Xilam’s Adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘Lucy Lost’ Sets Sail with Sales & Distribution Partners

Academy Award-nominated French animation studio Xilam Films has secured new partners for its upcoming ambitious family feature Lucy Lost, based on award-winning author and previous British Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo’s 2014 novel Listen to the Moon. Gebeka International, a Hildegarde-Goodfellas company (The Boy and the Heron, Spirited Away), has boarded to handle international sales, while Le Pacte (Kensuke’s Kingdom, Panda Bear in Africa) will distribute the feature theatrically in France and French broadcasters Canal+ and Cine+ have acquired pay TV rights.

Following its successful debut at Cartoon Movie earlier this year, Lucy Lost is now beginning production with delivery scheduled for March 2026.

“After the huge success of Kensuke in France, we are thrilled to be distributing Lucy Lost, based on another book from Michael Morpurgo,” commented Jean Labadie, CEO of Le Pacte. “The adaptation and the design for Lucy Lost — directed by the talented Olivier Clert and produced by Marc du Pontavice — are incredible and we look forward to distributing the film.”

Lucy Lost is co-written by Olivier Clert who is also directing the project in his feature directorial debut. Clert started out as an animator on A Monster in Paris and The Lorax, before becoming a story artist for Mark Osborne’s The Little Prince. He has also collaborated with Sergio Pablos on projects including Smallfoot (Warner Bros.) and Klaus (Netflix), and he has worked for Netflix as head of story on Osborne’s Escape from Hat and Kid Cudi’s Entergalactic.

Clert’s co-writer on the new feature is BAFTA and International Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Helen Blakeman (Dustbin Baby, Hetty Feather) and produced by Xilam’s Academy Award-nominated Marc du Pontavice and Lucie Bolze. The feature will be produced at Xilam’s animation studio in France.

Synopsis: Lucy is a lively child with extraordinary faculties, which makes her look out of place amongst the fishermen of the Isles of Scilly. But all the care and affection she gets from Alfie and his family can’t shelter her from the rumors and superstitions that she unknowingly stirs up. When Lucy meets Milly, a mysterious girl, she embarks on an incredible race in pursuit of her true origins.

“Listen to the Moon is a captivating novel that weaves together themes of family, love and memory against a backdrop of vivid landscapes — which Olivier and Helen have done a remarkable job at translating into our spectacular Lucy Lost adaptation,” said du Pontavice. “As we begin production on this moving and visually stunning story of resilience, we have the best travelling companions in Gebeka International, Le Pacte and Canal+ to join us on this epic adventure. Lucy is a fragile yet courageous character who will move audiences — and we hope the film sparks a desire to connect with one another, consider each other’s differences with kindness, and the courage to face adversity.”

Vincent Maraval, President of Goodfellas, the co-parent company of Gebeka International, addd, “Lucy Lost is an incredible journey through time and space which deals with universal themes such as the search for identity and friendship. We are very proud to board this beautiful project, which we are convinced will be deeply moving. The scale of Lucy’s adventure will with no doubt appeal to international audiences, for children and adults alike.”

Lucy Lost follows the success of Xilam’s 2019 adult-targeted animated feature I Lost My Body, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and picked up the awards for Best Animated Film and Best Original Score at the 45th César Awards — alongside additional accolades including three Annie Awards, a double win at Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the Critics’ Week prize at Cannes Film Festival.

Michael Morpurgo OBE is one of Britain’s best loved writers for children, with sales of over 35 million copies. He has written over 150 books, including War Horse, which was adapted into a hugely successfully war drama directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg in 2011. Morpurgo has served as Children’s Laureate and was knighted in 2018 for services to literature and charity.