Ellipse Animation creates spin-off series Trotro & Zaza, shops Dreamland

Trotro & Zaza is based on books by French author Bénédicte Guettier

Paris prodco Ellipse Animation is developing a spin-off series to preschool show Trotro.

Trotro is based on French author Bénédicte Guettier’s children’s books of the same name, about a young donkey, which first debuted on France 5 in 2004 and is now available on platforms including Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and YouTube.

The 2D-animated spin-off series Trotro & Zaza (78×3.5’) is also based on Guettier’s books and follows Trotro as he becomes a big brother.

Ellipse, which Franco-Belgian group Media-Participations launched earlier this year to house its French production labels, will be taking Trotro & Zaza to Cartoon Forum this month, alongside teen and young-adult series Dreamland.

Announced at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival earlier this year, Dreamland is adapted from Reno Lemaire’s manga cartoon of the same name. Developed with La Chouette Compagnie, Dupuis Edition & Audiovisuel and Media-Participations’ animation streaming platform ADN, it consists of three 10×22’ seasons in traditional 2D animation.

The plot follows a teenager who has been terrified of fire since his mother’s death but who one night while dreaming overcomes his fear by being able to control fire. He then becomes a ‘traveller,’ a special kind of dreamer who is transported to Dreamland while he sleeps.

Mediatoon Distribution, also part of Media-Participations, is handling international sales for both Trotro & Zaza and Dreamland.

Lila Hannou, VP of creative development and strategy at Ellipse Animation, said of Trotro & Zaza: “These two endearing characters complete the family of iconic heroes from Ellipse Animation. We know they have what it takes to reach the international success they deserve with children and their parents who have almost certainly enjoyed the first series.”