TV-Loonland, a Munich-based independent producer and distributor of family entertainment, has announced the establishment of Loonland Pictures to market in-house and third-party productions. The new arm will launch in December to handle the new animated feature Heidi, along with partners 20th Century Fox and NFP Marketing.
In Loonland Pictures, the company has created an independent sales and video distribution company into which it will channel major TV-Loonland productions, programming from the Loonland library and renowned animation series from outside companies.
Selma K’ppel, CEO of TV-Loonland, comments, ‘We believe that against the backdrop of a bitterly competitive distribution market worldwide, it is particularly important to search for marketing strategies that take the offensive. With our British subsidiary, Metrodome, a successful marketer in the movie distribution and home entertainment business, we have already achieved success in our marketing scheme. With Loonland Pictures we will continue on this path in the German-speaking countries.’
Heidi, Loonland Pictures’ flagship project, is slated to launch in German theaters on December 22, in time for the 125th anniversary of the classic children’s book by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The 80-minute film is a co-production of TV-Loonland, its British subsidiary Telemagination and Canadian animation house Nelvana. Directed by Alan Simpson, the animated feature tells the story of an orphan who lives in the Swiss Alps and has exciting adventures with her grandfather and her friends Peter and Klara.
