Cartoon Forum announced yesterday that it has chosen 80 projects to present at its next edition, which will take place in Toulouse, France from September 13 to 16. The forum has a solid track record of bringing together European producers, distributors, investors, and broadcasters. In the event’s 27 years, they claim to have helped over 680 animation series obtain financing valued at over 2.3 billion euros.
Cartoon Forum is a pitching & co-pro forum for animated TV projects. For 3 days, producers have the opportunity to pitch their project in front of 900 broadcasters, investors and other potential partners from 30 countries. Created in 1990 with the support of the MEDIA Programme, Cartoon Forum has dynamised European animation by creating a true network of transborder cooperation and by restoring confidence in the relationship between producers and broadcasters.The results are considerable: European animation has become the leader on its own territory, the number of productions has dramatically increased and export sales are the best of any in the European audiovisual sector.

A Gift of Sophie

“A Gift for Sophie” is a gentle tale of friendship that depicts a sense of continuity between generations, the importance of remembering and the happiness any gift can bring. It features Sophie, a 7-year-old living in a village by a beautiful lake, close to nature and surrounded by caring adults, including her uncle, Old Tom. Sophie also has a best friend, Emilio, and a cat named “Monsieur” who hunts birds. Sophie’s uncle, passed away a short while ago. He prepared her for his departure, giving her tiny gifts that carry the crumbs of answers to all of the important questions Sophie is starting to wonder about.
Producer:
Image-in ( France )
Fair Play (Canada)

Action!
“Action!” relates the adventures of Antoine, Audrey and Alfred, three 10 year olds who were living a normal life until something that could completely transform their reality fell into their hands; something with which they could travel to unknown worlds and live the craziest adventures… a video camera! This is how our heroes set off on their journey of filming everything they can possibly imagine: a zombie attack, an alien invasion or a viral video… They will be helped along the way by their classmates, characters like Charlie, a very quiet boy, Lee, a martial arts fan, or Clint, the renegade classmate, who all go to the same school as our heroes.
Producer:
Uniko (Spain)
AtoContent Formatos y Contenidos (Spain)

Alice & Lewis

Every night when she falls asleep, Alice, a joyful little girl, is welcomed in Wonderland by her friend Lewis. Alice discovers all the unexpected and funny ways of this country ruled by a whimsical Queen. The two friends resolve small and big problem in this anything-but-ordinary world, to everyone’s delight! But the Queen’s… Following Alice & Lewis in this funny, heart-warming comedy, young viewers learn how to adapt to a fascinating new world!
Producer:
Blue Spirit Productions (France)

Alva & The Trolls

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Alva Doon who found a magical trollbead bracelet at the bottom of a well. Trouble was, each of the seven pretty beads was an actual petrified troll, each with the single goal of causing Alva strife. But Alva’s no pushover- headstrong, gutsy and tough as nails, she must skill up to defend herself against the seven duplicitous dunderheads while teaching them a thing or two about nice behaviour at the same time! “Alva and the Trolls” aims to be the first kids show that links preschool social and emotional development with transferable media literacy skills though a classical fairy tale format, essentially training wheels for social interaction.
Producer:
Kavaleer Productions (Kavaleer Productions)

Awesome Animals

A series of colourful animated comedy shorts, showcasing surprising, extra-ordinary and funny facts about well loved animals. Voiced by a popular, mainstream comedy celebrity and animated with a distinctive and quirky twist to the humour. Designed for longevity and maximum international appeal. Each episode will focus on a different animal, with a magazine-style format, with recurring themes and topics repeating throughout the series to keep young viewers involved. The series will explore facts about animal species, behaviour, environments, food, relationships and some of their more horrible habits. Animation will leap between gentle observational scenes, surreal “Fantasia” inspired sequences and playful comedy gags.
Producer:
Fettle Animation (United kingdom)

Badaboo

“BaDaBoo” is a pre-school show about the power of creativity and the fun of thinking outside the box. Baba, Dada and Boo are three colorful and adorable friends who pack an impressive dose of creative superpowers. By shaping and coloring the world, they perpetually re-invent their own universe and experience the most fantastic adventures. Together with the young audience they learn and discover in the most creative and playful way. BaDaBoo is a show that reflects the way a child looks at the world: as an endless source of possibilities, without rules or limitations.
Producer:
Creative Conspiracy (Belgium)

Barbara

1970- something. Barbara is a little girl who is full to the brim with dreams and imagination. She wants it all; to live it all, to have it all. In that order, or even out of order. Who cares. But make it now. Right now.
Producer:
Animalps Productions (France)

BellBoy Luke

Stars hotel is known for its beautiful location and relics & exquisite antique decorations. One day, Paul, the founder of the hotel disappears. Paul’s grandson, Luke, accidentally sneak into Paul’s study and discovers a mysterious elevator secretly hidden behind a bookcase. Luke travels time and space using the elevator and learns why his grandfather disappeared and secrets of all the relics and antiquities of the hotel. He decides to search for his grandfather and solve problems using the elevator. Lea, granddaughter of Andre the chef, and Luke’s dog, Yoda, join the adventure. However, Luke’s adventure isn’t going as he planned. Will he be able to find his grandfather?
Producer:
Anyzac (South Korea)

BitKiz

We follow the crazy adventures of 3 friends in the SunnyDay mall. Oh, and by the way, they are plants! Have you ever dreamed of spending the night in a shopping centre? The whole place is empty and the shops are still open, so you can do whatever you fancy… Tempting, right? Well, the Bitkiz have done it! Even better, Mia, Pete and good old Al are there every night as they actually live in the SunnyDay shopping centre and they are never short of ideas. But the only limit to their playground is the glass ceiling of the shopping centre.
Producer:
Dandelooo (France)

Boogaloo and Graham

Boogaloo and Graham are two opinionated chickens! Boogaloo has a child’s mindset while Graham is rational and knows everything about science. They celebrate both sides of the brain by letting the viewer experience science and imagination. Boogaloo always has a question, and even though Graham can give him a very detailed and solid answer, this never satisfies him. He needs to see this for himself. Is it important to know the science of this world? Yes it is. But equally important is imaginative speculation and just as Boogaloo needs Graham, and Graham needs Boogaloo, so do children need both the mythic and the machine for while science teaches us how we live, stories teach us why we live.
Producer:
Sixteen South (United Kingdom)

Borka And The Magic Dress

“The best that we can give our children are roots and wings!” (J.W. Goethe) Beautiful tale of little girl who has a special dress, a traditionally embroidered garment which she inherited from her great-grandmother. She uses the magic dress to learn all about the big unknown world and to solve her everyday problems (in the first episode the frightening quarrel of her parents, in the seconde how difficult becoming a big sister is). She simply has to recite a magic spell and clap her hands to invoke its magic powers whenever she feels in need of a little helping hand. The family tree motif starts growing on and she can travel back in time to learn from her ancestors’ life how to handle these new challenges.
Producer:
Trionfilm (Hungary)
Ladies First Consulting (Hungary)
Derengo Animation (Hungary)

Caiman

Meet Caiman, an inquisitive 5 year old crocodile. Caiman lives with his family in Trickle End, a buzzing and bubbling community in the mangroves, where the river meets the sea. Trickle End is the proud home of Manny’s Academy, eagerly attended by Caiman and his friends. Somehow, things never quite go to plan when Manny, a forgetful and very easily distracted lobster, is in charge. Come and see the colourful world where Caiman lives!
Producer:
Illuminated Films (United Kingdom)

Candide

Candide is a series of absurd short stories, with the main characters appearing in ever-changing roles. Each episode is built around an up-to-date contemporary political/social/environmental issue with a satirical tone, just as Voltaire reflected on his own times. The young Candide travels the world with an unshakeable optimism acquired from his arrogant master, Pangloss. Candide is desparately in love for the gender-aware femme fatale, Cunegonde, whom he chases throughout the story. The stories aim at a good balance of adventures and philosophical discussions. Zsuzsa Kreif’s graphic style – awarded and nominated worldwide – delivers witty, humorous, unexpected visual solutions.
Producer:
Cinemon Entertainment (Hungary)
Popfilm (Hungary)

Charly Vet

Charly dreams of one day becoming a vet, just like her dad! Charly lives with her parents in the countryside where her father keeps a veterinarian practice. Her best friend is Yanis, his parents run a big farm. Charly assists her daddy and both friends volunteer in an animal shelter and a zoo. Together they help animals in danger. Like all children in the country, their main pastimes are messing around in nature, building tree houses, and have a lot of fun! Charly is active on all fronts and she does everything possible to save animals in Danger or distress. Together with Yanis they have incredible adventures! They don’t care how hard it gets, or how high the cost as long as they can go to sleep with a good feeling!
Producer:
1st Day (Belgium)
Ketnet / VRT (Belgium)

Creepers

“Creepers” follows the exploits of three lifelong friends on their journey to investigate and document the eeriest mysteries of their city. Unlike most young kids, these three best friends spent most of their childhood creeping around graveyards and abandoned warehouses, investigating “monsters” with their homemade gadgets and old Polaroid cameras. Now in their teens they work out of an old abandoned cinema, where they run a monster mystery blog. With Gwen’s research skills, Harry’s unlimited knowledge of all things creepy, and Coop’s bad-ass leather jacket, the trio forged on into the unknown to bring their audience exactly what they wanted: the creepiest mysteries the world has never seen
Producer:
Giant Animation (Ireland)

Dragon Troubles

TV series project “Dragon Troubles” presents the adventures of an odd dragon family in the conservative city of Dragonville. The main idea of the project is to show, with lots of humour and no drama, how hard it is to stay good and polite, despite the fact that you are different, even gifted, but not accepted by the society.
Producer:
Zographic Films (Bulgaria)

Draongarten

“Dragongarten” follows a mischievous group of little dragons and the calamities of their everyday kindergarten life. Every episode is a self-contained story. The storylines are simple, covering problems and situations that kids could easily relate to, such as loosing a tooth, keeping a secret, playing grown-ups, importance of friendship, etc. All this set in a vivid fantasy world with a tender watercolor approach. The humor is gag-based and fast-paced. Every little dragon has a particular personality and their troll Nanny barely (and rarely) manages to keep the control. Sparky, Knuckles, Dragan, Amber Fuzz, Blu, Long Jane, Debby Debate and Gassy Gus are an explosive mix of fun and laughter.
Producer:
Lynx Animation Studios (Macedonia)

Enchanted Series

“Enchanted Sisters” is at its core a show about friendship. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter couldn’t possibly be more different, but they love each other, and they’d do anything to make one another happy. At the same time, they can also make each other crazy. And when that happens, it’s a guarantee that things will spiral out of control until the sisters set it all right. The Sparkles have magical powers, and because of them they live life to the fullest. They are constantly going on adventures and missions. Yet they also wrestle with real-life issues like jealousy, anger, self-doubt and how to handle kids who aren’t nice. With great magical powers come great responsibilities!
Producer:
Cyber Group Studios (France)
The Jim Henson Company (United Kingdom)

Ernest & Rebecca

Hi, I’m Rebecca! I’m 6 and a half and I live with my mom, my big sister Coralie, my dog Missile and my best friend, Ernest!… He’s not human. He’s a microbe! I “caught” him one rainy day and we’ve been together ever since. He’s really smart, fun and has tons of crazy ideas to make every day… a huge adventure! Since he knows me, Ernest has given up being a practicing microbe. He now devotes himself to his new mission: protecting me, Rebecca, from the small “troubles” in life and completely enjoying every minute we spend together! Between school and friends, life at my mom’s, the stories happening to my big sister and everything Ernest and I make up, we never get bored!
Producer:
Media Valley (France)

Finding Moo Friends

Welcome to “Finding Moo Friends”, a series for young viewers all about friendship. It tells the story of a little creature called Moo and his best friend, Sticky a small branch that fell from a magical tree called Sleepy Tree. They spend hours exploring its surroundings. On their big, little adventures, the two best friends may travel to the Frozen River where Mr. Blobby the frog lives, or delve bravely into the Crooked Forest, home to Charming the Prince. With all of these marvelous characters around, Moo and Sticky have many adventures, and exciting opportunities to explore unknown lands and to make new friends. FMF is a series about courage and of course, about being true to your friends.
Producer:
Paperivene Studio (Finland)
Hahn Film (Germany)

Flea Unleashed!

While innocently digging a hole in the ground to bury a hambone, Flea, a fun-loving and clumsy stray dog, uncovers a mysterious portal and tumbles through it. Soon after, he arrives in a tranquil, otherworldly pet paradise called Petopia where he’s immediately welcomed by an eclectic group of pets who accept him into their delightfully dysfunctional family. But paradise is soon turned upside down when Flea accidentally breaks the Glorious Levitating Orb Beaming Eternal Relaxation and Tranquility – the source of Petopia’s peacefulness – spiraling the world into a place of chaotic unpredictability! While paradise will never be the same, it sure will be a whooole lot more interesting.
Producer:
Cottonwood Media (France)

Happy Go Hopscotch!

Having a bad day? You need Hopscotch, a happy young horse, on a mission to cheer you up! Eight-year-old Hopscotch lives in the heart of a city, surrounded by animal friends and neighbours. Every episode one of the characters faces a crisis – maybe they’re grumpy, anxious or sad – whatever it is, it’s affecting their happiness and something needs to be done. Enter Hopscotch, a source of joy and a force for good; she’s quick to spot happiness dilemmas, invent fun adventures and help solve problems. Subtly woven into each storyline is a mini curriculum based on the “science of happiness”; our aim is to support emotional development in children and cultivate resilience against blue moods.
Producer:
Kinomind Films (Lithuania)

How I Became Supervillain

“How I became Supervillain” is a story of Supervillain who was once a very popular antihero and his son Junior – a shy and introvert teenager. Despite being completely different they both share a common goal – they want to take control over the world. Each of them has his own ways of fulfilling this plan. The father, aware of his long forgotten popularity, is desperately trying to make the ends meet while Junior patiently works on a plan of exterminating mankind. Junior owns some superpowers that help him to physically impact the objects. However, he will need his father in order to activate his superpowers. Series portraits father and son on a neverending quest to finding each other.
Producer:
Animoon (Poland)

I’ve Got a Time Traveling Monkey On My Back

When Burt Burchester invents a time machine in the distant future, his highly evolved monkey lab assistant, Archibald, is up first for a test run. Travelling back to the present, he is stuck when the time machine breaks. Archie seeks out the only guy he knows who can fix it, Burt. At 12 years old, he hasn’t yet gained the knowledge to fix a time machine and after attempting to rebuild it, they’re left with the ability to time travel, but there’s a catch. It sends them either back or forth, but they can’t set a date. With Big Chrono, the warden of the nexus they try to use time to their advantage with one harebrained scheme after the other.
Producer:
Treehouse Republic (Ireland)

IGGI – The Little Knight And The Ring Of Power

Siegfried, the radiant hero from the classical German Nibelungen saga, a dragon slayer? No, more likely Siegfried the wannabe bard! Without his young helpers – IGGI, the young puppeteer and GINA the involuntary skillful pickpocket – Siegfried, at most, would merely have been a footnote in the world of literature! But with the quick-witted help of these two children, the three heroes manage to conquer the sinister knight Hagen, defeat the evil dwarf Alberich, persuade a dragon to become a pacifist, and, last but not least, capture the invaluable Nibelungen treasure, which later becomes the legendary Rhinegold!
Producer:
Telescreen (Netherlands)
Hahn Film Production (Germany)

Kikoumba

Every thousand years, all the animals are allowed to defy the king. Sole goal: snatch the crown! No escaping the law of the savanna. For one full year, every day is the big day for Kikoumba, the day to defend the crown! 365 days, 365 challenges, 365 champions joust with Kikoumba, king of all that moves, and king of snooze! It’s going to be a long year.
Producer:
TF1 Production (France)

Kung Fu Brothers

Every morning Master spends time with Bunny and Doggy before going to work. As soon as he leaves, strange and extraordinary things happen. Everyday objects come to life, surroundings change, things appear or disappear and objects behave unexpectedly. The telescope become a portal for aliens, a monster in the computer tries to take over Doggy’s brain and an old watch winds time back. For Bunny and Doggy, these unexpected events are the gateway to breathless adventures in an extraordinary new world. They bring challenges, problems and surprises for Doggy and Bunny. Despite their natural tendency to fight each other, they have to unite, hide and fight together to overcome their enemies.
Producer:
Milimages (France)

Loopy Fruit
An anarchic, slapstick, character based sketch show in the tradition of the Minions and the Muppets. Each episode features sketches, songs, stories and silliness as the Loopy Fruit get each other into trouble, laugh at each other, dress up in costumes, take petty revenge and sabotage each other’s attempts to perform their show. The show features Otis, a Californian orange who loves the sun, Brian, a self-conscious banana who just wants to be taken seriously, Adam, an apple with anxiety issues, Percival, a scheming plum with a mischievous sense of fun and Rambu, a crazy rambutan. Built on strong characters, and featuring European performers voicing fruit from around the world Loopy Fruit will appeal to a wide international audience.
Producer:
Framestore (United Kingdom)

Love, Passion and A Pontiac Bonneville

When Harold, the family patriarch, announces that he has Alzheimer’s, pandemonium ensues. The children － Bill, Brandon and his wife Jessifer, Pamela and her husband Tony, and John Mortens － will do everything they can to try and get their hands on the family jewel: a 1984 Pontiac Bonneville! Against a backdrop of sibling rivalry, stupidity, adultery, death, unemployment, unplanned pregnancy, and unexpected adoption, experience all of the pettiness one family can inflict upon itself in order to get its hands on an inheritance, with hilarious results.
Producer:
Pixies Cinema (France)

Luckily Enough It Was A Beautiful Day

Just before 6PM on that February 12, a deafening noise resounds in the Jacques Prévert library. In the complete darkness, some water seems to reflect the library lights! The people in the library, 3 adults and several children, are not aware of it yet but they will have to face the absurd, unbelievable situation the next morning: the library is sailing on the ocean… Obviously, they need to organize life on board, and their courage and imagination will turn the journey into a wonderful human experience.
Producer:
Les Filmsde L’Arlequin (France)
Chromotaiques (France)

Macadam Valley

“Macadam Valley” is a black and white animation series that relates the misadventures of a fictional city populated by picturesque and cheeky citizens. Macadam Valley is the city of all possibilities, even the worst. Under their “little man” look, its people smash social conventions, common sense and family values… In short they ruin the foundations of the trendy and so-called “living together” philosophy. From Professor Schnött, which is better known for his psychotic fads than for his university curriculum to the zealous sheriff who is ready to put a 5 years old orphan behind bars, Macadam Valley appears to have been founded by a delirious architect and accommodate individuals too mad to be treated by traditional psychiatry.
Producer:
Narrativ Nation (Belgium)

Manivald And The Absinthe Rabbits

In the search for his sexual identity Manivald moves out of his mother’s home and rents a room at a bar called the Hedgehog’s Den. But it’s not easy to find identity. He soon discovers that the Hedgehogs Den is an undercover meeting place for local closet gays. Manivald starts to interact with the other troubled characters and realizes that he has talent for listening. He completes an online self-help course and starts to offer life coaching at the corner table of the Hedgehog’s Den. As a result he ends up reconnecting with his own past and finds what he was looking for.
Producer:
Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio (Estonia)
Adriatic Animation (Croatia)

Melody Makers
“Melody Makers” introduces pre-school children to the world of music and the emotion it inspires through characters who are musical instruments themselves. The adventures of these musical instrument characters provide a humorous and irreverent counterpoint to music from different genres, making some episodes soothing, slow, sad, gentle, hypnotic, therapeutic, while others lively, exciting, passionate, chaotic, and fast. While each episode is driven by a clear story with one or more of the main characters, a section of each episode involves abstract shapes to illustrate the emotions of the music
Producer:
Unanico Group (United Kingdom)

Menino And The Children Of The World

In each episode Menino, a little animated boy, leads us to discover real children, living in every corner of our magnificent planet. A traditional meal in the remote mountains of western China, a trip in the Kenyan savannah, canoe fishing in the Indian Ocean… As curious as he is clumsy, Menino is invested in the lives of children around the world, whose daily routines then take on the grandeur of extraordinary feats!
Producer:
Folivari (France)
WINDS (France)
Cyber Group Studios (France)