French animation company Folivari announces its new distribution arm, Folivari International, headed up by former Acquisitions & International Sales Manager at Dandelooo, Melissa Vega. Vega is also co-founder of Folivari International, alongside the Folivari management team Damien Brunner, Sarah Delmas and Thibaut Ruby.
At launch, Folivari International will promote distribution of two Folivari originals: Nino Dino and Kiki & Ailen. The distributor is also developing its slate of acquisitions around demanding animated content with strong international potential.
Nino Dino (52 x 7′) is a 3D CG animated upper preschool series based on the books by Camille Kohler and Thierry Bedouet. The animated series is directed by Aurélie Raphaël and Jeanne-Sylvette Giraud, with Damien Brunner and Thibaut Ruby serving as producers. The project is produced by Folivari and FOST in partnership with Europe Creative – MEDIA and PROCIREP/ANGOA.
Synopsis: Nino Dino, it’s life and emotions size XXL: T. Rex style! He’s the ambassador of all children his age, he is excessive and temperamental. With him, everything takes volcanic proportions: he’s not tired, he’s exhausted; he’s not happy, he’s in paradise; he’s not grumpy, he’s furious! Even though he thinks he’s super strong, he’s still very small and wouldn’t go very far without his friends Cléa, Max, Alfred and Zéphyrine. But when the gang’s all together, adventure is around the closest rock’s corner.
Kiki & Alien (52 x 13′) is a 3D CG comedy/sci-fi adventure aimed at kids ages 6-9, directed by Céline Gobinet and written by Matthieu Choquet. Folivari’s Brunner is the lead producer.
Synopsis: Two naïve young extraterrestrials have come to our planet to mingle with earthlings, the better to observe them. But misconstruing pretty much every situation they come across, they end up triggering one disaster after another… Which their adopted duck then has to set about trying to avert! Quack!
The new distribution business is announced as Folivari celebrates its 10 year anniversary. The studio was founded in 2014 by Damien Brunner, Thibaut Ruby and Didier Brunner, the producer of The Triplets of Belleville, and then joined by Sarah Delmas as Head of Developments in 2015. The company has produced a multi-award-winning slate, including feature films The Summit of the Gods (2021) and The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (2017) which both won a César Award and a Prix Lumière for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as quality TV content including Ernest & Celestine: The Collection and Samsam: Cosmic Adventures, which is currently being broadcast in France.
In 2018 the Folivari team also set up an animation studio FOST, based in Paris and Angoulême, which specializes in 2D animation and preproduction for 3D projects.
Vega joins the team with over 13 years of experience in the animation and kids’ content industry, including 10 years developing Dandelooo’s distribution department, managing acquisitions and international sales. She has represented multi award-winning and widely broadcasted titles such as Ernest & Celestine, Royals Next Door and Pompon Little Bear.
“Folivari and FOST have long been on my radar as one of the most major and trusted animation companies and studios in France,” said Vega. “It is an honor to join the team to not only ensure that its award-winning original content reaches more audiences globally, but to also use my experience to source the most high-quality animated content for Folivari International’s exciting slate in 2024 and beyond.”
