Canadian, Kiwi networks co-commission animated preschool series Be With Zee 

Be With Zee, a Canadian and New Zealand co-commission

Broadcasters in Canada and New Zealand have joined forces to co-commission Be With Zee (52×6’), a preschool animated series following a forest creature experiencing the adventures and emotions of life.

The Canada/New Zealand coproduction, created and written by New Zealand’s Matt Haworth, was ordered by Television New Zealand and Canada’s TVOKids, TFO and Knowledge Network.

Be With Zee is produced by Canada’s Vérité Films and New Zealand’s Oddly Quiet and Media Tech Productions, with production set to begin this autumn ahead of an expected delivery in autumn 2026.

Vérité Films’ global sales arm, Vérité International Distribution, will introduce the project to buyers at MipJunior in Cannes later this month.

Be With Zee focuses on mindfulness, play and connection between a parent/caregiver and child, as Zee navigates life with the support of narrator Matua.

The series is being produced with the support of New Zealand On Air, the Canada Media Fund, the Shaw Rocket Fund and the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR), in addition to provincial (Ontario) and federal tax credits in Canada.