Canadian Public Broadcasters Showcase 6 Eye-Catching Series as Part of MIFA Canada Highlights

On Thursday June 25, Annecy Animation Film Festival will wake up under the flying colors of the Maple Leaf Flag, as Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund (CMF) and its partners invite MIFA attendees and animation professionals from all the world to join what is shaping up as an engaging animated series pitching session.

As part of the Canada Morning! (an event that will continue with a roundtable discussion and a networking reception), this presentation will bring together Canadian producers and public broadcasters together in Annecy for the first time for an exclusive showcase of six animated series projects actively looking for international partners.

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The pitching session is part of a larger Canadian spotlight this year in Annecy, as Telefilm Canada, CMF and its partners accompany more than 30 Canadian companies, including all six Canadian public broadcasters (a first in Canada’s history with the festival), who will take part in both the pitching session and the panel afterwards. 

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CBC, Knowledge, Radio-Canada, Télé-Québec, TVO and TFO representatives will each introduce their project, before giving the floor to the producers and creative teams. 

Ahead of the event, executives spoke with Variety about the projects they’re bringing to Annecy, showcasing the richness and diversity of the Canadian animation industry.

Burt the Beetle

Broadcaster: TVO kids
Producer: Epic Story Media
Creators: Ashley Spires, Carolyn Hay & Hugh Duffy
Director: Elyssa Tousignant
Format: 36 x 5 minutes
Technique: 2D Computer

A big-hearted beetle’s curiosity drives him to learn more about the backyard and beyond. “Burt the Beetle”, adapted from the eponymous book series by Ashley Spires, follows Burt as he hangs and hovers with his group of interesting insect friends discovering more about themselves and the fascinating world of bug facts.

“At TVOkids, we are always looking for series that are cute, funny AND educational”, adds Kirsten Hurd, commissioning editor. “And ‘Burt the Beetle’ checks all those boxes and more. IPs based on existing books are also something we love, and with Ashley Spires’ great track record of successful page-to-screen adaptation this show was a no-brainer for us. It is quirky, heartfelt, and we are really excited to see this series come to life.”

Ken Faier, co-CEO of Epic Story Media, is thrilled to bring this project to Annecy with TVOkids. “At the heart of what we do is work with amazing creators who are passionate, authentic and understand what kids love. We’re thrilled to be partnered with Ashley, Carolyn, Hugh and TVOkids on this project, and we look forward to sharing ‘Burt the Beetle’ with the global community soon.”

Beyond TVOkids, the series is backed by three other Canadian public broadcasters, TVOkids, Knowledge Network, Radio-Canada and TFO, and has already secured broad national support across Canada’s key preschool markets, creating strong momentum for international co-production and distribution discussions.

Noch Noch

Broadcaster: Knowledge:kids
Producer: Doberman Pictures (Scott Haris)
Creator: Scott Harris
Director: Dallas Parker
Format: 39 x 7 minutes
Technique: 2D Computer

When the Mouse Woman Tibouget opens her magic front door, three Indigenous Gitxsan cousins plunge into the wild world of the Noch Nochs, supernatural spirit guides, where small quests with supernatural spirits help them solve real-life problems back home. A playful, adventurous series where every adventure begins the same way… With a knock knock at the door.

“What makes Noch Noch so exciting is that it completely reimagines how we share Indigenous culture with the world”, underlines Scott Harris, producer. “We are taking the rich, imaginative world of Gitxsan oral histories and pairing it with a high-energy, universally relatable adventure format that kids anywhere on the globe will instantly connect with. It’s not a history lesson; it’s a vibrant, visually stunning world inspired by my own family’s lived experiences.”

According to Harris – working closely with community elders and language keepers to ensure that cultural details are entirely genuine has helped the teams at Doberman Pictures build a globally competitive 2D series that proves authentic Indigenous storytelling has no borders.

“Scott and his team are creating something unique and authentic with Noch Noch,” adds Michele Paris, senior manager of children’s programming at Knowledge Network. “We love the mythical world of storytelling and the intriguing cast of characters that he’s bringing to life through these adventures.”

Heading to Annecy to seek international partners, “Noch Noch” has successfully secured development funding from Knowledge Network and has already achieved domestic momentum with firm broadcast commitments from Knowledge Network, TVO, TFO, and Société Radio-Canada (SRC).

Sea Blue

Broadcaster: CBC (French Canada)
Producer: 10th Ave Productions
Creator: Andrée Lambert
Director: Christine Dallaire Dupont
Format: 39 x 7 minutes
Technique: 3D

This 39-episode, seven-minute 3D animated television series takes preschoolers on a scientific journey through the marine world of the majestic St. Lawrence River. The main animals, such as the beluga whale, the grey seal, and the porpoise, make discoveries about the fauna, flora, and underwater life. They also stay connected to the mainland through their puffin friend, who teaches them about life on land, and an old walrus who answers their many questions.

Coming from a sustained relationship between 10th Ave Productions and CBC (with which 10th Ave produced its very first 100% Canadian 3D animated feature film project “The Legend of Sarila” back in 2013), “Sea Blue” (working title) is a spin-off from the 10th Ave feature “Katak: The Brave Beluga” (2023), which already two more features greenlit by the production company and CBC.

“We have on board the same fantastic team behind the Canadian cinematic success of ‘Katak, the Brave Beluga,'” cheerfully adds Nancy Florence Savard, producer. “Andrée Lambert wrote the bible for the project and the first episodes, Philippe Arseneau Bussières is art director, and Christine Dallaire Dupont directs with Nicola Lemay co-writing the screenplay for the first three episodes.”

Animation is expected to take place at Studio 10e Ave Animation, while CBC and 10th Ave look for national and international partners to bring the project to life.

Semanka

Broadcaster: TFO
Producer: Chrystelle Maechler Productions Inc
Creator/Director : Chrystelle Maechler
Format: 13 x 11 minutes
Technique: 3D

Leo, Soane, and Noah lead perfectly ordinary lives in their respective countries, until their roller-skating Grandma Adana and her magical lemur-chameleon sidekick, Fify, reveal the ultimate family mission: saving the seeds of Earth’s most endangered plants to restore the planet’s delicate balance. Teleported to the four corners of the globe at a moment’s notice, the three cousins have exactly three hours to complete each epic rescue. Dodging plant poachers, destructive developers, and the raw power of wild nature itself, they race against the clock to protect the world’s most extraordinary plants before time runs out.

“What sets the series apart is where it comes from, as this story is inspired by my own family, spread out across the globe”, explains Maechler. “The characters are closely based on my nephews, they share their personalities and even their names. Blending a bit of Canada, Madagascar, France, Germany, India, Australia, and more, our family is a true mix.” The series actually started as a dare, continues Maechler, when one of her nephews was born, her brother told her: “No store-bought gift! Just write him a story with his cousins in it!” And so “Semanka” was born.

“It is a show that is entertaining first, but unmistakably carries environmental values while being rooted in a fantasy world,” Maechler adds. “Coming from a documentary background, I heavily researched plants, flowers, and trees, and took inspiration from the wonders of nature, which are often stranger and more fascinating than any fiction.”

“Semanka” has received financing for its development from the Canada Media Fund and Canadian broadcaster TFO. According to Marianne Lambert, senior director of content at TFO, “‘Semanka’ offers a very strong and distinctive concept: an international family adventure centered on protecting rare seeds and biodiversity. Visually and narratively speaking, ‘Semanka’ also offers tremendous potential. Each mission transports the cousins into spectacular and varied settings (mountains,forests, glaciers, villages, lighthouses and ice caves) fueling imagination and allowing for strong visual creativity.”

Adding to that momentum, Semanka has just been selected for Cartoon Forum in September.

Truffle

Broadcaster: Télé Québec
Producer: Happy Camper Média
Creator: Fanny Britt, Francis Papillon
Director : Francis Papillon
Format: 26 x 7 minutes
Technique: 2D Computer