CG-animated holiday special based on the popular children’s story from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt and starring Ruth Negga and Lucy O’Connell is currently in the early stages of animation.
DUBLIN, Ireland -- Oscar-nominated production company Brown Bag Films has announced production of the half-hour CG-animated holiday special, Angela’s Christmas, based on Frank McCourt’s children’s book inspired by a story his mother told him as a child. McCourt won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for best-selling memoir, Angela’s Ashes.
The film stars Oscar-nominee Ruth Negga (Loving, Preacher) as Angela’s mother and Lucy O’Connell (Song of the Sea) as Angela. The film is written by Will Collins (Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers) and Damien O’Connor (Anya, Doc McStuffins), and is directed by Damien O’Conner. Ellen McCourt, Frank’s widow, serves as an Executive Producer on the project; Malachy McCourt (Brewster’s Millions, The January Man), Frank McCourt’s brother and Irish-American actor, writer and politician, provides the narration.
Set in Ireland in the early 1900s, Angela’s Christmas is a funny, heart-warming and poignant story about the power of family and the innocent desire of a child to ensure everyone is safe, warm and loved at Christmas time.
The special is in early stages of animation and final lighting, and is expected to wrap in early November. CG production is taking place at two-time Oscar nominated Brown Bag Films’ Dublin-based studio. 9 Story Distribution International is handling worldwide distribution. Angela’s Christmas was developed with the support of the Irish Film Board and produced with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and RTE.
“I am so thrilled to see this beloved story come to life as an animated film,” said Ellen McCourt. “Brown Bag Films’ unparalleled artistry in animation, combined with their Irish roots make them the perfect partner to tell Frank’s children’s classic in a new way.”
“Angela’s Christmas is such a special story,” said Darragh O’Connell, Creative Director at Brown Bag. “McCourt has a way of capturing the mind of young Angela that will have you laughing and crying. The story lends itself beautifully to animation, and we are so excited to share this with audiences around the world.”
A subsidiary of 9 Story Media Group, Dublin-based Brown Bag Films is one of Europe’s original and successful creative-led animation studios and has produced cutting-edge animation for the international market for 23 years.
Source: Brown Bag Films
