ANNECY: Marc du Pontavice of Xilam Animation, which is at MIFA with a new animated movie and three toon series in the works, says the company’s relationships with European broadcasters are the key to its future.

Marc du Pontavice

French animation studio Xilam Animation returned to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and MIFA market this week with an expanded slate of films and series, reflecting its growing international reach and creative ambition.

The publicly listed studio, which was nominated for an Oscar for its 2019 feature I Lost My Body and is behind the TV series Oggy & the Cockroaches and Zig & Sharko, this week showcased a mix of original projects and adaptations in Annecy, including a first look at its new family feature Lucy Lost in the festival’s prestigious Work in Progress section.

The 1×85’ feature, based on English children’s author Michael Morpurgo’s 2014 novel Listen to the Moon, is being produced by Xilam Films, with international sales managed by Paris-based Goodfellas Animation. Le Pacte is handling French theatrical distribution, while Canal+ and Cine+ hold French pay TV rights.

Lucy Lost follows a girl who has always felt like an outsider in her village due to her mysterious powers and distinctive white hair. With the help of a young girl only she can see, Lucy sets out on an adventure to uncover the truth about her identity. The film is directed and co-written by Olivier Clert, known for his work on movies Klaus and The Little Prince, and is supported by a creative team including co-writer Helen Blakeman, artistic director Joyse Colson and animation supervisor Juliette Laurent.

Lucy Lost is adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s novel Listen to the Moon

Xilam’s founder and CEO Marc du Pontavice is leading the company’s presence in Annecy and participated in the Lucy Lost presentation on Tuesday alongside the creative team. “As we return to one of the key events in our calendar, our line-up for Annecy once again offers something for everyone in the family – from epic film adventures to vibrant comedy series,” says du Pontavice.

Alongside the feature, Xilam is introducing three new original series aimed at the children’s market. Submarine Jim (52×13’), a 2D animated adventure comedy, follows a young dolphin who becomes captain of the world’s first land submarine. With support from broadcasters France Télévisions and Germany’s Super RTL, the series sees Jim lead a group of underwater misfits on a chaotic journey across various types of terrain. The first episodes are now available, with additional market screenings scheduled during the Annecy festival.

2D animated adventure comedy Submarine Jim

Also making an appearance in Annecy is Piggy Builders (52×11’), a coproduction commissioned by France Télévisions, the BBC and ZDF of Germany. Targeting a preschool audience, the show features three sibling pigs who are passionate about construction and committed to working together in their whimsical forest community. The show, which highlights teamwork, problem-solving and playful storytelling, is set to be completed by the end of the year, with its premiere scheduled for the upcoming trimester.

Xilam has also confirmed that it is moving forward with the development of Turbo Twins, a CG-animated action-comedy series in partnership with French commercial broadcaster TF1. Aimed at six- to 10-year-olds and pitched at Cartoon Forum in 2022, the 26×22’ series is set in the high-stakes world of Karston Speedway Summer Camp. There, teenagers compete for a coveted spot at the national championships while navigating the trials of summer camp life. The series will air in TF1’s TFOU slot and is currently in development with an eye toward an official greenlight.

Du Pontavice highlights the role of key broadcast relationships in driving the studio’s development strategy, pointing to collaborations with France Télévisions, TF1, BBC, Super RTL and ZDF as essential to building an internationally competitive slate. “Our flourishing development and production pipeline is testament to the leading creativity of our talent, and also to the strength of our relationships with key European broadcasters,” he says.

France Télévisions, the BBC and ZDF ordered Piggy Builders

Speaking to C21 ahead of his trip to Annecy, Du Pontavice expressed his thoughts about the growth of the streamers and how companies like his work with them, as well as the established broadcasters. “Since the inception and globalisation of VoD, kids have become their own programming directors. Give a kid an iPad or mobile phone, they will navigate straight to their favourite show – and if they hesitate even briefly, the algorithm will promptly direct them to what it knows they’ve watched before.

“In a VoD-dominated world, if you launch an original for kids, reaching your audience becomes a near-impossible challenge.”

When it comes to launching new series in a world where algorithms “automatically push kids towards content they already are familiar with,” as du Pontavice says, the significance of those “key European broadcasters” is evident.