France’s Mediawan combines kids and family interests into single division

ANNECY: Paris-based producer and distributor The Mediawan Group has launched a kids and family division, bringing all its activities in the area into one unit.

Julien Borde

Mediawan Kids & Family is working on more than 10 new productions as part of the expansion, with details to be announced soon.

Mediwan’s kids and family production labels comprise Method Animation, which focuses on TV series; ON Classics, focused on feature films; and Joann Sfar’s Magical Society, which creates series and features based on French author Joann Sfar’s works.

Under the new division, the company has also launched a label called Elliott, which specialises in live-action for tweens, and another called Somewhere Animation, dedicated to 2D animation for preschoolers.

Mediawan plans to acquire other companies both in France and abroad to expand its kids and family offering, it was announced on the first day of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.

In addition to production, Mediawan Kids & Family will distribute all the company’s kids and family content, comprising 2,500 half-hours produced by the group and third-party acquisitions.

“With the creation of Mediawan Kids & Family, our ambition is to target all genres of kids and family content. We offer our partners and viewers worldwide wonderful worlds and new heroes imagined by the best European and international talent,” said Julien Borde, exec VP, MD and chief content officer.

“With Method Animation, the group has already positioned itself as a leader on the European animation market. By grouping the expertise of the Mediawan group in kids’ content and creating specialist labels, Mediawan Kids & Family will help us better serve the needs of our partner broadcasters and platforms and create increasingly unique offers for viewers.”