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Cartoons have been running alongside television for nearly as long as the medium has been available, with some decades like the 1980s and 1990s bringing iconic shows that are still called upon fondly years after their release. That said, as of late, the 2000s' cartoon offerings have begun to be considered classics of their own and join the annuls of well-regarded and often-compared-to cartoons that newer releases take inspiration and guidance from. That said, not every cartoon of the 2000s has been widely celebrated, and some of them stand taller among the rest in the minds of viewers.

Some of the greatest '00s shows sadly have no official or complete releases available, meaning that fans have only their memories, well-preserved clips or the rare full-length episode to lean on if they want to relive the experience and share it with others. Covering a range of the decade's popular trends...

"Totally Spies!", the animated spy-fi series created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, for Zodiak Kids & Family Studio France, will air Season Seven on Cartoon Network in 2025, with Amazon MGM Studios also developing a live-action TV series, to be executive produced by actor Will Ferrell:

"...the series focuses around the adventures of three teenage girls from Beverly Hills, USA – 'Sam', 'Clover' and 'Alex' – who live a double life as secret agents working for the 'World Organization of Human Protection' ('Woohp').

"The girls are recruited by the organization's leader, 'Jerry', to solve worsening crime conditions that arise across the globe. The spies sport colourful latex jumpsuits and are provided with various gadgets to aid in their investigations.

"Their primary missions involve dealing with disgruntled and vengeful criminals who have been inconvenienced in some form in the past. Other missions have the same villains plotting revenge on the spies by ruining their personal lives.

Known for his creative flair and business acumen as much as for his talent for throwing the best parties, French entrepreneur and producer Pascal Breton is celebrating a milestone in the 11-year history of his Paris-based Federation Studios. That is the launch of “The Agency,” the anticipated U.S. remake of “Le Bureau des Legendes” starring Michael Fassbender, which Federation executive produced alongside George Clooney and is co-distributing internationally with Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Federation Studios previously sold Eric Rochant’s smash hit spy series “Le Bureau des Legendes” widely, but retained the IP, allowing the outfit to make a lucrative deal with Paramount for the remake and remain in the picture as co-distributor and executive producer.

A disruptor at heart, Breton was vying for a career in academics after getting a PhD in political science with a prophetic thesis about how television has changed the rules of political life.

BBC, Zdf and France Televisions have boarded “The Lady Grace Mysteries,” an English-language teen detective series based on the best-selling collection of children novels by the same name.

The show is produced by Cottonwood Media (“Find Me in Paris”) and Coolabi Productions, and co-produced by Zdf Studios. It’s penned by Daytime Emmy award-nominated writer Anna McCleery whose credits include “Free Rein” for Netflix, “A Kind of Spark” for Cbbc/Byu and “Hollyoaks” for Channel 4.

As many as 300,000 books in the “The Lady Grace Mysteries” collection have sold worldwide. The live-action show, which targets 8 – 12 year olds, tells the story of Lady Grace Cavendish, a female teenage detective working as a private spy for Queen Elizabeth I and navigating the dangerous waters of royal politics in an English court full of plots, threats and mystery.

Federation Kids & Family and Zdf Studios are handling worldwide sales on the series. Manon Ardisson,...

Hulu has released the official trailer and key art for Spellbound Season 2, which will continue the whimsical series from the creators of Find Me in Paris. All 13 episodes of the second season will premiere on Friday, October 11.

In Spellbound Season 2, Cece starts her second year with a vow to leave behind all magic so she can focus solely on dance. But as her Mystic side has been unlocked, secrets of the past are revealed, and she ends up on an adventure of self-discovery.

And when she befriends a new student who is actually a Mystic, it’s magical mayhem all the way! With ballet at its core, this season sees her pushing the boundaries more than ever before to fulfill her dream of becoming an etoile.

Cece also has a new crush, new friends, and a surprise from a familiar face when a Blok hip-hop challenge ignites and bonds the second division.

Two of the biggest TV companies in Europe, Germany’s Zdf and France Televisions, both public broadcasters, have boarded CGI animated comedy drama “20 Dance Street,” which has been greenlit for production.

France Televisions has acquired the series as a pre-sale. In another deal, Belgium public broadcaster Rtbf has picked up the series for Belgium.

The latest show from Federation Studios’ Cottonwood Media, “20 Dance Street,” is being handled for international distribution by Federation Kids & Family and Zdf Studios. It will be introduced to buyers at both this week’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre and Cannes Mipcom trade fair next month. At 26 half-hour episodes, it will be one of the weightiest new European premium animated series hitting these markets.

The series marks one of the few shows pitched at last September’s Cartoon Forum to be greenlit for production as producers face a tough commissioning environment for animation, with state-owned...

Totally Spies! returns with Will Ferrell as producer for a young adult adaptation on Amazon. Three best friends navigate the spy world while balancing college life in the new series. Live-action reboots can be a hit or miss, but Totally Spies! aims to break the trend with a strong team.

Totally Spies!, the 2001 animated cult classic series, is slated for a return at Amazon with a new format, and Will Ferrell is slated to serve as a producer. A seventh season of the cartoon created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel began airing recently in France and is set to begin airing in the United States on Cartoon Network later this year.

Variety reported that the new live-action series is currently in the works at Amazon with Will Ferrell as part of a collaboration between Amazon MGM Studios and Banijay Kids & Family. The series is slated to be a young...

Quick Links The Totally Spies! Live-Action Series Is Confirmed Who Is Making The Totally Spies! Live-Action Series? The Totally Spies! Live-Action Series Story Details The Live-Action Totally Spies! Series: Further News & Info Totally Spies! is being adapted into a live-action series with a young adult take on the material. Will Ferrell serves as executive producer for the upcoming project alongside Amazon MGM Studios. The live-action version will feature the beloved characters as first-year college students in new spy adventures.

The beloved 2000s cartoon series Totally Spies! is being adapted into a live-action show, and there are already a ton of exciting updates about the new project. Created for French television by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, Totally Spies! concerns three agents of Woohp, a spy organization that is tasked with protecting citizens from various threats, as they also try to balance their lives as ordinary teens. The show quickly took...

"Totally Spies!", the animated spy-fi series created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, for Zodiak Kids & Family Studio France, is not only airing a new Season Seven on Cartoon Network, but Amazon MGM Studios is also officially developing a “Totally Spies” live-action TV series, to be executive produced by actor Will Ferrell:

"...the series focuses around the adventures of three teenage girls from Beverly Hills, USA – 'Sam', 'Clover' and 'Alex' – who live a double life as secret agents working for the 'World Organization of Human Protection' ('Woohp').

"The girls are recruited by the organization's leader, 'Jerry', to solve worsening crime conditions that arise across the globe. The spies sport colourful latex jumpsuits and are provided with various gadgets to aid in their investigations.

"Their primary missions involve dealing with disgruntled and vengeful criminals who have been inconvenienced in some form in the past. Other missions have the...

Amazon Announces ‘Totally Spies!’ Live-Action Adaptation (Photo Credit –Facebook)

The world’s favorite teenage spies are arriving in a new avatar! A live-action adaptation of the hit animated series Totally Spies! is currently in development at Amazon. The French cartoon, which first premiered in 2001, has seen a surge in its popularity recently with the release of its rebooted seventh season.

Totally Spies! tells the story of three Beverly Hills-based teenage girls, Sam, Clover, and Alex, who work as secret agents for the fictional organization, the World Organization of Human Protection (Woohp), leading a double life.

Totally Spies! to Get a Live-Action Series Adaptation

The live-action Totally Spies! series will follow Sam, Clover, and Alex as they navigate their first year at college while working as international spies for Woohp. Will Ferrell is an executive producer of the project, which is being produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Banijay Kids & Family.

Totally Spies Gets Live-Action TV Series: Everything We Know So Far - Main Image

The live-action TV series adaptation of Totally Spies! is poised to be an exciting project that will bring a cult classic French cartoon series into a new era.

This announcement has sparked a wave of excitement among both nostalgic viewers who grew up with the series and a new generation eager to join the thrilling adventures of Sam, Clover, and Alex finally brought to life.

Totally Spies to Receive Live-Action Series Adaptation

Longtime fans of Totally Spies! are in for a huge treat as the cult classic created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel has been confirmed to receive a live-action TV series adaptation at Prime Video.

With nearly 200 episodes since it debuted in 2001, Totally Spies! is finally receiving a live-action treatment that will be led by executive producer Will Ferrel, alongside female-focused producers Jessica Elbaum...

A Totally Spies! live-action series in the works at Amazon MGM Studios, with a focus on a young adult spin and female empowerment. The new show's plot is said to follow that of the original animated series, following three friends as they balance coming-of-age with being spies. Will Ferrell will serve as an executive producer along with his production company.

A live-action series adaptation of Totally Spies! is in the works at Amazon. Originally created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, the original animated series premiered in 2001 and ran for over 200 episodes from that year until 2015. Totally Spies! season 7 was recently announced and began to air in France in May 2024, with a U.S. release planned on Cartoon Network later this year.

The success of Totally Spies! led to a prequel film titled Totally Spies! The Movie and a spinoff series, The Amazing Spiez!.

Now, Variety has reported that a live-action iteration of Totally Spies!

Sacré bleu! Will Ferrell is brushing up on his French for a live-action adaptation of the cult cartoon series Totally Spies! at Amazon! Ferrell is executive-producing the YA adaptation based on the Banijay Kids animated show. Totally Spies! focuses on Clover, Alex, and Sam, three international spies executing life-threatening missions while navigating a turbulent first year at college. Totally Spies! is like Charlie’s Angels with a French twist, Clueless-like humor, and Mission: Impossible-style action.

The Totally Spies! live-action project is from Amazon MGM Studios and Banijay Kids & Family. Amazon’s head of Pan-English original content, Rola Bauer, is leading the charge. Will Ferrell executive produces alongside Jessica Elbaum and Alix Taylor through Gloria Sanches Productions. Banijay Kids & Family CEO Benoît Di Sabatino also executive produces.

“Totally Spies!’ is a huge success for Banijay Kids & Family, having been translated in 60 languages and sold to more than 220 territories,” Di Sabatino said.

Totally Spies! season 7 is confirmed for 2024, with the French premiere on May 12. The original voice cast may be replaced for the new season, per Jennifer Hale's X post. Season 7 storyline details are still under wraps, but promise familiar elements.

Totally Spies! season 7 is the next installment of the French anime-inspired spy-fi series from creators Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, and 2024 has seen some interesting news regarding release dates for the show. Despite being a French series, Totally Spies! debuted first in the United States in November 2001 on ABC Family. The series has had something of a complex distribution and release schedule since then. In the U.S., the show remained with ABC for one season before moving to Cartoon Network's animation lineup for seasons 2-5. The sixth season premiered on Universal Kids five years after season 5.

Totally Spies! The Movie came out between seasons 4 and 5, in 2009, and was...

"Totally Spies!", the anime-influenced animated spy-fi series created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, from Zodiak Kids & Family Studio France, is in post-production on Season Seven, airing in 2024 on Cartoon Network:

"...the series focuses around the adventures of three teenage girls from Beverly Hills, USA – 'Sam', 'Clover' and 'Alex' – who live a double life as secret agents working for the 'World Organization of Human Protection' ('Woohp').

"The girls are recruited by the organization's leader, 'Jerry', to solve worsening crime conditions that arise across the globe. The spies sport colourful latex jumpsuits and are provided with various gadgets to aid in their investigations.

"Their primary missions involve dealing with disgruntled and vengeful criminals who have been inconvenienced in some form in the past. Other missions have the same villains plotting revenge on the spies by ruining their personal lives. Framing each episode is a subplot that focuses on...

"Totally Spies!", the anime-influenced animated spy-fi series created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, from Zodiak Kids & Family Studio France, is in post-production on Season Seven, airing in 2024 on Cartoon Network:

"...the series focuses around the adventures of three teenage girls from Beverly Hills, USA – 'Sam', 'Clover' and 'Alex' – who live a double life as secret agents working for the 'World Organization of Human Protection' ('Woohp').

"The girls are recruited by the organization's leader, 'Jerry', to solve worsening crime conditions that arise across the globe. The spies sport colourful latex jumpsuits and are provided with various gadgets to aid in their investigations.

"Their primary missions involve dealing with disgruntled and vengeful criminals who have been inconvenienced in some form in the past. Other missions have the same villains plotting revenge on the spies by ruining their personal lives. Framing each episode is a subplot that focuses on...

"Totally Spies!", the anime-influenced animated spy-fi series created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel, from Zodiak Kids & Family Studio France, is in post-production on Season Seven, airing in 2024 on Cartoon Network:

"...the series focuses around the adventures of three teenage girls from Beverly Hills, USA – 'Sam', 'Clover' and 'Alex' – who live a double life as secret agents working for the 'World Organization of Human Protection' ('Woohp').

"The girls are recruited by the organization's leader, 'Jerry', to solve worsening crime conditions that arise across the globe. The spies sport colourful latex jumpsuits and are provided with various gadgets to aid in their investigations.

"Their primary missions involve dealing with disgruntled and vengeful criminals who have been inconvenienced in some form in the past. Other missions have the same villains plotting revenge on the spies by ruining their personal lives. Framing each episode is a subplot that focuses on...

Annecy — Opening under the pall of Thursday’s knife attack, – which prompted a spirited show of solidarity and communal defiance at its opening ceremony on Sunday – this year’s Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival has never been bigger. Creativity is exploding, from “Spider-Verse” and beyond.

Animation is flowering in India and Africa.

Yet studio work, much courtesy of streamer orders, may rebound, but never return to the halcyon levels of the last few years. Theatrical for most animation titles has yet to return, moreover – save for extraordinary mega-blockbusters such as “Across the Spider-Verse” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” 10 takes on this year’s Annecy, the biggest animation festival on the world:

The Big Plays

Three – and nearly four – high-profile U.S. movies world premiere at Annecy: Disney’s “Once Upon A Studio,” a 100th anniversary celebratory short; DreamWorks Animation’s comedy fantasy “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken”; and Netflix’s...

In a show of force, English-language “Spellbound,” the live-action tween series from “Find Me in Paris” creators and production partners will get a Season Two.

Produced by Cottonwood Media, with Zdf, Zdf Studios and the Opéra national de Paris, the 13 new episodes of the ballet/witchcraft series will go into production in August.

The “Spellbound” renewal news comes as Season One is set to roll out in international markets across broadcasters and streaming services from this fall.

Federation Kids & Family, the sales arm of Cottonwood Media parent Federation Studios, and Zdf Studios, the commercial company of German public broadcaster Zdf, will handle worldwide sales.

They will be bringing to market a second season of a premium English-language show targeting a still underserved kids & family market audience worldwide at a time, moreover, when buyers are caught between a rock and hard place: a studio-streamer pull back from original production and the WGA strike,...

A fan-favorite animated series is being revived on Cartoon Network. The emergence of Warner Bros. Discovery, after the high-profile merger of the two entities, has had a notable impact on Cartoon Network Studios. The movie and television production company, which helped create shows like Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, and The Powerpuff Girls, merged with sister studio Warner Bros. Animation. The news came after several decisions that specifically impacted animation, including removing over 30 animated titles from HBO Max.

In the latest Cartoon Network news, IGN is reporting that the channel is reviving Totally Spies! The project is being eyed for a 2024 debut, and it will air on Cartoon Network in the U.S. Internationally, in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, it will stream on Max (which is the rebranded name for HBO Max). According to the report, the new Totally Spies! series will function as a reboot and see the...

Exclusive: CBC/Radio-Canada has boarded the upcoming Spellbound, a live-action tween drama from the team behind Find Me in Paris.

The Canadian national network has acquired local rights to the show from Federation Kids & Family and Zdf Studios, which are jointly distributing worldwide.

Hulu, Germany’s Zdf and France Télévisions are already attached as co-production partners, with Federation-owned Cottonwood Media producing in association with Opéra National de Paris and Zdf Studios. The same partners, bar France Télévisions, teamed for sci-fi kids dramedy Find Me in Paris between 2018 and 2020.

Filming on the 26-part Spellbound, which has a budget of €15.3M ($16.6M), has now wrapped ahead of a debut later this year. CBC’s English-language streamer CBC Gem will launch it later this year, before French-language service Ici Tou.TV runs it during the 2023/24 broadcast season.

The show follows Cece Parker Jones (Hailey Romain), a vivacious teenager who relocates to Paris from...

Apple TV+ has released the trailer for the all-new futuristic anthology series “Circuit Breakers,” premiering globally on Friday, November 11. “Circuit Breakers” is a half-hour anthology series about middle-schoolers in the near future that uses science fiction as a backdrop to tell universal stories about growing up. The series was created by Melody Fox with executive producer Matt Hastings directing three episodes from the season including the pilot. “Circuit Breakers” is executive produced by Hastings, Andrew Orenstein, Cottonwood Media’s Sarah Haasz, David Michel and Cécile Lauritano, Aircraft Pictures’ Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen, and Todd Berger. Fox and Gillian Horvath serve as co-executive producers. Each installment of “Circuit Breakers” features a sci-fi twist on kid relatable stories, with the intent of kids and families asking themselves how they would act in each unique situation. The gripping trailer highlights the seven distinct stories with cast including Callan Farris (“Grimcutty”), Nathaniel Buescher...

Federation Studios’ Cottonwood Media, a class act on the European animation scene, has pacted with top Israeli production house Ananey Studios, a Paramount company, to co-produce together “Fairy Express,” a new CGI animated series.

Federation Kids & Family has acquires worldwide distribution rights to “Fairy Express,” which it will introduce to buyers at Cannes Mipcom trade fair, which begins this weekend with a two-day MipJunior forum.

Commissioned by Nick Jr. Israel, the 52-episode “Fairy Express” targets 4-6 year olds and is tellingly upbeat at a time that markets are looking for more feel good shows.

In it, three entrepreneurial fairies – Charm, Pixie and Wonder – have invented a special App, called Fairy Express. Every day, they fly to Wishington, a charming coastal town, where kids are eagerly waiting.

They can get help from an instant 21st Century magical service with a solution only a magic spell away. Or five, when the first spell backfires.

Click here to read the full article.

Apple TV+ is ramping up its slate of kids and family programming for the fall.

The tech giant’s streaming service will debut four new series in the fall and offer up new seasons of five returning shows, including Ghostwriter — with an entirely new cast for its third installment — and Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show. Apple TV+ will also add eight Peanuts specials to its library as part of its partnership with rights holder WildBrain.

The four new series are preschool animated show Sago Mini Friends, based on characters from the Sago Mini World app; Slumberkins, a mix of animation and puppetry from the Jim Henson Company; Interrupting Chicken, based on the award-winning children’s book by David Ezra Stein; and Circuit Breakers, a kid-friendly sci fi show.

The additions to Apple TV+’s slate for kids and families stand in contrast to...

Paris-based Cottonwood Media and the Paris National Opera are re-teaming with U.S. streamer Hulu, Germany’s Zdf and Zdf Studios and France Televisions, all partners on “Find Me in Paris,” for another premium live action tween series, “Spellbound.”

Scheduled to commence production this summer in Paris, moving later to Brussels, “Spellbound” is created by Jill Girling and Lori Mather (“Ride”), the same original executive produces and showrunners of “Find Me in Paris.”

Renaud Mathieu serves as line producer, a position he also held on “Emily in Paris.”Series lead director is Alexander Jacob. Directors include Annie Bradley, as well as Robert Burke.

Federation Kids & Family, a sales arm of Cottonwood Media parent Federation Entertainment, will partner with Zdf Studios, the commercial subsidiary of German public broadcaster Zdf, to handle worldwide sales.

Running to three seasons from its bow in 2018, “Find Me in Paris” has been broadcast in 130 territories with...

As Paramount+ prepares for UK rollout this week and in advance of tonight’s swanky London do, the streamer has greenlit a seven-strong international slate including a French fantasy horror thriller, series on the Circeo Massacre, two shows from Mexico and two from Germany including The Sheikh.

Scroll down for the full slate below as Paramount+ deepens its international push and prepares to unveil the shows at an event with the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Jessica Chastain and Gillian Anderson, amongst other A-listers. Paramount+ has taken over London’s West End for the day with a Walk of Fame-esque Walk of Stars, with 50 illuminated stars including Stallone, Anderson, Michelle Pfeiffer and Viola Davis.

Paramount Global plans to commission 150 international originals for Paramount+ within three years

The slate, Paramount+’s second major international roster, includes France’s Marie Antoinette Serial Killer, a fantasy horror thriller about four young American girls who...

After a virtual edition in 2020 and a hybrid outing last year, this week’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival looks set be back with a bang, fully and only onsite.

It also says a lot about the animation industry’s robust fundamentals. This and nine other takes on this week’s huge French animation reunion, which runs June 13—18:

Annecy’s Biggest Fest Ever

France’s Annecy Festival, the biggest event in the animation world, looks set for its largest edition ever. Accreditation numbers were heading towards a final 13,000, artistic director Marcel Jean told Variety mid-week. That compares to 2019’s then all time record of 12,500. With delegates still signing up, attendance at Annecy’s MIFA’s market was already at 4,200 Mickael Marin added Sunday. That’s a considerable feat given China and Russia are pretty well no-shows this year.

2022’s Stellar Lineup

Rarely if ever has Annecy packed so many U.

Sales

Kids’ content distributor Federation Kids and Family and Zdf Enterprises have sold all three seasons of hit series “Find Me in Paris” to streamer Disney Plus as part of a worldwide multi-territory deal, while Italian state broadcaster Rai also picked up season 3 following on from its successful run of the first two seasons.

Broadcast in over 80 territories, “Find Me in Paris” (78 x 26’) follows the story of Lena Grisky, a time-travelling ballet dancer from 1905 Russia trapped in modern day Paris, and the many dilemmas she faces finding her place between two worlds. The series has also been a social media hit across all platforms, with the soundtracks registering 18 million streams across all music streaming platforms for 2020/2021 and its YouTube channel recording 46.1 million views to date.

“Find Me in Paris” is produced by David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix, and Cecile Lauritano for Cottonwood Media and co-produced with Zdf, Zdf Enterprises, Be-Films...

Covid-19 looks set to accelerate the biggest paradigm shift in French animation in the last two decades: Global streaming platforms’ ever larger presence in finance and distribution.

How France’s auteur-driven animation movie and TV industry dovetails with the market interests and industry practices of Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Warner Media and Apple TV Plus will determine a large part of its future.

Depending on the company and the sector – TV is far more advanced than feature film – it’s a revolution that is already being put through.

Already, 15 months ago, 43% of Xilam’s revenues came from streaming platforms, Xilam president Marc du Pontavice said last year. Now that proportion will be higher, he told Variety in the eve of the run-up to this year’s totally online Annecy Festival.

At TeamTO, international sales represent about half of its revenues, and platforms will account for 30% of those in 2020, says Corinne Kouper,...

There are few festivals in the world which are more of a delight to attend than France’s Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival, nestling in a fairy tale-looking town on the edge of a lake, backed by mountain ramparts. That pleasure will be denied this year as Annecy inevitably, given Covid-19 restriction, has gone online.

Following, seven takes on this year’s event, which will lack Annecy’s customary big world premieres, from Hollywood and the world, but still host multiple industry and consumer attractions:

Annecy: Covid Resilient, Though Not Covid Immune

“Festivals’ going online is a test or demonstration of brand value. Annecy is not having a physical market, but you still really want to be associated with it, even if it’s online. You may not want to do so as much for other festivals or trade shows that are more sales events,” says David Michel, managing director of Federation Kids & Family.

Disney Channel Latin America has acquired all three seasons of the popular tween drama series “Find Me in Paris” from Federation Kinds & Family.

“Find Me in Paris,” which is produced by David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix and Cecile Lauritano at Cottonwood Media, will roll out on Disney Channel Latin American during the first half of 2020. The series follows the story of Lena Grisky, a time-travelling ballet dancer from 1905 Russia trapped in modern day Paris, and the many dilemmas she faces finding her place between two worlds.

The series is directed by Matt Bloom (“The Lodge”), along with the Irish directing team Ronan and Robert Burke.

“Disney Channel Latin America is a superb platform to launch this premier teen series into such an important territory,” said Monica Levy, the senior Vice President of international sales at Federation Kids & Family. The series “is a vibrant, engaging series that speaks to kids and tweens on so many levels,...

Annecy — There has never been more business or delegates at the Annecy Animation Festival. Presentations popped. Sneaks peeks, table talk, frenzied business meetings suggest a new era of business and creativity for animation from Hollywood to Zambia. Key takeaways:

New Kid In Town: Disney Plus

“It was insane, insane” said an independent producer, very happily. He was describing the frenzied business at this year’s Annecy Animation Film Festival. One big reason: Digital Plus. Annecy marked its official coming out in international. It co-lead a joint press with Disney Channels, announced new shows, led by “Monsters at Work” and BBC-sourced “Bluey,” sneak-peeked another, “Monsters at Work,” Walt Disney France’s Helen Etzi told producers that “though Disney is known for in-house productions, we are very keen on working with external talents,” including producers. Disney executives spent the week asking top indie companies with whom they’d worked in linear what they had available.

Cannes — Produced by Cottonwood Media and Studiocanal, written by “Ice Age 2’s” Gerry Swallow, and directed by Academy Award nominated Samuel Tourneux (“Only Pidgeons Go To Heaven”), $25 million animated feature “Around the World” had sparked offers from “from all over the world” by Wednesday evening at Cannes, said Anne Cherel, Studiocanal head of international current movies sales.

Weighing offers, Studiocanal looks to close 70%-80% of major territories by the end of the market, she added.

That looks set to make “Around the World” one of this year’s Cannes Film Market hits.

Studiocanal will distribute “Around the World” directly in France. It will also release the film, based on Jules Vernes’ timeless literary classic, in its direct distribution territories of Germany, the U.K. and Australia/New Zealand, unless it receives offers for the territories which it can’t refuse, Cherel said.

That may be possible. One of the biggest...

Cottonwood Media and Zdf have given the greenlight to Season 3 of tween drama series “Find Me in Paris,” with Federation Kids & Family launching sales Monday at Cannes content market MipTV.

The show, which combines ballet, modern dance, drama and comedy, follows the story of Lena Grisky, a time-travelling ballet dancer from 1905 in Russia trapped in modern-day Paris, and the many dilemmas she faces finding her place in the modern world.

Previous seasons of the Euro 12 million ($13.5 million) series have been bought by a host of broadcasters including NBC Universal and Hulu (U.S.), France Télévisions (France), Disney (France and Italy), ABC (Australia), Vrt (Belgium), Rai (Italy), Quebecor (French-speaking Canada), HBO (Portugal), Hot TV (Israel), and Svod service Showmax (South Africa), among others.

The new season sees the introduction of two rising stars from Britain to the cast: Isabelle Allen, who features in the Netflix series “Safe” and played young Cosette in the movie “Les Misérables,...

Pascal Breton’s Federation Entertainment, the Paris-based production and distribution firm whose credits include “The Bureau” (pictured), “Marseille” and “Find Me in Paris,” has raised 16 million Euros ($18.4 million) as it plans to expand globally and diversify.

The minority funding round was made with the financial institutions Bpifrance, BNP Paribas Développement, Amundi Private Equity Funds, Alliance Entreprendre and Entrepreneur Venture.

Under the helm of its founder and CEO Pascal Breton, and his partners, Lionel Uzan, David Michel, Serge Hayat and Stéphane Sperry, the thriving independent company is active in the drama, kids & family and light entertainment genres. The banner has offices in Paris and Los Angeles, and works with a wide range of streamers and networks.

Breton, who remains a majority shareholder in Federation Entertainment, said the new investors were a “consortium of solid, cohesive companies close to the audiovisual sector.”

“After having put in place a number of innovative financing tools for production and distribution,...

Ronan and Robert Burke, the Dublin-born brothers best known for directing the popular crime drama “Red Rock” and Netflix horse-riding series “Free Rein,” have come on board to direct episodes of the time-traveling ballerina series “Find Me in Paris.”

“Find Me in Paris” is being produced by David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix and Cecile Lauritano at Cottonwood Media, a division of Federation Entertainment. The company has just kicked off production on season two of the half-hour premium tween series.

Matt Bloom, who helmed the first season, will be back to direct the second order of “Find Me in Paris.” Earlier this year, Bloom earned an international Emmy Award nomination, as well as a BAFTA nom for his critically acclaimed series “Hank Zipzer.” Bloom also directed Disney’s hit series “The Lodge” which sold in over 112 countries.

Leila Smith is exec producing the series.

Federation Kids & Family worldwide will be selling...

Cottonwood Media, Federation Kids & Family’s production arm behind hit children’s programs such as “The Ollie and Moon Show,” has joined forces with seasoned Canadian creative producer Sarah Haasz.

Haasz will oversee Cottonwood’s growing North American slate of live-action series and animation, while giving Cottonwood a first refusal on her own TV creations.

“We have known and enjoyed working with Sarah as a broadcaster for over a decade. She has brilliant creative instincts, very much in line with our goal as a company: to produce unique, high end live-action and animation content,” said Cottonwood’s David Michel, Zoé Carrera and Cécile Lauritano in a statement.

“David’s history of creating premium content for pre-school and family audiences will enable me to pursue unique, high quality co-productions to add to Cottonwood’s already robust development slate,” Haasz said.

Haasz’s experience in kids’ media spans both the broadcast and production sides of the industry.

1.Netflix

Netflix took Annecy. It held a presentation, its first ever at Annecy, an effective coming out to the world animation industry. You could here a pin drop as Melissa Cobb, the highly popular ex-DreamWorks Animation executive, now Netflix Evp, expounded on Netflix priorities on stage. The audience warmed to Chilean Fernanda Frick’s exposition of her new series, “Raising the Bar,” now in development at Netflix, and Andy Coyle’s explanation of the varying tones and palette of “Hilda.” But the presentation and Netflix’s presence at Annecy left a question in the air. Cobb’s introduction stressed the diversity of Netflix’s lineup – from children shows, -and working the talent. Beyond Cobb and Yaram, the Netflix panel at the presentation was made up just of talent. Netflix brought a 15-strong delegation. Most was talent as well. The production community fears that Netflix is going increasingly straight to talent,...

David Michel, co-founder of and general manager of French’s leading animation production company Marathon Media is stepping down, effective March 31. 2014. Michel co-founded Marathon Media in 2001 with Vincent Chalvon, who also recently left. The two sold the company to Zodiak media in 2008. Michel had been Marathon general manager since 2007 and added a role as Svp Group Marketing for Zodiak Media in 2011. During his time with Marathon, Michel served as co-creator and co-producer of 13 international series in the children & family space, including Totally Spies, which was #1 on Cartoon Network, as well as Get Blake, produced for Nickelodeon in the U.S. I hear Michel is in conversation with media companies in both Us and Europe about co-production and other opportunities. “The launch of Marathon Media with Vincent Chalvon Demersay has been a great adventure and the decision to leave was a difficult one,” Michel said. “I entirely trust the management, the talented directors,...

Hasbro Studios & Clear Vision Ink Distribution Deal UK-based Clear Vision has acquired Hv distribution rights for the first and second seasons of Hasbro Studios’ My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic. Under the multi-territory deal, Clear Vision will distribute the hit kids’ show in the UK, France, Italy, the Nordic countries and the Middle East. Produced and distributed globally by Hasbro Studios, the series follows young unicorn Twilight Sparkle and five other pony friends through funny, offbeat experiences, lessons in friendship and exciting, enchanted adventures. Rhys Ifans Boards ‘Gifted’ Rhys Ifans is set to star in Playhouse Presents…Gifted. Written by Angela Pell and directed by Marc Evans, the drama tells the story of a man, crippled by a secret ability, who falls in love for the first time. Chris (Ifans) is an outsider who lives a secluded, mundane and humdrum existence until Mona (Sarah Smart) arrives in his life. As...

More Mipcom news

Cannes -- Family-friendly franchises took center stage in Cannes during the two-day MipJunior confab that wrapped Sunday night. At its new HQ in the Martinez Hotel, this year's event was all about tweens, toys and trips back in time as the 16th annual children's programming event invaded the Croisette.

MIPJunior launched a licensing initiative this year featuring a series of case studies, matchmaking sessions and rendez-vous with top names in the global merchandising business. On Saturday, the seventh annual MipJunior Licensing Challenge was held as jury president Holly Stein, vp licensing acquisitions at Mattel, and her jury evaluated the hottest kids' property of the season to find merchandising potential. Industry execs focused on ways to capitalize on their brands with 360-degree global marketing campaigns and licensing franchises.

"Hannah Montana" creator Michael Poryes gave the MipJunior keynote Sunday and talked about creating a tween phenom that also became licensing gold with live concerts,...

Cannes -- French production and distribution powerhouse Marathon has been sprinting through the Mipcom market with sales of popular animated series "Gormiti," Marathon said Tuesday.

The 22-minute format was the most-watched French series at Mipcom Jr. and already has presold to Mediaset in Italy and M6 and Canal J in France after just one day on the market.

Marathon is in negotiations with the U.S. and U.K., among other territories on the series.

Marathon also plans to ink distribution deals in the coming days for "Amazing Spies," a spinoff of teenage hit "Totally Spies."

The 52-episode, 22-minute cartoon will air on TF1 in France and Teletoon in Canada. "It's tres comic book," Marathon's head of animation David Michel said of the series.