CEEA Talks: Lucia Dubravay Trautenberger about Bear With Me Distribution
CEE Animation’s Short Distribution Workshop not only brushes up the expertise of professionals, sometimes a workshop can also inspire a career switch. Today Lucia Dubravay Trautenberger – former managing director of the Biennial of Animation Bratislava – heads the new distribution company Bear With Me Distribution, specialising in animated short films that appeal to young audiences. ‘Our mission is to bridge the gap between artistry and accessibility, captivating both international festival-goers and the hearts of children.’
Calling your company ‘Bear with me Distribution’ sounds like an apology…
Lucia Dubravay Trautenberger: Because I am asking for patience? To be honest, we didn’t think too much about it. It was Juraj’s (Krasnohorsky – Artichoke) idea; I believe the name came to him in a dream during CEE Animation’s Shorts Distribution Workshop in Ljubljana, where for the first time the launch of a new company was discussed. There is a certain logic behind the use of this idiom, as a bear – especially a teddy bear – is often associated with children. Martin (Vandas – MAUR Film) and I liked the idea, and we moved on to the next step.
Why so much hurry?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Initially, we planned to launch the company at Annecy 2024, but the political situation in Slovakia became a key motivator. After the September 2023 elections and the rapid, drastic changes in the cultural sector, I no longer saw a future for myself in a state organization. However, as the managing director of a festival of animated films for children, I wanted to stay active in the industry. Juraj and Martin had been considering the idea of starting a distribution company together for some time already, and during the workshop we made it concrete.
Because there was a gap to fill in the market?
Dubravay Trautenberger: At that time, there was no one distributing just short animated films for children in Slovakia or the Czech Republic. We sat down and outlined our goals. Afterwards, Juraj went abroad for a while, and Martin returned to Prague so we set up everything online. By March, the contracts were signed by all three partners. Before we even realized it, we had the first film in our catalogue: the Portuguese THE GIRL WITH THE OCCUPIED EYES (by André Carrilho), which had been pitched at the CEE Animation Forum. It all happened so fast; it was crazy!

Martin and Juraj are experienced producers, while you are running the company as managing director. How are responsibilities divided?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Martin and Juraj had the initial plan, which we then developed together into a solid partnership. We discuss the line-up and contracts together, while I handle the daily operations; sales strategies, festival submissions, accountancy, and more. Bear With Me Distribution is taking shape here in my home office, with Martin and Juraj providing essential backup. With me being relatively new to this business, Martin and Juraj are there to ensure that everything is handled properly. They also bring their valuable network and experience, which are crucial for the company’s success.
Bear With Me calls itself a ‘boutique company’.
Dubravay Trautenberger: This means we don’t want to grow too fast. The company is still young, and we need to figure out how many films we can handle to remain operational while also managing them responsibly and with respect for the filmmakers. We currently have nearly a dozen titles in our catalogue, and it’s crucial that producers and directors are being heard and involved in our campaigns and strategies. We need to understand their expectations and what they dream for their projects. This is a responsibility we take seriously towards our partners. Mutual trust and strong collaborations are values we deeply appreciate.
The company positions itself as mainly interested in children’s content, while I all the time feel the need to convince people that animation is not just for children.
Dubravay Trautenberger: I’m sorry if you feel that I’m ruining your mission. I’ve been working with children before, and as a mother, I’m surrounded by kids in my everyday life. This is my natural habitat. There’s a lot of interesting content out there. Recently, I saw my children watching a cartoon about a non-binary bison… that’s not something you would have expected on TV/ VOD a few years ago. What we are trying to do is give this high-quality content a longer life. This generation of children has experienced a pandemic, is witnessing a war in Ukraine, facing environmental challenges, and seeing a troubling rise in youth suicide. They deserve content that combines quality, safety, and values, not just for children, but also for teens, a group that is often overlooked.
This is why you never position yourself as “working with children’s films”. You always use the term “content that appeals to the children’s mind”.
Dubravay Trautenberger: In our catalogue, especially films like WEEDS (by Pola Kazak), CRISS CROSS (by Nina Rybárová & Tomáš Rybár), and HELLO SUMMER (by Martin Smatana & Veronika Zacharová) demonstrate that animation can also captivate adults. These films have the unique ability to connect families, spark meaningful discussions, and show parents that animation isn’t just for kids; it’s something they can truly enjoy together.
From Bear With Me, I was expecting a geographical focus on titles from Visegrad countries, but in your catalogue, I came across productions from Portugal, Norway, Belgium,…
Dubravay Trautenberger: Essentially, we aim to curate a catalogue of outstanding films for kids and teens from around the world. What truly matters to us is building long-lasting relationships of trust with directors, producers, and festivals. We want them to know that when it comes to children’s films, they can rely on Bear With Me Distribution for our expertise, our understanding of the industry, and strong connections within a broader network that can support and promote their projects.
There are several steps in a film’s journey that you want to cover: festivals, sales and distribution. Let’s start with the festivals…
Dubravay Trautenberger: We submit ‘our’ films to festivals and develop a festival strategy, including national and international premieres. If contacts have already been established during the production phase, we can plan this strategy well in advance: how many festivals should we aim for, which ones are more important to the filmmakers? We also consider which festivals offer valuable non-competitive sections. What about festival fees? We strive to think ahead with both a Plan A and Plan B, always in consultation with the producers and ensuring complete transparency throughout the process.
Then there is the sales element.
Dubravay Trautenberger: We’re curating a diverse catalogue and determining what works best for each buyer: films with or without dialogue, films using different techniques, etc. Our goal is to match the right buyers to each film. We also need to identify the appropriate target age group for every film because when it comes to children’s content, we have to be very precise about this.
Step three would then be distribution. On a national scale?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Considering this lack of distributors for short animated films in Slovakia, our goal is to distribute films more intensively in this region, combining titles into larger compilation programmes that we can offer to cinemas, cultural institutions, or within the Slovak library network. There is a strong desire to give these films a longer life through both theatrical and non-theatrical distribution.
It sounds like there is a plan…
Dubravay Trautenberger: There is, but you’ll have to wait until next year to find out more.
Developing this new job from scratch, how did you benefit from your earlier career experience?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Due to my previous experience as a production manager and festival managing director, I am able to approach things from a festival’s perspective. Festivals know their own audience, and I should be able to adapt to their needs, even though there is no ‘universal key’ to it. My experience as a former office manager also helps me effectively organize this office, even if it’s in my own living room. For other aspects, I had to learn – and I’m still learning every day. As a mother, I’m also fortunate to have the best possible test audience at home, covering the entire age range from 4 to 14 years old.
Does Slovakia at the moment have the right political climate for starting up a business like yours?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Definitely not! Slovakia’s changing economic climate and new tax policies are making it harder not just for entrepreneurs but for everyone in the country. You can see it in the news every day. There’s little motivation to start new companies, and the country is becoming less attractive for international investment. On top of that, the pro-Russian stance of the prime minister is a disaster. Economy and politics go hand in hand. This government wants to control what culture should look like, deciding which artists get support and dismissing directors of cultural organizations. They’re trying to shut down existing funds, and government support now often means serving their agenda. It’s truly disheartening. What else can I say?
Why don’t you try something positive?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Because of this complicated situation, our work is needed more than ever. Education and culture are the only way forward: educating our children, teachers, and parents. This provides extra motivation to develop a film distribution and education network. In Slovakia today, we see the consequences of people being poorly informed and not well educated.
Your current career started at a CEE Animation Shorts Distribution Workshop.
Dubravay Trautenberger: I started working as festival production manager in 2022. But on our return to daily life after the pandemic, mine took a drastic turn. I only knew the world of distribution through the festival, and then suddenly I was in this workshop led by Luce Grosjean from MIYU Distribution. Meeting Luce, I felt like meeting a super star! One year earlier we were still watching all those great films from her catalogue, and suddenly I was introduced to people that I only knew from seeing their names in film credits.
First you needed to pass the application procedure.
Dubravay Trautenberger: When filling out the application form, I didn’t know what to write; I felt so underqualified. I told myself I had nothing to lose… and then I got accepted! At first, I didn’t understand much of what was being discussed – the entire business model was new to me. But Luce introduced us to her methods, like a master chef sharing her recipes. To this day, when facing a new situation, I still draw on my notes from the workshop to find a solution.
This workshop did not only introduce you to business models but also to an entire network of people.
Dubravay Trautenberger: Luce invited a group of distributors to discuss their policies. The atmosphere was never competitive, as there are more excellent films available than there are dedicated distribution companies. I believe the industry can only benefit from having new players in the market. I often hear people say that making money from short animation distribution is impossible, yet there are many in our network who support us and our work. I’m investing all my time and effort into it because, for me, it’s more about solidarity than competition.
Would this be characteristic of the world of animation?
Dubravay Trautenberger: It’s a small and very dedicated world; we’re used to fighting for recognition from funding and development structures. In Slovakia, our governmental situation provides a solid foundation for solidarity. When I made a stand through my career choice, I experienced this solidarity firsthand, especially from female friends and colleagues.
What would be your ultimate professional dream for this company?
Dubravay Trautenberger: I think I can speak for both of my partners, Juraj and Martin. Our goal is to make Bear With Me Distribution a company that people can trust and return to. Stability, credibility, and identity are more important to us than fast growth. However, my personal dream is to focus on theatrical distribution or even launch a festival dedicated to children’s animated films, ideally with a pitching forum focused on children’s content. Creating new initiatives and actions is the only way we can counterbalance the situation in our country and support the industry.
Interview conducted by Gert Hermans for CEE Animation.