Epsilon Film, the recently launched world sales company led by former Global Screen executives Julia Weber and Alice von Einem, has revealed its Cannes Market lineup.
Heading the slate is animated feature film “Mimi&Harold – Out of frame,” produced by Ulysses Filmproduktion, the company behind international sales and box office hit “The Amazing Maurice,” as well “Niko – Beyond the Northern Lights” and “Ooops! The Adventure Continues…”
The film follows Mimi, a scrappy crossbreed dog, who falls out of an old painting and is lost in the real world of a museum, the home of Harold, an art-loving but snobbish dog. Armed only with her determination and Harold’s friendship, Mimi jumps into paintings to find her beloved owner – and Harold becomes the hero he never dreamt of being.
On Friday, “Mimi&Harold – Out of frame” won the German Animation Screenplay Award, for writers Giles New and Keiron Self, in Stuttgart, Germany.
Popular on PvNew
Also in the lineup is animated film “Brave Heart Yakari.” It is adapted from the “Yakari” comic-book series, which has been translated into 14 languages, and has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. It was previously adapted as a TV series, which was broadcast in more than 150 territories.
The film centers on Yakari, a Sioux boy, who wants to save his friend Buffalo-Seed, who is in a coma. While Rainbow tries to heal their friend, Yakari gallops with the mustang Little Thunder to the far reaches of Sioux territory to seek help from the only being capable of awakening him: Buffalo-Seed’s totem, the fearsome giant bison Thathanka.
During his journey, Yakari will face something bigger than himself: the wilderness and the dream world of the totems.
“Brave Heart Yakari” is produced by Dargaud Media, Belvision, France 3 Cinéma and Bidibul.
The third title on the Cannes slate is live-action adventure “School of Magical Animals 3,” the third instalment in the box office and sales hit franchise, based on a bestselling book.
Like the first two titles in the franchise, the film is set in Winterstein School, where children are accompanied by magical animals. The kids go on an adventure that moves between a forest and a fashion show, and features a snobbish cat and a vegan crocodile, while tussling with questions of friendship and the pangs of first love.
The first two films grossed over $36.5 million in Germany and were successfully released internationally, including in the U.S., where Blue Fox released the dubbed version of Part 1 on 300 screens.
The third instalment is directed by Sven Unterwaldt, whose credits include “The 7th Dwarf,” “Help, I Shrunk My Teacher” and “The School of Magical Animals 2.”
It is produced by Kordes & Kordes Film Süd, and is co-produced by Leonine Studios and Lightburst Pictures. In Germany, Leonine will release the film in theaters on Sept. 26.
As previously announced, Epsilon has two other titles on its slate, “Snow White and Me” and “Nessie Junior,” which are both in development.
Epsilon, a subsidiary of Beta Film, will be based during the Cannes Film Festival at the Mondrian Hotel, formerly known as the Grand Hotel.
