New Eloise Animated DVD Features African Travels

NEW YORK: Animation Collective and HandMade Films have teamed up to present Eloise in Africa, an animated feature that follows 6-year-old heroine Eloise on a new international adventure. 

 A classic in children’s literature, Eloise was written by Kay Thompson and featured the illustrations of Hilary Knight. The first book in the series was published in 1955 and four more have followed. In 2003, HandMade produced two Eloise TV movies starring Julie Andrews to air on ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney. Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime have sold over a million units in DVD sales. 

In the brand new Eloise in Africa, Eloise is joined by Nanny, Skipperdee (her turtle) and Weenie (her dog) as she travels from the Plaza Hotel to Africa, where she helps uncover an international animal smuggling ring. The DVD movie will be directed by Animation Collective’s Sergei Aniskov. Patrick Meehan and David Ravden will executive produce the film along with Larry Schwarz and Doug MacLennan. Production on Eloise in Africa began in October and will be done entirely at Animation Collective’s New York studios.  This will be the first in a yearly series of animated films taking Eloise on adventures around the world. The release of Eloise in Africa will coincide with Eloise in Paris, a live-action feature written and directed by Charles Shyer.

"Eloise is one of HandMade’s centerpiece properties and Eloise in Africa is another step in the continuing development and growth of this timeless brand," said Patrick Meehan, the chairman of HandMade. 

"Having grown up as a precious, bordering on spoiled New York City kid, the opportunity to work on Eloise is a dream come true," added Larry Schwarz, the CEO of Animation Collective.