TV-Loonland has launched Loonland Pictures to market in-house and third-party productions. Loonland Pictures will be marketing the new TV-Loonland feature film, HEIDI, as its first production.
Loonland Pictures was able to sign on 20th Century Fox und NFP marketing* as marketing and distribution partners for the films Dec. 22, 2005 release.
In addition to TV-Loonland's expansion of its core competence in family programming, Loonland Pictures provides an independent sales and video distribution company to channel into the TV-Loonland productions with the greatest potential, successful programming from the Loonland library and renowned animation series from outside companies.
"In Loonland Pictures we have laid the best foundation for a second corporate pillar for the TV-Loonland Group with long-term potential for success. Selma Käppel, ceo of TV-Loonland. We believe that against the backdrop of a bitterly competitive distribution market worldwide, it is particularly important to search for marketing strategies that take the offensive. With our British subsidiary Metrodome, a successful marketer in the movie distribution and home entertainment business, we have already achieved success in our marketing scheme. With Loonland Pictures we will continue on this path in the German-speaking countries, said Käppel.
Irina Ignatiew, sales manager of TV-Loonland added, "HEIDI is one of the world's most successful children's books, and in TV-Loonland's feature film version, thanks to its modern, fresh animation it also holds huge potential for sales on the silver screen."
HEIDI (1x80) is a co-production of TV-Loonland, its British subsidiary Telemagination and Canadian Nelvana. It arrives in German cinemas just in time for the bestseller's 125th anniversary. The feature film, which was directed by Alan Simpson, presents the classic Heidi story in a fresh manner using on modern animation technology. Even so, the film stays close to the strong characters that were the foundation of the world-famous children's book by Swiss author Johanna Spyri.
Like the book of the same name, the animated film HEIDI, which features such voices as those of TV star Sonya Kraus (presenter of numerous Pro Sieben productions), Jimi Blue Ochsenknecht (DIE WILDEN KERLE), and Sidonie von Krosigk (BIBI BLOCKSBERG) tells the story of the orphan Heidi who lives in the Swiss Alps and her exciting adventures with her grandfather, her friend Peter, and Klara, her friend from Frankfurt.
Since it was published in 1880, the children's literature classic has been translated into more than 50 languages and has sold more than 100 million copies. The co-producers of HEIDI are convinced that the high-quality animated feature film, and themes still relevant today, will continue to inspire generations of young people on the movie screen as well.
"We are pleased to be able to join TV-Loonland in marketing HEIDI, said Christoph Ott, head of campaign at NFP Marketing*. It is a company that is successful worldwide most recently, its filming of Pettson and Findus managed to land major movie hits. The animated film HEIDI is sure to follow on the heels of this success."
TV-Loonland (www.loonland.com) is an integrated media company and counts among the leading international producer/distributors of animation for children, youth and families. With its own development teams and production facilities in Continental Europe, Great Britain and the U.S., a comprehensive rights catalog as well as a worldwide operating distribution team, TV-Loonland has today become a world leader among the independent majors in the industry.
