Dandelooo, Krutart Team on New Series ‘Kosmix’

Emmy-winning French animation production-distribution company Dandelooo has announced a new deal with Czech production company Krutart for the upcoming 2D animated series “Kosmix.”

The announcement was made as Dandeloo streams two shorts, “Shooom’s Odyssey” and “Hungry Bear Tales,” in Competition and a Work in Progress presentation for its 30-minute TV short, “Mum is Pouring Rain,” at this year’s Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival.

Also, the company’s 2D animated series “Stinky Dog,” a France Televisions commission, will launch on the broadcaster’s Okoo streaming platform during this year’s MIFA Market.

In the Krutart deal, Dandelooo picks up exclusive worldwide distribution rights for the 4 to 8-year-old series, co-produced by Krutart and Czech public broadcaster Czech Television. It’s directed by Vojtěch Dudek and Klára Jůzová.

In the series, Kit, a curious and brave robot explores the universe while hosting a space travel TV show. Each episode is dedicated to one planet or cosmic object that has a personality all its own. Through his exploration, Kit is constantly learning, and the audience right along with him, often through adverse situations.

A half-hour paper-drawn 2D special, Hugo de Faucompret’s “Mum is Pouring Rain” follows an 8-year-old girl spending Christmas with her grandma while her mother stays home struggling with depression. Like Satsuki and Mei in “My Neighbor Totoro,” the young girl, who only occasionally speaks with her mother, retreats into the surrounding wilderness. The WIP video is available to stream now on Annecy’s virtual platform, and the team behind the project will host a live Q&A about the project on Wed, June 17 at 2 p.m. CET.

Directed by Julien Bisaro, acclaimed for his short “Bang, Bang!”, “Shooom’s Odyssey,” produced by Picolo Pictures, has already seen festival success, notching the best short film for kids-up-to-six at Prix Jeunesse and a best animated short for kids at Belgium’s Anima 2020. A 2D animated special for preschoolers, shot with an arresting sense of an immersive nature, the short follows plucky owl chick Shooom, hatched just before a storm that sets out to find its mother.

From Czech producers Bionaut, “Hungry Bear Tales” also targets preschools audiences, and in the Annecy-selected episode sees a family of bears on the hunt for something to eat that they’ve not tasted before, when they stumble upon a tasty looking truffle recipe.

A Dandelooo-Folivari co-production, “Stinky Dog” is based on the same-named book series by author Colas Gutman, illustrated by Marc Boutavant. Intended for 6 to 10-year-olds, the series’ slapstick comedy about a cat and dog best friend combo should appeal to parents as well.