This summer, families are invited to discover the fantastical world of ancient forests and be enchanted by the captivating adventure of Mavka, a guardian and soul of the forest, in the new CG-animated feature Mavka: The Forest Song. On August 15, Shout! Kids, in collaboration with Animagrad Animation Studio and Film.UA Group, will present this modern ecological myth to North American audiences for the first time on DVD and digital download.
Produced by Ukraine-based Animagrad (The Stolen Princess) amid the ongoing attack from Russia, the filmmaking process for Mavka: The Forest Song was hindered by continuous armed bombardment, gunfire, unrest and massive property destruction onsite. Some of the team worked from home or in bomb shelters, while others worked remotely from other refuges across Europe. (Read more.)
Based on the Ukrainian drama The Forest Song by celebrated poet and author Lesya Ukrainka, Mavka: The Forest Song blends ancient Slavic traditions and folklore with a modern narrative that showcases Ukrainian culture, values, designs and music. The movie’s soundtrack was written by well-known Ukrainian musicians, a mix of folk tunes in modern adaptations and compositions created especially for this animated adventure.
The movie is available fore pre-order at ShoutFactory.com. The NorAm DVD release includes a bonus featurette, music video and trailers.
Synopsis: Mavka — the soul of the forest — has been chosen by the supreme spirits to become the forest’s new guardian. But when she meets a talented human musician named Lucas, a man on the hunt for a mysterious tree with the power to give life, she is faced with an impossible choice between her newfound love and her duty to the spirits. Can humans and the forest live in harmony, or will greed and vice destroy them both?
Mavka features the voices of Laurie Hymes (Lupin III: The First), Eddy Lee (Your Name), Sarah Natochenny (Pokemon Master Journeys), Tom Wayland (Pokemon), Marc Thompson (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Scottie Ray (Zane Truesdale), HD Quinn (A Night Before Christmas), Nikki Thomas (Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous), Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld (Pokemon) and Mike Pollock (A Cat in Paris).
Oleg Malamuzh and Sasha Ruban direct the English-language movie. The screenplay was written by Yaroslav Voytseshek, and producers are Iryna Kostyuk, Anna Eliseeva and Egor Olesov. The creative/production team also includes line producers Yana Medvedieva and Sasha Lutsenko, head of production Andrew Militskiy and art director Kristian Koskinin. The production was supported by the Ukrainian State Film Agency and United States Agency for International Development
The film first drew international attention when the initial teaser was presented at the MIFA content market in 2017 in Annecy. It was the only Ukrainian project to be selected to be pitched at the European feature animation forum, Cartoon Movie 2017 in Bordeaux, for two years in a row. The project has since grown into a multi-platform IP, the Mavka Universe, which brings together people from the creative, technological and business spheres, scientific and public institutions, and government agencies.
