Cinar seals deals in Japan and Spain

Canada's Cinar has inked a raft of programme sales for its animated kids' properties, including new buys for Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Little Lulu Show and Mona The Vampire.

Cinar’s The Little Lulu Show (52×30′) will begin broadcasting on Japan's Cartoon Network in December 2001. It is the first deal between the Montreal-based animation company and the Cartoon Network Japan, a cable satellite provider with over two million subscribers. The network has made an initial commitment to air 26 episodes, which will be broadcast daily.

Antenna 3 in Spain has picked up Cinar’s Are You Afraid of the Dark? The 91×30′ series follows the exploits of the Midnight Society, a group of kids that gathers around the campfire to share frightening tales of mystery and suspense.

It has already been sold to 133 countries worldwide including Nick UK, Canal J, France 3, Nickelodeon in the US, Taurus, Family Channel Canada and the SRC.

Cinar has also inked renewals for 26 new half-hour episodes of the animated children’s series Mona the Vampire (52×30′). BBC1 and Nickelodeon in the UK, ZDF in Germany, Mediaset in Italy, HMG in Benelux and YTV and SRC in Canada have all pre-bought the second season of the series.

Cinar anticipates that half of the new Mona shows will be delivered this autumn, with the remaining 13 episodes ready by spring 2002.

The Canadian producer is also launching a licensing and merchandising programme for Mona in Canada this autumn. Scholastic is introducing Mona the Vampire books, and plans to launch stationery, backpacks, dolls and puzzles are in the works with various licensees. In addition, Cinar has appointed licensing agents in the UK, Germany, France and Italy.