Running in person September 20-23, the high-profile pitching and networking event will feature 84 EU projects selected from 141 submissions; France leads with 33 selections from notable production companies including Dandelooo, Cyber Group Studios, and Studio 100 Animation.
Cartoon Forum has announced the line-up for its next edition, to be held in person in Toulouse from September 20-23. Pitching and networking remain at the heart of the event, with projects presented to international animation professionals from the TV and new media industries, including broadcasters, distributors, investors, streaming and new media platforms, as well as potential co-producers.
European animation emerges from the COVID cloud with 84 new TV series, mini-series, and TV specials projects involving independent studios from 21 countries. For the 10th year, the capital of the French region of Occitanie will host the event.
UNITED BY ANIMATION
Shortlisted from 141 submissions, the 84 selected projects have a total budget of 326.1 M€ with an average cost per series of 3.9 M€, though the cost per minute of animation production has slightly decreased compared to 2020 (11,887 € vs 12,250 €). In total, the projects represent 457 hours of animation, while series formats continue to diversify in response to the new demands, both in terms of number of episodes and running time.
Twenty-one European countries are involved in the projects: 13 as main producers and eight as minority co-producers. 37% of the projects (31) are co-productions between two or more European countries, and only one non-European country, Canada, participates as co-producer.
France leads the selection with 33 projects, followed by Ireland with 11, Germany with 8, Spain with 6, Belgium with 5, and Portugal with 4. Czech Republic and Denmark participate with four projects each, and Italy and Poland with three, while Finland, Latvia and Ukraine are present with one project each. With nine projects, Central and Eastern European countries keep the animation production momentum going.
Almost half of the selection (41 projects), series aimed at children 6-11 years old continue to gain ground in Cartoon Forum. With 25 projects, pre-school series represent almost a third of the selection, while young adults/adults’ projects have increased to 17% vs 14% in the previous year.
2D remains the most widely animation technique employed by European producers (56%), although 3D series grows to 28% vs 20% in 2020.
PRODUCERS BEHIND THE SCENES
French production companies presenting projects include: Les Armateurs (Abyss Special Case Unit); Autour de Minuit (Freaked Out); Dandelooo (It's Your Body!); Vivement Lundi! (Me and My Compost); Xilam Animation (Piggy Builders); Cyber Group Studios (The McFire Family); Ellipsanime Productions (Under the School); Les films du poisson rouge (Voro); Magical Society (Mister Crocodile); and Studio 100 Animation (Rek & Nola).
Independent production companies from other European countries include: Fabrique Fantastique – Belgium (Gardener Gavin); Ulysses Filmproduktion - Germany (Butterfly Academy); Red Monk Studio - Italy (Nadia); Animoon – Poland (Icky & Poo); Sardinha em Lata - Portugal (Pete & Bern's and in co-production for The Saskatoons); Peekaboo Animation - Spain (My Little Heroes); and Animagrad - Ukraine (Hrafn Academy).
Young production companies and new talent presenting their first projects include: IBRIDO Studio - Italy (Anselmo Wannabe); Dreamin’ Dolphin Film - Germany (Hygge); Les Astronautes – France (What it Takes); and MiniCosmos – Denmark (Space Ham).
Five projects were selected directly through cooperation agreements including: Badi Badi – Poland (Robot and the Martians); Studio FILM BILDER - Germany (Lambs); and Wolkenlenker – Germany (Bugs and Guns); Galmar Films – Belgium (Muscaria); and Mad Cat Studio - Belgium (Bookworms).
Toulouse and Occitanie / Pyrénées-Mediterranée Region animation will be presenting the TV special Sacha and the Christmas Creatures (Xbo films).
The following selections are adaptations of comic books or books, including My Dog, God and the Pokethings (TNZPV Productions); Freaked out (Autour de Minuit); Living with Dad (Dupuis Edition et Audiovisuel); Blue Wolfie (Label Anim); Suzon (Mondo TV France); Corgi, A Royal Family (Studio Redfrog); Tales of Terror (Dream Logic); Freddy Buttons Wacky Mysteries (Treehouse Republic); Hello, Oscar! (Atom Art, Latvia); Welcome to Mamoko (Pigeon, Poland); and Fio Lina and the Maestro (Serienwerk, Germany).
Check out all the projects here.
