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Serious Lunch Named Global Rep for Studio Ghibli’s ‘Ronja’

U.K. distributor Serious Lunch to handle international rollout of the Studio Ghibli animated series directed by Goro Miyazaki, ‘Ronja, the Robber's Daughter.’

LONDON -- Studio Ghibli and The Astrid Lindgren Company have signed a deal with U.K.-based distributor Serious Lunch to handle the international rollout of the animated series Ronja, the Robber's Daughter.

The property is based on a 1981 novel of the same name from writer Astrid Lindgren. It is being re-launched in new formats in conjunction with the 26-part TV series. The original version of the animated series aired in Japan on NHK from late fall 2014 through March 2015. Goro Miyazaki served as director. Serious Lunch, Studio Ghibli and The Astrid Lindgren Company will oversee the creation of an English version, in association with an English-language broadcaster.

The series was produced by NHK, NHK Enterprises and Dwango in collaboration with Studio Ghibli and Saltkråkan, The Astrid Lindgren Company, with animation created by Polygon Pictures. Serious Lunch -- launched in 2011 by CAKE founder Genevieve Dexter -- is now looking for broadcast partners worldwide, excluding Japan and Scandinavia.

“The magic synergy of Goro Miyazaki and Astrid Lindgren is very powerful storytelling, and Ronja is an excellent female role model,” Dexter commented. “Serious Lunch has been supported by U.K. Trade & Investment with two recent visits to Japan to seek out more trade between the U.K. and Japan in the animation sector, and we hope that this will be the beginning of a great collaboration.”

“I grew up on TV myself,” Miyazaki said. “I felt that I should create for children the sort of things I used to watch as a child, now that I’m an adult. With Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, the great old dame Astrid seems to be telling children to believe in their own power to grow...all the while telling both children and adults alike to respect each other and to attain freedom in the true sense of the word. Nothing will bring me more pleasure than if I could convey those very messages through this adaptation.”

“Goro Miyazaki and his team have done a fantastic job with Ronja -- besides being true to the original novel they have created and produced something visually stunning and exceptional that adds layers to the world and story of Ronja,” remarked Lindgren’s granddaughter Olle Nyman, now CEO of The Astrid Lindgren Company. “We are very excited that the Ronja TV series now will be made available internationally by Serious Lunch.”

Source: Serious Lunch

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.