Foto fra «The Polar Bear Prince» (Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon).

I 2022 var som kjent Norden viet et spesialprogram under animasjonsbransjens største europeiske bransjemønstring Cartoon Movie. Tidligere i år ble Mikrofilm nominert til prisen «Producer of the year». Kanskje er det derfor den nordiske representasjonen av nye prosjekter som skal presenteres på neste års festival i mars er såpass stor. Ni nordiske og fire norske prosjekter er invitert til å pitche for den internasjonale animasjonsbransjen.

De norske prosjektene er Pesta (Hanne Berkåk, Mikrofilm), Kvitebjørn kong Valemon (Mikkel Sandemose, Maipo), Kaja the great (Martin Lund, Storm film) og Finding Home (Anja Mánou Hellem, Trollfilm). Her er litt om hvert prosjekt, slik det er presentert i Cartoons program:

PESTA

«Pesta is a chilling journey through dark and twisted Nordic folklore. Set in Norway in 1349, it tells a tragic love story between an unlikely couple: the deeply religious noble girl Astrid (17) and the outlaw pagan boy Eilev (17). Their paths cross as the world as they know it is coming to an end, creating a possibility for a relationship that defies societal norms. But the more Astrid succumbs to her desire for Eilev, the more vivid her visions of the plague demon Pesta become. Soon, the line between reality and fantasy blurs, and finally Astrid is faced with a devastating choice: Lose Eilev or become the monster she fears the most – the plague herself: Pesta.»

Regi: Hanne Berkaak / Manus: Sofia Ler­sol Lund / Produsenter: Mikrofilm ved Ton­je Skar Reiersen / Co-produsenter: Xilam Films (France), Lucie BolzeKnudsen Pictures (Ger­many), Kris­tine Knudsen.

The Polar Bear Prince

«In the magnificent, animated adventure The Polar Bear Prince we meet the fearless, curious, and adventurous girl Liv, who longs to escape from the forest where she lives. One day she meets a white polar bear in the forest and she decides to follow him. In his ice castle, a warm friendship blossoms between the two, a friendship that could turn into love. The white bear is not just a bear; he is also Prince Valemon, enchanted by a sorceress; bear by day, man by night.»

Regissør: Mikkel B. Sandemose / Manus: Maja Lunde / Produsent: Maipo Film ved Cor­nelia Boysen / Co-produsenter: Vivi Film (Bel­gia) Beside Production (Bel­gia) ved Fab­rice Delville / Salgsagent: Trust Nordisk / Solgt til: Benelux / Den­mark / Fin­land / Ice­land / Nor­way / Sweden

Kaja the great

«The small cancer cell Kaja is tired of being the only one who cannot divide and make copies of herself. Especially now that the boss in the tumor has proclaimed they are going to spread and need all the divisions they can make. When even her best friend Moa manages to divide, Kaja has had enough, and sets out on a journey to find a way to mutate. Their journey through the body is fraught with danger, as it turns out that being a cancer cell on the loose is not so popular. And with each trial, Kaja questions if her plan to mutate is really that good. After discovering that she is part of a young boys body, she takes up the fight to save her world from ending.»

Regissør: Mar­tin Lund / Manus: Mar­tin Lund og Thork­ild Schrumpf / Produsent: Storm Films ved Ruben Thork­ild­sen / Co-produsent: Beside Productions (Bel­gium) ved Fab­rice Delville.

Find­ing Home

«The musk ox calf Musky is trying to find his way home after he, and a heard of young musk ox has been captured by hunters and transported from Greenland to the unfamiliar and unwelcoming Norwegian mountain Dovre. The tender, and heartbroken Musky believes that his family is waiting for him in Greenland, and becomes determined to find his way home. Blinded by his strong hope and belief, he sets out on a dramatic, yet magical journey. A story about finding your place in a new and unfamiliar world, when all you know and love has been taken from you.»

Regissør: Anja Mánou Hellem / Manus: Trond Morten Kris­tensen Venaasen og Anja Mánou Hellem / Graphic author: Alexan­dria Neonakis / Produsent: Trollfilm (Nor­way) ved Lil­lian Løvseth.