry Vysotsky and Andrey Sikorsky, but we have an international story editor in London, we get input from our global rights distributor Apc Kids, based in Paris, and dubbing is done in New York.”
The company is set to follow the same pattern with “Little Tiaras,” about to be showcased at Shanghai Television Festival and swapping felines for princesses.
The key to success is to be everywhere, Victoria Bolotova, head of media international sales at Digital Television Russia, says. “Kids can watch your content,...
- 6/10/2021
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
When Russian toon house Wizart Animation began enlisting collaborators for its upcoming series “Snow Queen: Keepers of Wonders,” a small-screen spinoff of the blockbuster animated film franchise, it wasted no time in recruiting talent from abroad. Brad Breeck, the composer from Disney Xd’s “Gravity Falls,” came on board to assist with the soundtrack, while TV and comic-book writer Matthew Wayne was tapped as a script doctor. “We’re aiming it at the international market as much as possible,” says Wizart’s Vladimir Nikolaev.
Wizart is responsible for some of the most successful Russian releases of all time, including the “Snow Queen” and “Sheep and Wolves” franchises, which have combined sold to more than 150 territories. Production on the “Snow Queen” series began last year, and Nikolaev says interest from foreign buyers is already high. “We know there is a big demand, a big appetite, from TV channels, from VOD platforms,...
Wizart is responsible for some of the most successful Russian releases of all time, including the “Snow Queen” and “Sheep and Wolves” franchises, which have combined sold to more than 150 territories. Production on the “Snow Queen” series began last year, and Nikolaev says interest from foreign buyers is already high. “We know there is a big demand, a big appetite, from TV channels, from VOD platforms,...
- 6/9/2020
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Andes Films has taken the distribution rights in four Latin American countries for Wizart’s animated feature “Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal,” which is being sold by the Russian company at the American Film Market. Wizart has also signed an agreement with Peppermint for the release of “Fantastic Return to Oz” in Germany.
Andes has picked up rights to “Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal” in Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. The company is a major distributor in the region, handling the release of movies from Sony Pictures, Universal and Paramount.
Previously announced deals for the family pic include Klb Sas (France), Ads Service (Hungary), Bohemia Motion Pictures (Czech Republic and Slovakia), Kino Swiat (Poland), Koch Films (Germany), Storytelling Media (Norway), McF MegaCom (former Yugoslavia), Pro Films (Bulgaria) and Acme Film.
“Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal” was produced by Sergey Selyanov, Yuri Moskvin and Vladimir Nikolaev, in collaboration with Ctb Film Company.
Andes has picked up rights to “Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal” in Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. The company is a major distributor in the region, handling the release of movies from Sony Pictures, Universal and Paramount.
Previously announced deals for the family pic include Klb Sas (France), Ads Service (Hungary), Bohemia Motion Pictures (Czech Republic and Slovakia), Kino Swiat (Poland), Koch Films (Germany), Storytelling Media (Norway), McF MegaCom (former Yugoslavia), Pro Films (Bulgaria) and Acme Film.
“Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal” was produced by Sergey Selyanov, Yuri Moskvin and Vladimir Nikolaev, in collaboration with Ctb Film Company.
- 11/8/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Russia's Wizart Animation and U.S.-based film finance, production and distribution firm Qed International have struck a deal to co-produce movies, the Russian animation studio unveiled at the Cannes film market Monday.
Financial terms weren't disclosed.
The first project under the deal will be the animated feature Hansel and Gretel, which is planned as the first installment of a franchise.
"We expect that Qed’s participation in this project will help our studio achieve our creative, production and distribution goals much faster and with a higher quality," said Vladimir Nikolaev, Wizart Animation's producer in charge of ...
Financial terms weren't disclosed.
The first project under the deal will be the animated feature Hansel and Gretel, which is planned as the first installment of a franchise.
"We expect that Qed’s participation in this project will help our studio achieve our creative, production and distribution goals much faster and with a higher quality," said Vladimir Nikolaev, Wizart Animation's producer in charge of ...
- 5/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Russia's Wizart Animation and U.S.-based film finance, production and distribution firm Qed International have struck a deal to co-produce movies, the Russian animation studio unveiled at the Cannes film market Monday.
Financial terms weren't disclosed.
The first project under the deal will be the animated feature Hansel and Gretel, which is planned as the first installment of a franchise.
"We expect that Qed’s participation in this project will help our studio achieve our creative, production and distribution goals much faster and with a higher quality," said Vladimir Nikolaev, Wizart Animation's producer in charge of ...
Financial terms weren't disclosed.
The first project under the deal will be the animated feature Hansel and Gretel, which is planned as the first installment of a franchise.
"We expect that Qed’s participation in this project will help our studio achieve our creative, production and distribution goals much faster and with a higher quality," said Vladimir Nikolaev, Wizart Animation's producer in charge of ...
- 5/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
First film due for completion in 2021.
Russian animation specialist Wizart is launching a franchise based on the epic fairy tales by one of Russia’s most celebrated writers, Alexander Pushkin.
The first of the films in what is envisaged as a series will be Ruslan & Ludmila, due to be completed in 2021. The company is showing a sizzle reel to Efm buyers, and will commence pre-sales in earnest in Cannes. Vladimir Nikolaev and Yuri Moskvin produce and Shelley Page is the international representative.
Nikolaev is promising the Pushkin adaptations will be animated features on the scale of Disney’s Aladdin or Tangled.
Russian animation specialist Wizart is launching a franchise based on the epic fairy tales by one of Russia’s most celebrated writers, Alexander Pushkin.
The first of the films in what is envisaged as a series will be Ruslan & Ludmila, due to be completed in 2021. The company is showing a sizzle reel to Efm buyers, and will commence pre-sales in earnest in Cannes. Vladimir Nikolaev and Yuri Moskvin produce and Shelley Page is the international representative.
Nikolaev is promising the Pushkin adaptations will be animated features on the scale of Disney’s Aladdin or Tangled.
- 2/12/2019
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Russia’s Wizart has sold rights for German-speaking Europe for its 3D animated feature “The Snow Queen: Mirrorlands” to Peppermint Enterprises.
Peppermint managing director, Patrick Keller, said the company is planning a late January/early February theatrical release, the first time that a film from the franchise has been given a theatrical release in the territory, where past instalments were released only on DVD and VOD.
“Mirrorlands” is directed by Aleksei Tsitsilin and Robert Lence, which is his feature helming debut, although his credits include Hollywood movies like “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Toy Story” and “Shrek.” The producers are Yuri Moskvin, Vladimir Nikolaev, Boris Mashkovtsev, Pavel Stepanov and Vadim Vereschagin. Central Partnership and Soyuzmultfilm co-produced.
The film will open first on Dec. 21 in Poland and the Baltic countries, followed by the Czech Republic and Slovakia later that month, in Russia on Jan. 1, and in Romania and Bulgaria on Jan.
Peppermint managing director, Patrick Keller, said the company is planning a late January/early February theatrical release, the first time that a film from the franchise has been given a theatrical release in the territory, where past instalments were released only on DVD and VOD.
“Mirrorlands” is directed by Aleksei Tsitsilin and Robert Lence, which is his feature helming debut, although his credits include Hollywood movies like “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Toy Story” and “Shrek.” The producers are Yuri Moskvin, Vladimir Nikolaev, Boris Mashkovtsev, Pavel Stepanov and Vadim Vereschagin. Central Partnership and Soyuzmultfilm co-produced.
The film will open first on Dec. 21 in Poland and the Baltic countries, followed by the Czech Republic and Slovakia later that month, in Russia on Jan. 1, and in Romania and Bulgaria on Jan.
- 11/2/2018
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Family animation sequel sells to Poland and Germany, Austria, Switzerland.
Moscow-based Wizart has sealed some early Afm business on one of the titles on its slate.
Sheep And Wolves: Pig Deal, the sequel to 2016 family animation Sheep And Wolves, has now sold to Kino Swiat for Poland, with a theatrical release planned, and Koch Films GmbH for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where the film will be relased across TV, DVD and VoD.
The film previously sold to Norway (Storytelling Media), former Yugoslavia (McF MegaCom), Bulgaria (Pro Films) and Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia (Acme Film).
The film is a Wizart Animation...
Moscow-based Wizart has sealed some early Afm business on one of the titles on its slate.
Sheep And Wolves: Pig Deal, the sequel to 2016 family animation Sheep And Wolves, has now sold to Kino Swiat for Poland, with a theatrical release planned, and Koch Films GmbH for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where the film will be relased across TV, DVD and VoD.
The film previously sold to Norway (Storytelling Media), former Yugoslavia (McF MegaCom), Bulgaria (Pro Films) and Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia (Acme Film).
The film is a Wizart Animation...
- 11/1/2018
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Hollywood composers Brad Breeck and Gabriel Hays have come on board to pen the soundtrack for TV series “Snow Queen: Gerda and the Keepers of Wonders.”
Breeck is best known for his work on Disney’s “Gravity Falls” and the “Voltron” series reboot for Dreamworks and Netflix. He was the composer for MTV’s “Awkward” and Cartoon Network’s “We Bare Bears.” For Nickelodeon he scored the series “Fanboy and Chumchum” and penned the theme for “Robot and Monster.”
Hays is most well-known for writing music for the Disney animated series “Star Darlings” and “Whisker Haven.” He has also composed for numerous other films, documentaries and TV shows, including Disney’s “Puppy Dog Pals” and “Pickle and Peanut,” “We Bare Bears” for Cartoon Network, PBS’s “Half the Sky” and “A Path Appears,” and “7 Deadly Sins” for Showtime.
The soundtrack for “Snow Queen” will combine pop and folk. “We...
Breeck is best known for his work on Disney’s “Gravity Falls” and the “Voltron” series reboot for Dreamworks and Netflix. He was the composer for MTV’s “Awkward” and Cartoon Network’s “We Bare Bears.” For Nickelodeon he scored the series “Fanboy and Chumchum” and penned the theme for “Robot and Monster.”
Hays is most well-known for writing music for the Disney animated series “Star Darlings” and “Whisker Haven.” He has also composed for numerous other films, documentaries and TV shows, including Disney’s “Puppy Dog Pals” and “Pickle and Peanut,” “We Bare Bears” for Cartoon Network, PBS’s “Half the Sky” and “A Path Appears,” and “7 Deadly Sins” for Showtime.
The soundtrack for “Snow Queen” will combine pop and folk. “We...
- 10/13/2018
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Russian animation company Wizart is set to sign a theatrical deal with China’s Hy Media/Cayie International Media Group for animated movie “The Snow Queen: Mirrorlands,” the fourth instalment in the global hit franchise.
Lisha Ning, CEO of Hy Media/Cayie Intl., said he hoped the investment in “Snow Queen 4” would “open a new chapter” in the relationship between the Chinese and Russian film industries. The third film in the franchise, “Snow Queen: Fire and Ice,” earned nearly $12 million during its theatrical run in China earlier this year.
At Cannes, Wizart signed deals for “Mirrorlands” for Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia (Acme Film), Poland (Kino Swiat), ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz D.O.O.), Czech Republic/Slovakia (CinemArt), and Bulgaria (Pro Films). In Berlin, Wizart closed a deal for French-language territories with Universal Pictures.
In “Mirrorlands,” after King Harald nearly loses his family due to the Snow Queen’s evil deeds, he bans the use of magic.
Lisha Ning, CEO of Hy Media/Cayie Intl., said he hoped the investment in “Snow Queen 4” would “open a new chapter” in the relationship between the Chinese and Russian film industries. The third film in the franchise, “Snow Queen: Fire and Ice,” earned nearly $12 million during its theatrical run in China earlier this year.
At Cannes, Wizart signed deals for “Mirrorlands” for Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia (Acme Film), Poland (Kino Swiat), ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz D.O.O.), Czech Republic/Slovakia (CinemArt), and Bulgaria (Pro Films). In Berlin, Wizart closed a deal for French-language territories with Universal Pictures.
In “Mirrorlands,” after King Harald nearly loses his family due to the Snow Queen’s evil deeds, he bans the use of magic.
- 9/7/2018
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
New projects by Sergei Bodrov and Sergei Mokritsky awarded development funding by Russian Cinema Fund
New films by veteran Russian director Sergei Bodrov and DoP-director Sergei Mokritsky are among 10 projects each awarded up to $76,000 (RUB5m) by the Russian Cinema Fund (Fond Kino) in its new action line of funding at the development stage.
Bodrov (Mongol) has written a screenplay based on Alexey Ivanov’s historical drama Heart of Parma, to be produced by Vlad Ryashin’s Star Media Distribution, which promoted the project at the American Film Film (Afm) earlier this month.
Mokritsky - who had a box-office hit in Russia and Ukraine this year with his Second World War drama Battle For Sevastopol (aka Unbreakable) - is planning an adaptation of Russian fantasy writer Sergei Lukianenko’s novel Chernovik.
Previous novels by Lukianenko - Night Watch and Day Watch - were successfully adapted for the cinema both in Russia and in the Us.
Other supported...
New films by veteran Russian director Sergei Bodrov and DoP-director Sergei Mokritsky are among 10 projects each awarded up to $76,000 (RUB5m) by the Russian Cinema Fund (Fond Kino) in its new action line of funding at the development stage.
Bodrov (Mongol) has written a screenplay based on Alexey Ivanov’s historical drama Heart of Parma, to be produced by Vlad Ryashin’s Star Media Distribution, which promoted the project at the American Film Film (Afm) earlier this month.
Mokritsky - who had a box-office hit in Russia and Ukraine this year with his Second World War drama Battle For Sevastopol (aka Unbreakable) - is planning an adaptation of Russian fantasy writer Sergei Lukianenko’s novel Chernovik.
Previous novels by Lukianenko - Night Watch and Day Watch - were successfully adapted for the cinema both in Russia and in the Us.
Other supported...
- 11/17/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: eOne nabs North American rights to 3D animation.
eOne has picked up Us and Canadian rights to Wizart Animation’s popular 3D family feature The Snow Queen 2.
The sequel to Russian animation The Snow Queen (2012) includes a voice cast of Sean Bean (Game of Thrones), Sharlto Copley (Maleficent), Bella Thorne (Blended) and Isabelle Fuhrman (The Hunger Games).
The film tells the story of the troll Orm who has become a hero after the victory over the evil Snow Queen. However, after grossly exaggerating his exploits in the Snow Queen’s downfall, Orm learns that friendship and happiness can’t be won through deceit.
Alexey Tsitsilin directs. Producers are Yuri Moskvin, Vladimir Nikolaev, Diana Yurinova and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted).
eOne will release in winter 2015.
“We are thrilled to be handling the release of Snow Queen 2 in North America, building on the success of the first installment. We look forward to sharing this classic tale with family audiences...
eOne has picked up Us and Canadian rights to Wizart Animation’s popular 3D family feature The Snow Queen 2.
The sequel to Russian animation The Snow Queen (2012) includes a voice cast of Sean Bean (Game of Thrones), Sharlto Copley (Maleficent), Bella Thorne (Blended) and Isabelle Fuhrman (The Hunger Games).
The film tells the story of the troll Orm who has become a hero after the victory over the evil Snow Queen. However, after grossly exaggerating his exploits in the Snow Queen’s downfall, Orm learns that friendship and happiness can’t be won through deceit.
Alexey Tsitsilin directs. Producers are Yuri Moskvin, Vladimir Nikolaev, Diana Yurinova and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted).
eOne will release in winter 2015.
“We are thrilled to be handling the release of Snow Queen 2 in North America, building on the success of the first installment. We look forward to sharing this classic tale with family audiences...
- 4/13/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
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