Country: Poland

Feature

|

75 min.

|

Zoyka and the Bird

Zośka i Ptaszysko

10-year-old girl notices that the world is broken and her mother is losing gravity. Trying to save her, she sets out on a journey, accompanied by a mysterious Bird, which she discovers inside of her.

Nov

18

Wed 09:30

Feature Films Pitching

10 year old Zoyka worries a lot about the world and her mother seems to be walking on air. Zoyka fears that the wind might blow her away. Every day, she stuffs her mother’s pockets with stones, to which she adds a lucky stone – a gift from her dad. One day, Zoyka eats candy – a gift from the mysterious Madina. Next day, she wakes up with a scary bird in her belly and mother gone to work without the stones. Fearing strong winds, she decides to find her. Together with her friend, Mietek, she walks through the city, escaping perils and discovering superpowers. She loses the lucky stone and meets Madina, who suggests getting rid of the Bird. It upsets Zoyka. She runs away and, after a quarrel with Mietek, gets in trouble with bullies. Mietek rescues her, but they notice many more people flying above the ground. With Madina’s advice, Zoyka tells a story about the Bird. It comes out of her mouth, becoming strong and beautiful. Zoyka flies on its back and saves her mother and everyone else.

Director’s statement
Children often struggle to understand and cope with strong emotions. But they feel them – a squeezed stomach, or one filled with butterflies. A lump in the throat, a burning in the chest, or the whole body exploding with unstoppable joy - we've all been there.
In my story, all those secret, sometimes shameful sensations, take the form of a mysterious, slightly unpleasant Bird, with its clenching claws, ruffling feathers and aharp beek. The bird appears, because the girl worries too much and her imagination shows her possible catastrophic scenarios, which everyone around ignores, leading to more frustration. The story of the relation of Zoyka and the Bird is a story of the girl coming to know and accepting the strong emotions that she feels, which can be a superpower as well as a limitation. Telling a story can be a way of getting in touch with those emotions, so that they can become our strength and let us fly.

Director and Scriptwriter
Marta Pajek
kostrzewa@animoon.pl
Producer
Grzegorz Skorupski
skorupski@animoon.pl
Producer
Grzegorz Wacławek
waclawek@animoon.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

Children 10-12

Animation technique

2D (vector based), drawing

Production company

Animoon

Estimated budget

2 346 061 EUR

Funding secured

101 257 EUR - Animoon

Stage of the project

development (existing script)

Looking for

Co-producer, distributor, international sales

Short

|

8:00

|

Telegrams to the Tree

Telegramy do siebie

As a little girl, Sofia loved eating cherries so much, she didn’t have time to spit out the seeds. Now, an unpredictable tree grows within her. She must grow to embrace it.

Sofia feels trapped by unexplained sensations of tightness in her body.Trying to name them, she records voice messages to herself: telegrams. She starts to unravel the origins from childhood memories, recalling her grandma's fears about swallowing cherry seeds, warning that a tree would grow inside Sofia's belly. For a curious girl it sounded funny, but over the years, these small fears have sprouted into something painful, that feels like a real tree. She hides this sensitive, unpredictable creature from others and finds herself mirroring similar neurosis to her grandma. Attempting to numb the pain only worsens it, pushing Sofia to a breaking point. In a moment of anger, she wants to burn down the tree, introducing the first color into her world: igniting a journey of self-discovery as she explores emotions through colors and textures. By replacing shame towards the tree with curiosity, Sofia discovers a rich inner environment and liberation in allowing emotions to flow through her.

Director’s statement
'Pain travels through families until someone is ready to feel it.' Sofia is the child in her family tree called on a journey to embrace her emotions. Coming from b&w, simple charcoal lines, she delves into more colors and textures on multiplane. Even though the film touches on heavy subjects like inherited neurosis, it has a lot of humorous elements. It’s a fictional story, rooted in personal experience. I come from a line of people that were very detached from their emotions and their bodies. I too found myself disconnected until a health crisis forced me to confront my true feelings. This difficult moment compelled me to reconnect with my body, finding solace in nature. I spent all my days with trees, observing them and myself. I found great beauty in it – and that's what I want to share with this film. My goal is not to give an easy fix to generational inheritance, but to plant a seed of curiosity in a viewer. To ask a question about your experience of emotions and family tree.

Producer

Dominika Krysiewicz


Producer
Grzegorz Wacławek
waclawek@animoon.pl
Director and Scriptwriter
Julia Benedyktowicz
benedyktowiczjulia@gmail.com

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

Adults

Animation technique

Drawing

Production company

Animoon

Estimated budget

€130,000

Funding secured

Funding not yet secured. Funding Plan: Animoon pledges €68,864.20 or PLN 300,000 (€1 = 4.3564) by applying through the PFI (Polish Film Institute), supplemented by a private contribution of PLN 85,000, equivalent to €19,511.52. We plan to secure the rest of the budget through co-productions: in closing conversations with Portuguese studio Aims Creative through public funding ICA (The Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual.) and other possible co-productions.

Short

|

15 min.

|

Watermelon

Arbuz

Twins Nela and Zyta, from Poland, celebrate New Year's in Paris. Successful Nela overshadows Zyta, who seeks her identity. The night brings events inciting reflection on sisters paths and bond.

Nov

17

Tue 10:00

Short Films Pitching

The story follows two polish twin sisters, Nela and Zyta (27), on the night of New Year's Eve in Paris. Nela arrived in France first, Zyta joins her a few years later, and they are both determined to make hostile, multicultural and overwhelming Paris into their new home. Nela, a successful writer, encircled by friends, with a fluency in French, immediately overshadows Zyta who is striving to liberate herself from the constraints of a complicated relationship that blocks her from true self-discovery. As the night progresses, both sisters find themselves entangled in a series of events including the escape of their dog Watermelon that got scared by festive noises. The events of the night lead Neal and Zyta to reevaluate their paths and the bonds that tie them together and will allow them to see a beauty of their unique connection.

Director’s statement
Being a twin myself, I grapple with identity owing to my inseparable bond with my sister. The film delves into this theme through the story of two sisters, prioritizing emotional depth over fantastical elements. It emphasizes the importance of actor performances to convey authenticity. The visual style focuses on dynamic camerawork, simulating a handheld style to immerse the audience in the narrative. The incorporation of 3D elements enhances realism, particularly in lighting effects, aiming to create an authentic portrayal of urban spaces. Overall, the film seeks to offer a profound exploration of relationships, grounded in genuine human interactions and emotional experiences. By delving into the complexities of identity and sisterhood, it provides viewers with a unique and thought-provoking perspective on the bonds that shape our lives.

Director
Sara Szymańska
sarszymanska@gmail.com
Producer
Anna Glowinska
glowinska@animoon.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

Adult film festival audience

Animation technique

Drawing

Production company

Animoon

Estimated budget

165 375 EUR

Funding secured

68 864,20 EUR production funding from the Polish Film Institute

Stage of the project

pre-production

Looking for

Co-producer, distributor, broadcaster

TV series

|

13 episodes x 22 minutes x 2 seasons

|

The Grimmsons

Grimmsonowie

A peculiar family of the brothers Grimm descendants goes on a quest to catch runaway fairytale creatures.

The adventures of the GRIMMSONS begin when ADELA, ALFRED and ALIA accidentally find a mysterious book and open it, releasing dozens of fairy-tale creatures into their world. One of the monsters appears in their hometown and shockingly for kids their parents, the fleeky artist IDA and the book-worm ADALBERT, rush to the town to confront the creature. That introduces children to the legacy of their ancestors - Brothers Grimm who centuries ago captured fairy-tale creatures into the enchanted FABLEBOOK. But when they mysteriously escape, the Grimmsons have to put aside everyday family scuffles and tame their difficult characters in order to go on a quest to catch runaway Fibs - fairy tale creatures such as werewolves, witches, giants or tricky genies. When the Grimmsons seek help from their granny YAGA - the most powerful witch in the world, it comes to a showdown with evil NEFRIAH, who is in fact Hans Christian Andersen himself and wants to steal the Fablebook for his own dark goals.

Producer
Zofia Jaroszuk
zofia@laniakea.pictures
Producer
Mateusz Kowalczyk
matt@laniakea.pictures

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

9-12

Production company

LANIAKEA PICTURES

Estimated budget

4 625 000 EUR

Funding secured

925 000 EUR | Laniakea Pictures | Poland

Looking for

Co-producer, sales agent/distributor, broadcaster

TV series

|

52 x 6 min

|

Under the Floor

Historie spod podłogi

Did you know, that there’s an undiscovered world in your house? You need to look beneath the floor! It’s a comfortable home of two fluffy and colorful creatures Blu and Berry.

Did you know, that here’s an undiscovered world in your house? You need to look beneath the floor! It’s a comfortable home of two fluffy and colorful creatures Blu and Berry and their pet - moss piglet named Dumpling. In every episode we find them experiencing the surrounding world with a childlike curiosity. Take a look around, peek under your bed and let yourself be drawn into their wonderful lives full of adventures!

Director’s statement
We’re addressing the stories to younger children, who are just starting to learn their core values. Our main goal is to introduce them into the world of human relationships, and discover everyday life through fun and adventures. Our series is focused on teaching the young audience how to feel their everyday emotions, but also how to understand them, and through all that- expand their imagination. By making our characters communicate without words, there is an emphasis on the need to manifest emotions through body language and facial expressions, which helps kids identify and recognize a variety of feelings. Our stories encourage children to create safe and fulfilling relationships with one another. Both characters of the series were born and raised in different environments and family dynamics.

Producer

Joanna Ronikier


joanna.ronikier@gmail.com
Director
Łukasz Kacprowicz
lkacprowicz@g-s.pl

Target audience

children from 3 to 5

Animation technique

2D

Production company

Running Rabbit Films

Stage of the project

in pre-production

Looking for

Sales agent / distributor, Broadcaster, Festival representative

TV special

|

26 min.

|

The Treflix: Christmas Special

Trefliki. Tajemnica Znikających Bombek

On Christmas Eve, baubles disappear all over Treflikville. Treflik & Treflinka investigate to find the cause. During their adventure, they will meet Santa himself, who will help them save Christmas.

Nov

12

Thu 09:30

Series/TV Specials Pitching

As Christmas approaches, Treflikville is abuzz with festive cheer. However, Bert, the grumpy cousin of the Treflik family, is irritated by all the hustle and bustle. On Christmas Eve, all the Christmas tree baubles vanish from the city. Treflik, Treflinka, and Robobot set out to investigate, joined by Santa Claus and his chatty reindeer. They eventually discover that Bert is behind the mysterious disappearance of the baubles. When Treflik tries to deactivate Bert's invention, it explodes and knocks Bert out. Treflinka insists they bring him along and they rescue him on Santa's sleigh. The family is waiting for them when they arrive, and Bert is touched by their kindness. The event transforms Bert's attitude, and the entire Treflik family sits down together for a warm and loving Christmas Eve dinner.

Director’s statement
"The Treflix: Christmas Special" is a 30-minute stop-motion animation that combines puppet animation with computer technology to create a high-quality, modern visual experience. The plot revolves around the disappearance of Christmas baubles in Treflikville, which is resolved with the help of Santa Claus and the Treflix. The story emphasizes the values of friendship, mutual support, and forgiveness, which are universal and easily understood by viewers worldwide. The script was written by an experienced team of literary experts and refined by a script doctor. Well-known Polish film and dubbing actors provide the voices of the characters, and the musical setting is composed by an experienced British composer. The film's visual design is expected to be its main asset, and the team's experience is expected to generate high economic returns, particularly in terms of international distribution.

Creative producer

Magdalena Talar


m.talar@trefl.com
Head of Marketing

Justin Kreter


j.kreter@trefl.com
Director
Piotr Ficner
p.ficner@trefl.com
Producer
Kazimierz Wierzbicki
k.wierzbicki@trefl.com

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

3-7

Animation technique

Stop motion

Production company

KAZStudio

Estimated budget

EUR 400 000

Funding secured

KAZStudio - 240 000 EUR Polish Film Institute - 110 000 EUR Kazimierz Wierzbicki - 87 000 EUR

Stage of the project

In production

Looking for

Sales agent / distributor, Broadcaster

Feature

|

86 min.

|

Dr. Howl

Dr Hau

Ber, an alcoholic aspiring to become a veterinarian, and Dr. Howl, a cynical professor posthumously reincarnated in the body of a dog, become entangled in dark mysteries that they must solve.

Nov

12

Thu 11:30

Feature Films Pitching

A veterinarian named Ber is fighting against unethical practices in her field but also, she struggles with alcohol addiction which causes her to lose her job. On her way to a new clinic, she hits a dog named Dr. Howl, who surprisingly can act like a human. Ber takes him to the clinic, where he impresses everyone and gets the job instead of her. Despite their differences, they start to help each other out. Meanwhile, strange cases of pet disappearances began in the area. Howl and Ber take on a risky investigation, that leads through the shelter to the inconspicuous Fat Tony, who is the organizer of illegal dog fighting. Throughout their journey, Ber finds out about Howl's past and helps him reconnect with his daughter. However, her own career takes a hit when she loses her license and her dog’s patient dies in her arms. Devastated, she pushes Howl away but later rallies to his aid when he is captured by Fat Tony. She manages to free him and as they both find inner peace, they drive away.

Director’s statement
The diversity of animal personalities are immeasurable to me. However, they share one thing in common - animals are excellent therapists. It was this observation that inspired me to come up with a story about such an unusual relationship. Thus, the character of Dr. Howl was created, the soul of a veterinarian from the 1940s inhabiting in a dog's body. I want him to go through redemption for the unethical acts that he has committed in his past life, and Ber is there to help him out. Little does she know, she's also in line for rescue that only he can bring to her. The motive of helping each other despite our differences is important to the story. I chose a 2D animation technique to allow for flexibility in the story of the characters. It is important for me that the narrative explores how both Dr. Howl and other animals or humans are made of the same material. The combination of photographic collages and drawings in the artwork aims to create a mysterious, slightly dark atmosphere.

Director
Joanna Jasińska-Koronkiewicz
animilenka@gmail.com
Producer
Anna Mroczek
anna@wjt.com.pl
Producer
Wojtek Leszczyński
wojtek@wjt.com.pl
Creative producer
Przemysław Pilarczyk
przemek@notrom.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

young adults / adults

Animation technique

2D (vector based)

Production company

Likaon | WJT

Estimated budget

2 500 000

Funding secured

The project is at the script development level.

Stage of the project

In development

Looking for

Co-producer, Sales agent / distributor, Festival representative, Animation studio, Animator(s)

TV series

|

26 x 12 min.

|

The Websters

Websterovci

logo

High above the human world, a web loomed from stories similar to ours holds an alternative world of small creatures with big hearts – The Websters.

The Websters are a spider family that lives in a corner of a lift machine room. The Websters’ world is wide, created to the smallest detail. Friends, school, the distribution centre for canned flies, the shopping mall, their eating habits and history events. The Webster‘s family is big – grandma and grandpa, mum and dad, two children – Hugo and Lili. The stories are built around the main character – Lili, but all members of this family have their own topics to solve. Just like in any human family – the life in this spider family is also full of mistakes and wrong expectations. We would like to tell everyday life stories to help children find the understanding, forgiveness and offer them right models for expressing their feelings and emotions. Because THE STRONGEST NET IS YOUR FAMILY!

Director
Katarina Kerekesova
Watch preview

Country of production

Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia

Target audience

5-7 years

Animation technique

CGI 3D animation with real backgrounds

Production company

Fool Moon 13ka Invida Studio Miniatur Filmowych

Production company

PFX, Radio and Television Slovakia , Czech Television

Stage of the project

Completed in 2024. Available English dubbed version.

World Sales / Distributor

n/a

Short

|

10’

|

We hope you won’t need to come back

Obyś nie musiała tutaj wrócić

A young girl has immigrated. She has to learn to function in a new environment in which her old habits and patrimonial stereotypes can no longer exist.

A young girl has immigrated. Having to function in a new environment is slowly transforming into a routine, and herself into a modern Frankenstein’s creation. The new approach and behaviour no longer match the old habits and patrimonial stereotypes. The decision to reunite with her family and return to the feeling of comfort becomes a turning point and reveals a process which modern immigrants experience.

Producer

Animated Film Studio, Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts


Director
Anastazja Naumenko
anastazja.naumenko@gmail.com

Country of production

Poland

Screenplay

Anastazja Naumenko

Cinematography

Anastazja Naumenko

Animation

Anastazja Naumenko

Editing

Anastazja Naumenko

Sound

Jakub Młynek

World Sales / Distributor

KFF Sales & Promotion

TV series

|

52 x 3:30'

|

Lemon and Berry

Two hummingbirds solve different problems by cooperating and by trying out various inventions.

Nov

05

Thu 09:30

Series/TV Specials pitching session

The main characters are young humming birds - siblings who try out new inventions every episode. These inventions are often surprising, absurd and, above all, funny. The project is designed to entertain a young audience through a display of the gags of two little humming birds. Over the course of building and testing new machines, they always find themselves facing an extraordinary conundrum. Their whole world is made of paper, from characters and props to the environment. They live in a big tree that grows out of a book. Each story takes place in or around a tree, such as a forest path, a neighbor’s tree, or a bird school.

Director’s statement
The series is based on the short by Ilenia Cotardo, created as her graduation animation. It was inspired by the relationship between her and her younger brother, on how they collaborate to solve problems and joke with each other. The project is a slapstick animation made to entertain a young audience by showing the gags of two little sibling hummingbirds, Lemon and Berry. During the story, the siblings build different inventions and machines, in order to find the right way to solve every single problem that always occurs at the beginning of the episode. The whole world is made of paper, from the characters to the environment. The little birds live in a big tree that grows from a book. Each story takes place in the tree's surroundings. The birds have complementary colours that, in addition to their personalities, help to reach the right balance. Our goal is to create an imaginary world full of surprising adventures that will be presented to the viewer in a pleasant and positive way.

Director

Ile­nia Cotardo


Director

Piotr Fic­n­er


Producer

Justyna Rucińska


Producer
Anna Mroczek
anna@wjt.com.pl
Producer
Wojtek Leszczyński
wojtek@wjt.com.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

chil­dren aged 3 – 7

Animation technique

stop motion

Production company

Likaon | WJT

Co-production company

GS Animation (Poland)

Foliascope (France)

Funding secured

Polish film Institute and TVP - Polish National Television

Short

|

10’

|

Mr. John Daniel

After the soldiers killed little gorilla’s mom in Gabon, he was brought to England and started a new life with humans.

Mr. John Daniel is based on a true story. It is an animated short film project about the human cruelty to animals and a voice against it. A boy is watching a gorilla exhibition in the Museum of Natural History in New York. London, 1918. Major Rupert buys a gorilla in the shop. The animal came to the UK from Gabon, where his mother was shot by French soldiers. Major Rupert names him Mr John Daniel and gifts him to his sister Alyce. She takes care for Mr John and treats him like a baby boy. She teaches him how to make his bed, to dine at the table, to play football with local kids. He is even allowed to drink cider in the pub. He loves to eat roses and watch the shoemaker at work. After three years he is too big for Alyce. She is unable take care for him any longer. Alyce decides to send him to an animal refuge in Florida. Unfortunately, she is tricked, and Mr John ends up in a circus in Madison Square Garden. As his health deteriorates, the circus director decides to call Alyce. However, she arrives in New York too late. Mr John dies of pneumonia and ends up on the museum display.

Director’s statement
Mr. John Daniel based on a true story. It is a project for an animated short film about the humans cruelty to animals and voice against it. Our little brothers, endlessly trustful and obedient, often betrayed and used by people just for their joy and entertainment. 
The film is planned to be made in 2D/3D technique, mixing hand drawn pencil drawings with computer animation. The story will confronts not only two worlds and two eras: XXI century New York and early XX century Britain and the US. It is also build from two different visual styles: a modern colorful world and old black and white memories from the past century. The second one is influenced by Lotte Reiniger’s silhouette-style animated films with black intertitles just like from the silent films. Mr. John Daniel won’t have dialogues, but is planned to be accompanied with soft music, preferably with jazz to emphasize the era even more.

Director and Scriptwriter
Kinga Syrek
kingasyrek@hotmail.com
Producer
Rafał Sakowski
r.sakowski@sfr.com.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

14+

Animation technique

2D / 3D hybrid

Production company

Studio Filmów Rysunkowych

Estimated budget

100 000 euro

Funding secured

12 000 - Studio Filmów Rysunkowych - in kind production

8′

|

Three Cups of Coffee

Trzy filiżanki kawy

A short, multilayered story about a woman who meets a man she once cared about. The past becomes tangible and only by going through it again can she prevent it from stopping her to live on.

Nov

04

Wed 16:30

Out of competition

A woman drives into a city where she used to live, to meet a man she once cared about. Their meeting takes place in a coffee shop, where they have met many times before. The woman realizes that the man is still not indifferent to her. Seemingly trivial elements and gestures bring back memories. In the man's yellow socks, she suddenly sees all the different socks he once used to wear. The common gesture of him rolling up his sleeves multiplies in front of her eyes, as if the past was there together with the present. Their conversation briefly tells the story of their relationship. It turns out that they deviated from each other over time. When he reached out to her, she ran away. And when she finally decided to return the gesture - he was already in a different stage of his life. As they talk, she realizes that "their time" is over and that it is impossible to regain the intimacy and connection they once had. Only by accepting this, can she feel unblocked and free. And finally, she can move on.

Director’s statement
The idea for the project appeared in my head when I had an opportunity to visit Vienna ten years after I had been living there for a year as a Socrates-Erasmus student. When I was walking the streets of Austria's capital the picture of the town as I remembered it (the one I had in my head) was constantly juxtaposed with the one I saw (the one that was physically in front of my eyes). It made me reflect on the way that I remember the past and what kind of influence it has on the way I see the present. I thought that it would be wonderful to be able to transfer this way of looking at things into an animated film. This film is my attempt to try to present both the past and present in the same picture.

Director and Scriptwriter
Natalia Krawczuk
natalia.krawczuk@gmail.com
Producer

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

adults

Animation technique

stop motion, cut-out, painting on glass

Production company

LeLe Crossmedia Production

Estimated budget

TOTAL BUDGET ESTIMATE 238 559.00 PLN - 56 500 EUR

Funding secured

TOTAL BUDGET ESTIMATE 238 559.00 PLN - 56 500 EUR - 100.00% LELE Crossmedia production financial contribution 19 700.00 PLN – 4 666,9 EUR - 8.26%Secured Producer's in-kind contribution 53 450,00 PLN – 12 661, 65 EUR – 22,41 % Secured TOTAL contribution of producer 73 150,00 PLN-17322.89 EUR 30,66% Secured Polish Film Institution grant 165 409.00 PLN – 39177.1 EUR 69.34% Secured TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 238 559.00 PLN – 56 500 EUR 100.00% Secured

Feature

|

90′

|

The Guardian of Legends

Powrót Strażnika Legend

When Jake gets stuck in a VR game controlled by the evil Hypnotist, his sister Madaleine together with Teddy Bear and the inhabitants of the game world frees Jake and the Legendary World from the malefactor’s influence.

7-year-old Jake gets stuck in a VR game controlled by the power of the Hypnotist. His 11-year- old sister Madaleine enters the game and together with her Teddy Bear and the inhabitants of the game world, Legendary Creatures, they defeat the Hypnotist, freeing Jake, the Legendary World (game world) and people in the real world from under his influence.

Director’s statement
While working on the series The Flying Bear and the Gang, I felt that the story told in it has much greater potential and can oscillate around the issue of “hypnosis by electronic devices” directly affecting almost all of us and certainly children. I decided to expand this topic and tell a story about a small boy addicted to computer games who discovers a new VR game in which the main “boss” is the Hypnotist – an evil artificial intelligence trying to hypnotize human’ minds. Jake (7) engages in the game so much that in the real world, he stops responding to any stimulus. His sister Madeleine (11) is aware of the situation and tries to help his brother and save him from the Hypnotist’s fatal influence. I saw this story as a contemporary version of the “Snow Queen” archetype. The issues I’ve found in it seem so important and have such a large dramatic and comic potential, making me sure that this is the story I would like to tell in the form of an animated film for children.

Director

Tomek Niedźwiedź
tom@badibadi.com
Director

Waldek Mordarski
Producer

Magda Rawa


m.rawa@badibadi.com
Producer

Tomasz Paziewski


Country of production

Poland

Target audience

children aged 6+, family

Animation technique

3D (CGI)

Production company

Badi Badi

TV special

|

25′

|

The Wind over Aleppo

Wiatr nad Aleppo

Three eventful days in Aleppo that change the fate of the main characters.

13-year old Jasmin lives with her family in Aleppo; once a prominent city, now turned into a gloomy battlefield. The conditions are tough for adults, whereas for kids they are just another challenge in the world where the ruined city became a huge playground. Jasmin’s Grandpa is kidnapped by a gang of thieves. When their boss happens to be Jasmin’s uncle and the girl decides to go to his rescue without the help of her parents, the situation gets complicated.

Director’s statement
The Wind over Aleppo is inspired by the book by Grzegorz Gortat, advertised as “a book for children; a must-read for every adult”. It is the perfect base for an animated film that would permit the viewers to approach emotionally the matter of conflict, which is experienced by children in the most abusive way. Animation is the best technique to demonstrate how war could be seen through the eyes of a child. Their everyday life is different than the life of their peers having a chance to grow up in peace. In relation to the issues brought up in the film, it is necessary to apply a simple, but expressive design adapted to the perceptual possibilities of young viewers. This story will bring viewers closer to Aleppo and will let them understand that in hard times, friendship, solidarity and family bonds are as important as arms and power.

Director

Agnieszka Sadurska
agi@agimagine.pl
Producer

Ewa Sobolewska


e.sobolewska@tvsfa.com

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

children aged 12–14

Animation technique

traditional

Production company

TV Studio of Animation Films Ltd., Poland

TV series

|

26 x 10′

|

Endover Groove

Johann, Sebastiana & Bach

Teenage musicians, from a village at the end of the world, must face off against a corporate giant in a series of epic ROCK'n'ROLL skirmishes, after school of course.

Nov

05

Thu 09:30

Series/TV Specials pitching session

Fandango (a turtle-scientist) is a creator of unusual instruments capable of arousing a crowd’s emotions. Years ago he collaborated with Kakofon (an innocent looking rabbit). When it turned out that Kakofon uses inventions produced by the turtle to capture the minds of listeners - Fandango took his instruments and hid in Endover at the end of the narrowest county road where he felt safe, but then a group of teenagers (Johann the fly, Sebastian the cow and Bach the dog) discovered Fandango's unusual instruments and use them at a school talent contest. Unaware of the power of the guitars produced by Fandango, the friends cause a local tornado. It is seen all over the news, but none of the journalists connect it to the concert except ... Kakofon! The rabbit effortlessly locates the inventor's hideout and will do anything to retrieve the extraordinary instruments. Turtle and the giddy trio must defend the entire world from Kakofon's clutches. It's going to happen - it's time to rock and roll.

Director’s statement
Endover Groove is an adventure comedy with elements of mystery. We are aiming at a tough target, so clever dialogues with lots of humor are the key. Our protagonists are kids at a dramatic transformational moment. It’s the time of their first disappointments with adults and their world. That is the moment when a rebellious spirit starts to speak out. Music becomes a way to communicate with others. We want to show that defining moment and their dedication to pursue their hobby. However, there is so much more for them. And the same urge leads our characters to action. Kids believe that they can change the world and in our show they have the fortune to actually change theirs. Nevertheless, they are not taken seriously, slightly ignored by adults, who always know better. We believe that children should be treated with more respect for their passions. Even if we know that they will not finally save this planet. The power that comes from these kids’ dreams can be a fuel for their adult actions some decades later.

Director and Scriptwriter
Łukasz Kacprowicz
lkacprowicz@g-s.pl
Producer
Robert Jaszczurowski
rjaszczurowski@g-s.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

children aged 9-11

Animation technique

2D vector based

Production company

GS Animation

Estimated budget

1,65 mil EUR

Funding secured

Draft preliminary finance plan for production: 40% planned financial support from the Polish Film Institute - TBC 30% Cash Rebate from Polish Film Institute - TBC 8% own investment of Grupa Smacznego - confirmed 5% planned share of co-producer - TBC 12% MEDIA TV programming grant - TBC 5% planned contribution from the polish public broadcaster TVP and/or pre-sales We already received the development support for JSB/Endover Groove from Polish Film Institute and therefore we have a fair chance of obtaining the production support as well. Mostly because it’s PFI’s policy to fund production of the projects which were already supported by PFI at the development stage, so that they can be sure that these projects will have a chance to go into production. The production support from Polish Film Institute for the production of animated TV series can go up to 50% of the production budget. Furthermore, thanks to newly introduced Cash Rebate Program we can obtain up to 70% of production finansing from PFI. After finishing development we are planning to apply to Creative Europe for TV programming funding for the production of the series as well. We will also pitch JSB to Polish Public Broadcaster - TVP. For the moment we do not know how much TVP would like to invest in this particular project but their usual investment in animation series is around 5% of the total budget.

Feature

|

71’

|

The Helpers

Pomagacze

A quirky story of a frustrated clerk who, seeking release from his domineering father, suddenly discovers his true self and helps to put an end to the existence of the city of pressure, Waffeldorf.

Nov

05

Thu 13:30

Feature Films pitching session

Set in the waffle city Waffeldorf “The Helpers” is a story of a deeply frustrated clerk – Mr Mongrel - who sacrifices all his time and energy to nervously holding to his daily rituals. His extremely organised life is disturbed by the appearance of Mrs Froggot – the collector of exotic reptiles who entrusts him with her accounting errands. The moment they meet is very intense, soon a sexual bond ties them together. Not ready to be swamped by infatuation, Mr Mongrel seeks refuge from the perplexing feelings and makes an even more distressing discovery – he notices the existence of the Helpers – little creatures who make the clerk’s life more bearable. This discovery makes Mongrel's life collapse as well as leading towards a general strike of the Helpers, causing complete chaos in Waffeldorf. The transforming power of love between Mr Mongrel and Mrs Froggot will bring peace between humans and the helpers and cease the city of pressure to exist, making room for the civilization to spring out.

Director’s statement
”The Helpers” is a full-length animated film directed by myself on the basis of a script written by Weronika Stencel. As a director, I want the film to be entirely hand-drawn with crayons, which is closely related to the specificity of the line I have developed over several years in the creative process. To this very application, we attach a number of illustrations which reflect the visual character that will be presented in the film. Both the visual and substantive layer of the project will be strongly expressive, surrealistic, perverse, but also universal in its message, containing symbols and contexts from the world of pop culture. Thus, “The Helpers” is meant to combine what is close and familiar to every viewer with what is fresh, new and stimulates the imagination. The psychological depth of the story of the film's main character, Mr. Mongler, will allow viewers to discover and understand the motives behind their own actions in reality.

Producer

Grzegorz Skorupski


Director
Betina Bożek
betina.bozek@op.pl
Scriptwriter
Weronika Stencel
tokoslow@gmail.com

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

adults

Animation technique

drawing

Production company

Animoon

Estimated budget

1 102 000,00 EUR

Funding secured

55100 (development grant of the Polish Film Institute)

TV series

|

52 x 6′

|

Giggle Wiggle

Chichraszek

Despite many differences, Giggle Wiggle and little Blabberina try to have great fun and solve the big conflicts of their tiny neighbours together.

Nov

05

Thu 09:30

Series/TV Specials pitching session

Giggle Wiggle tells a story of a friendship between a great green gnome – Giggle Wiggle, and a little girl named Blabberina, who engage (be it willingly or otherwise) in the colossal conflicts of tiny nations. In Giggle Wiggle’s world, quarrelsome characters are small and silly to the point of being harmless - their arguments becoming comical. It is also a story about how conflicts of all kinds erupt because of petty reasons, from malice and stubbornness, and how very little it actually takes to sort them out.

Director’s statement
Giggle Wiggle and Blabberina engage in the conflicts of tiny nations - Fanfaroons and Chatteretts. Giggle Wiggle is large, gentle and not very striking. Blabberina is a little girl, chatty and sometimes sulky. The Chatteretts live in chaos. Fanfaroons, on the other hand, cannot cope without discipline and orders. All of these characters do not fit together, so this becomes a source of constant conflicts and misunderstandings. This will not be without real adventure! In the series, we will visit the forest realm of the Chatteretts. We will learn how to swim, climb the highest mountain, and build the kingdom. We will take part in several wars and one wedding. Ultimately, and probably foremost, it’s simply about fun - having a great time with the funny and fantastic adventures of heroes that make you laugh. Although it is a story about conflicts, it is accompanied by humour, empathy, and forbearance, where the characters and viewers learn from their mistakes.

Producer

Magda Rawa-Galczynska


m.rawa@badibadi.com
Director and Scriptwriter
Marzena Nehrebecka
marzena@bolekilolek.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

children aged 4–7

Animation technique

2D vector based

Production company

Badi Badi

Estimated budget

1 300 000 EUR

Funding secured

The Polish Film Institute ( development) - 71 000 EUR.

Short

|

12′

|

I Am Not Here Anymore

Już mnie nie ma

Dead Grandpa is trying to leave his house and reach the afterlife. Unfortunately, his family don't want to believe he’s gone so each time he runs away, they bring him back.

Nov

04

Wed 10:00

Short Films pitching session

“I am not here anymore” is a story about the process of accepting death. Although the subject is serious, I would like to make the story humorous and lighthearted. That is why the visuals are very colorful and playful. Also, the characters are comical and the way they move highlights the humorous spirit of the story. The main character of the story is the dead Grandpa. He feels that he doesn’t belong to this world anymore and wishes to go to the afterlife. He uses various tricks to try to run away: he hides in the trash bin, makes a tunnel, flies away with balloons. But every single time his family answers with more innovative ways to stop him from escaping. In the very last scene the family removes cameras and other security objects, which they used to control their Grandpa. In this symbolic way, they fully accept his death, and they are trying to move on.

Director’s statement
This is a story about the process of accepting death. Although the subject is serious, I would like to make the story humorous and lighthearted. That is why the visuals are very colorful and playful. Also, the characters are comical and the way they move highlights the humorous spirit of the story. The main character of the story is the dead Grandpa. He feels that he doesn’t belong to this world anymore and wishes to go to the afterlife. But every single time his family answers with more innovative ways to stop him from escaping. As long as the family doesn’t accept Grandpa’s death, they are not able to return to a normal life. I’ve decided to show it in a symbolic way – their home starts to shake and fall apart. Finally, the family receives the visit of a special guest – Lady Death – who makes them understand that, to save their home, they have to let Grandpa go. The script is based on a short novel which I wrote after the death of my grandfather.

Director and Scriptwriter
Nawojka Wierzbowska
nawojka.wierzbowska@gmail.com
Producer
Robert Sowa
robert.sowa@film.krakow.pl
Producer
Aneta Zagórska
aneta.zagorska@film.krakow.pl

Country of production

Poland, France

Target audience

children 7+, youth, adults

Animation technique

2D vector based

Production company

Krakow Film Klaster – Animation Center

Co-production company

Tripode Productions (France), Delphine Schmit

Estimated budget

97 000 EUR

Funding secured

52 000 EUR

TV special

|

26′

|

Pets and Others

Zwietrzątka i inne

Little creatures - Pets - like every evening spend their time watching TV. When suddenly they get a black letter - which means one of them will die - they panic. After unsuccessful attempts to destroy the letter, they give up and end up in a bar where unexpectedly someone offers help.

Pets and Others is an idea of showing our life and emotions from a perspective of little, imaginary creatures. Each one has some unique feature or is a personification of human emotion that determines their life.These unique features make them solve problems unconventionally. We may say: they think outside the box and they are unpredictable but effective in action. They get what they want. Pets live here and now. They don’t plan the future and don’t dwell on the past. Their world merges with the human world. Series shows that thinking with your heart and being here and now in everyday tasks is the key issue to get the joy and sense of life. With a sense of humor.

Producer
Paulina Zacharek
p.zacharek@momakin.pl
Director and Scriptwriter
Justyna Osiecka
osiecka.justyna@gmail.com

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

9-12

Animation technique

2D

Production company

Momakin

Estimated budget

230 000

Funding secured

n/a

#polish_women_resistance

#sprzeciw_polek

An animated protest created by 49 animators in 48 hours as a response to the decision of The Consitutional Court about abortion ban in Poland.

May

07

Thu 13:00

CEE Animation Talents

Moved and broken by the situation in our country, we, a group of students from the Animation Department of Lodz Film School have decided to act. We strongly oppose the recent events in our country and it’s shameful that such a ruling has been pushed through during this extremely difficult time of pandemic. The Constitutional court has issued a ruling that will end legal termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly. Many of us are afraid right now, this is why we want to express unity in a just cause.

Director

a group of 49 animators from Łódź


Country of production

Poland

Production company

LeLe Crossmedia Production Sp. z o.o.

Screenplay

collective work

Animation

Kasia Adamkiewicz, Weronika Althamer, Marcin Arcimowicz, Julia Benedyktowicz, Ala Błaszczyńska, Klaudia Bochniak, Agnieszka Borowa, Zofia Dąbrowska, Ula Domańska, Asia Dudek, Natalia Durszewicz, Mateusz Frank, Asia Jasińska, Bogna Kowalczyk, Natalia Krawczuk, Beata Krzempek, Anita Kwiatkowska-Naqvi, Marta Magnuska, Kasia Małyszko, Julia Marchowska, Marta Michalik, Weronika Michel, Piotr Milczarek, Maria Nitek, Karina Paciorkowska, Ala Palechowska, Nikodem Płaczek, Zuzia Puszkarz, Yelisaveta Pysmak, Szymon Ruczyński, Marcin Senderowicz, Kuba Siedlecki, Karolina Specht, Zuzanna Stach, Ola Szmida, Zuzanna Szor, Weronika Szyma, Asia Trejter, Marcjanna Urbańska, Pola Włodarczyk, Paulina Ziółkowska, Izumi Yoshida, Bogusz Żelech, Kacha Bińko, Joanna Szlembarska, Maja Minic

Editing

Natalia Spychała

Music

Pimon Lekler

World Sales / Distributor

LeLe Crossmedia Production Sp. z o.o.

I’m Here

Jestem tutaj

A film about caring for an elderly, paralysed woman.

May

07

Thu 13:00

CEE Animation Talents

An elderly man is looking after his paralysed wife. Despite his old age and health problems, he's doing his best to relieve her suffering, which is getting worse day by day. His daughter helps him, trying to balance care with her work in the hospital and family life. Everyone has a different view on how to care for the sick properly, which often causes arguments.

Julia Orlik
Director

Julia Orlik


Producer

Agata Golańska


Country of production

Poland

Production company

The Polish National Film School in Lodz

Screenplay

Julia Orlik

Cinematography

Julia Orlik

Animation

Julia Orlik

Editing

Aleksandra Rosset

Sound

Bogdan Klat

World Sales / Distributor

KFF Sales & Promotion

TV series

|

26 x 4′

|

Robot and the Martians

Robot i Marsjanie

Mankind decides to colonize Mars. The research Robot is sent from Earth to build there a base.

Apr

27

Mon 11:30

TV Series Pitching Session

A reconnaissance Robot is sent from Earth to build a base on Mars for future expeditions. While exploring the Red Planet he meets a tribe of natives. Charming and curious creatures seem to be an interesting object of observation and research. But their childlike nature, inborn malice and unlimited desire to play are a challenge for a mechanical scientist whose countless attempts to investigate the nature of the planet and its inhabitants invariably end in a miserable failure. The series can be summarized as a comedic clash of technology with tribal carefree and children’s naivety - at the same time in each episode we include a short one an educational insert that explains further phenomena and related concepts with space, astrophysics and a prepared expedition to Mars.

Director’s statement
Over the past few years, we've heard a lot in the media about the planned manned expedition to Mars. We've seen several films and television series about this ground-breaking event. Such demonstration of the human capacity to conquer outer space often makes us feel good about ourselves and forces us to ask the question that occasionally arises in the back of our minds: What if there's life out there? A potential encounter between creatures inhabiting Mars and a mechanical envoy of mankind, a scout / robot, is a tempting and inspiring theme, especially for fans of sci-fi comedies. That's how the idea for "Robot and the Martians" was born. On Mars high-end ultra-modern super-robot meets gel-like mischievous silly creatures who, as it turns out, have inhabited Mars in a quasi-tribal society for many years. And they have no intention of allowing themselves to be colonised. This will certainly be no easy mission for Robot. But it will be plenty of fun for the kids watching our series.

Director

Tomasz Niedźwiedź
tom@badibadi.com
Director

Mikolaj Valencia
mikolajv@gmail.com
Producer

Magda Rawa
m.rawa@badibadi.com

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

children 6+

Animation technique

3D and 2D

Production company

Badi Badi

Looking for

co-producer, financing, sales agents

Short

|

17′

|

Autumn

Jesień

The film „Autumn” is an original, metaphorical story about fundamental existential questions about the purpose of existence, the nature of man and his place in the world, both ontological and strongly empirical sense.

Apr

27

Mon 10:00

Opening & Short Films Pitching Session

Autumn is a project based on the observation of nature, relating directly to memories of this season, in the sphere of building the scenery and drama, as well as in the sphere of semantics. The film takes place during one day in the fall. It begins in the dense, morning mist which form a sophisticated background for the mystery filled motion and rhythm of birds flying past. The migrations of birds create a masterful spectacle, a form perfect in motion, image and sound, complemented by symphonic music. Subsequent scenes, shown against a backdrop of gusty wind, amongst unruly clouds of falling leaves and heavy torrents of rain, reveal a gradual, yet unremitting destruction of the form. Birds die, vegetation withers away, man grows old, loses his loved ones, to ultimately also die. Unfortunately, death is not yet the end of the film’s journey. We still get to observe man’s departure into the afterlife, where the funeral cortege is formed by demons who lead the man straight to hell.

Director’s statement
The film’s concept is the author’s original interpretation of fall, in simple terms understood as life, arising from an observation of reality, reaching to memories, histories and archetypes within the arts. It is a kind of study on the experience of human emotional states. The film is a story of loss, the hopeless tale of life, experience of grief. The proposed film project assumes utilizing the characteristics of the fall season as a setting to present scenes, while the observation of reality provides the drama. The inspiration for constructing the film’s scenes is a look upon the world from the perspective of the titular year 2020. Although, for a more complete identification of the meaning of fall, we can also find historical and iconographic references, e.g. to 19th century events of natural history, showing the extinction of the passenger pigeon, at one time being the most common bird species on Earth, whose numbers reached several billion per flock.

Director

Wojciech Sobczyk
wojciech.sobczyk@film.krakow.pl
Producer

Aneta Zagórska
aneta.zagorska@film.krakow.pl
Producer

Robert Sowa
robert.sowa@film.krakow.pl

Country of production

Poland

Target audience

adults

Animation technique

2D

Production company

Krakow Film Klaster – Animation Center

Looking for

co-producer, financing, sales agents, festivals

The Little Soul

The Little Soul

A human soul leaves the dead body and sets off on a journey through the post-mortem world.

Oct

08

Thu 14:30

Screening

A dead body becomes stuck by a riverbank. Its decaying insides still hide a human soul – a miniature of the deceased. Rotting organs part and a tiny creature gets out. Standing on the river bank, it says goodbye to the corpse and sets off on a journey through the post-mortem land.

Director

Barbara Rupik
Producer

Agata Golańska


Country of production

Poland

Production company

The Polish National Film School in Lodz

Screenplay

Barbara Rupik

Cinematography

Barbara Rupik

Animation

Barbara Rupik

Editing

Barbara Rupik

Sound

Barbara Rupik

Music

Maurycy Raczyński

World Sales / Distributor

KFF Sales & Promotion

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CEE Animation is supported by the Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union and co-funded by state funds and foundations and professional organisations from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

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