This article was written for the December '24 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 345).

Since animation studio Fabrique d’Images opened its doors in 2002 in Luxembourg, it has been delivering a wide variety of 2D and CG-animated 2D and CG TV, features, digital media and commercials projects for international audiences. Led by CEO/producers Jean-Marie Musique, Christine Parisse and producer Mark Mertens, the studio has worked on acclaimed movies such as Funan, The Siren, A Greyhound of a Girl, Luis and the Aliens, Little Brown Bear, Bayala, Oops 2! The Adventure Continues, My Fairy Troublemaker and the upcoming Stitchhead.

The acclaimed company will be bringing a slate of new projects to the American Film Market this year. High on that list is Ellie and the Christmas Creep, one of the first in-house developments at the studio. Caroline Origer, the in-house feature director for Fabrique d’Images tells us, “We wanted to tell an entertaining story about two Santa Brothers who are completely different and angry with each other. Ellie’s character was born later in 2017, as we decided to tell the story through the eyes of a young female character. Our young elf makes the movie more appealing to children as well.”

She adds, “My art director and I have been working on the visual development in parallel to the story development. Visual and story should always work together, and we gave a lot of importance to creative worldbuilding for this movie. It sets the story and the characters into their own world. Especially for the North Pole with Santa’s Factory, it gives endless possibilities to develop a creative world for the characters.”

Double the Fun

According to Origer, the inspirations for the storyline came from some of the most beloved Christmas tales. “What if Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas were born as twins?” She asks. “I wanted to give a glimpse of the origins of Saint Nicholas in the role of our character, Noel, the one that carries the real Christmas values in his heart; Family, love and togetherness! In contrast to Noel, his twin brother Santa Nick stands for modern Christmas traditions, which are more about toys and the best shopping mall Christmas decorations.”

The director believes the movie stands out because of the twin Santa twist. “That makes it different from other Christmas tales,” she says. “But also the fact that we narrate the movie through the eyes of Ellie, our young elf. She will be a ‘Watson-type’ character from Sherlock Holmes, telling her own version of what happened to Christmas and these two brothers. We see it as a fun version of film noir for children and the whole family.”

The movie, which is expected to be released by the holiday season of 2027, and is sold internationally by All Rights Entertainment, will feature a quirky visual style. “Our characters will have a lot of contrast, going from oversized to skinny, and you can easily imagine how they will play on screen when looking at the designs. The mood and colors will be bright and colorful, even if we show a gloomy city with the Christmas Creep.”

Origer believes that everybody can identify a little bit with Nick and Noel. “We all love our family, but sometimes, it doesn’t take much to turn our backs on each other. Family isn’t always easy, but when you’ll see through the eyes of a child and you work at it, it’s worth it. I would like Ellie and the Case of the Christmas Creep to brighten up a family movie night. There will be action, humor and lots of emotional moments.”

Prolific Fabrique d’Images executive producer Mark Mertens tells us that his studio will be bringing a full slate of exciting and eclectic animated movies to the American Film Market in Vegas this month. “It’s been an amazing year for us: we’re finishing Spiked, the previous movie directed by Caroline Origer (written by David Freedman & Jules Dejongh), co-produced by Freaks Factory (Belgium), Fantabulous (France) and Kapers Animation (United Kingdom). Kapers Animation is not only co-producing, but they are also in charge of international sales.”

Mertens says the studio is also working on two other animated movies. “The first one is Dudley and the Invasion of the Space Slugs, directed by our in-house Luxembourgish director Cherifa Bakhti (written by Graham Ralph), co-produced by Freaks Factory (Belgium), Fantabulous (France), Broadvision (India) and Fearless Frog (United Kingdom). It’s the story of an alien invasion in a small pond, and our little frog Dudley has to stop them with his friends. International sales are handled by All Rights Entertainment.

“The second one is called The Last Dinosaur, directed by our in-house Luxembourgish director Federico Milella (written by Ben Smith), co-produced by Freaks Factory (Belgium), Fantabulous (France), Broadvision (India) and Red Star 3D (United Kingdom). Film Constellation has already successfully sold the movie and will continue to do at this American Film Market.”

For more info about all of the studio’s projects and activities, visit fabrique-d-images.com.

All Rights Entertainment’s Colorful AFM Slate

The Paris, Hong Kong and Los Angeles-based company All Rights Entertainment, now in its 15th year of activity, is handling worldwide sales for three of Fabrique d’Image’s high-profile Ellie & the Christmas Creep, Dudley and The Defect. In addition, the company will present several other hot animated features at AFM in Las Vegas this month:

• Out of the Nest. This acclaimed Thai feature directed by Disney alum Arturo A. Hernandez (Tinker Bell, Planes) has already grossed $2 million in Thailand since its release in September. Hernandez co-wrote the script with Gillian Berrow (My Little Pony) and co-directed the pic with Pixar veteran Andrew Gordon (Finding Dory, Toy Story 3) in his directorial debut. Animation is handled by Base FX. The soundtrack is by Fabrizio Mancinelli (The Snow Queen 3 & 4). This adventure-filled story follows Arthur the Goat as he is sent to rescue seven kidnapped royal eggs, which, along the way, will hatch into seven rambunctious chicks.
• Proud Princess. Based on the famous Czech fairy tale Punished Pride, written by Bozena Nemcova, which was also adapted into a popular live-action 1952 feature, this feature is directed by Radek Beran and David Lisy. Production is by Luminar Film with animation handled by PFX, the Prague-based studio behind Diplodocus, The Websters and Marnie’s World. Czech theatrical distribution will be handled by CinemArt starting November 7. The story finds the proud and selfish princess Carolina who has turned down all her suitors, falls in love with her gardener, who, unbeknownst to her, is King Benjamin, disguised to seduce her.
• Fleak. this imaginative family feature is produced by the Finnish studio Anima, the studio behind the three Niko movies. In this heartwarming story of self-acceptance and resilience, young Thomas loses the ability to walk after a tragic accident. Thomas discovers that he can walk again in the fantasy world of the cute creature known as Fleak, but he is challenged by his own shadow, a symbol of his inner conflict and emotional growth. The film will be completed this month and released in 2025.
• Extinction. An official selection at the Annecy Festival and at the Shanghai Intl. Film Festival, this new animated feature from Malaysia follows the epic adventures of a young boy obsessed with superheroes who embarks on the perilous mission to save a majestic endangered tiger from hunters. Directed by Behnooud Nekooei and produced by Magic Picture Films.