CGI Family Animation ‘Richard the Stork 2’ Closes Further Deals, on Course to Sell Out at Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)

Leo Barraclough
·3 min read
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Paris-based company Indie Sales has closed further sales on “Richard the Stork 2,” and expects to sell the last remaining territories during the Cannes Film Market.

The film, also known as “Richard the Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel,” is a follow up to “Richard the Stork” (released in North America as “A Stork’s Journey”), which was widely distributed in 155 countries and grossed more than $20 million worldwide.

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Indie Sales, which sold Oscar nominee “My Life as a Zucchini” to more than 80 territories, is increasingly focusing on acquiring big budget animation.

The sequel’s recent release in Germany, Austria and Switzerland is reaching 350,000 admissions at the box office to date, exceeding the first film by more than 120,000 admissions. The film is now on release also in Norway and France.

Indie Sales screened the film at the EFM and confirmed deals for Bulgaria (Pro Films), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Forum Films), Greece (Spentzos), Hungary and Romania (ADS), Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co.), North Africa (Retina and Les Films 26), South Korea (Challan), and U.K. (Signature Entertainment). Distribution deals are in negotiation for North America and Spain.

The film was already pre-sold to Finland and Scandinavia (SF Studios), France (Paradis/Orange Studio), Germany/Austria/Switzerland (Wild Bunch Germany), Israel (Five Stars), Turkey (Filmarti), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), ex-Yugoslavia (Karantanija), the CIS (Nashe Kino), the Baltics (Garsu Pasaulio Irasai) and Benelux (Kinepolis Film Distribution and Dutch FilmWorks).

“Richard the Stork 2” is directed by Mette Tange and Benjamin Quabeck.

In the film, Richard, the daring sparrow who was adopted by a stork family, is enjoying wintering at the Great Lake in Northern Africa when he realizes he won’t be the one to lead the flock back north. Therefore, he runs away to travel on his own.

On his journey, he meets Samia and her sparrow flock, who are being held captive by evil marabous under the control of the greedy peacock Zamano. The only chance of freedom for the sparrows is to solve a riddle and find the Great Jewel, which will call upon teamwork, trust and most of all skills learnt from storks.

The film is produced by Kristine M.I. Knudsen and Lan Rommel at Berlin-based Knudsen Pictures, teaming-up once again with Eric Goossens and Anton Roebben at Walking the Dog as Belgian co-producers, and Norway’s Den Siste Skilling – all companies which were already on board for “Richard the Stork.”

The sequel features a score composed by Eric Neveux, who composed the score for “Poly, Samsam and Nicholas on Holiday,” along with original songs written by Canadian songwriter Dominic “Mocky” Salole.

The production took place at animation studio Walking the Dog in Belgium, Mideu Films in Halle, Germany, as well as at Apparat Animasjon in Bergen, Norway.

It is co-produced by BNP Paribas Fortis Film Finance, Mediefondet Zefyr, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Magellan Films and Senator Film Produktion, in collaboration with Nordisk Film ShortCut Oslo.

It is supported by German Federal Film Fund, German Federal Film Board Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Medienboard Berlin- Brandenburg, Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government, Screen Flanders, Screen Brussels, Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Norwegian Film Institute, Mediefondet Zefyr and Creative Europe.

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