TeamTO Takes Rights to Ninn

TeamTO has acquired the TV, film and licensing rights to Ninn, a series of graphic novels by Jean-Michel Darlot and Johan Pilet.

The animated limited series, aimed at kids 7 and up, will center on 11-year-old Ninn, who has a mysterious connection to the Paris Metro. Though she knows every nook and cranny of the Metro, with skateboarding through its tunnels her favorite hobby, she still has a million questions about it. Despite her dads’ concerns, Ninn and the tiger explore every dark tunnel and abandoned station, eager to uncover the clues and connections she’s been searching for.

Published by boutique Belgian publisher Kennes Éditions, Ninn was written by Jean-Michel Darlot and illustrated by Belgian artist Johan Pilet. To date, four graphic novels have been distributed in France, Belgium and Canada, with over 100,000 copies sold in France. A fifth and sixth novel of the series are in production.

Corinne Kouper, executive producer at TeamTO, said: “As soon as I saw the first album I immediately felt attracted by its graphic design style, which is both classic and fantastical. I fell in love with the independent and free-thinking spirit of this little urban girl on the platform of the Paris Metro, visibly protected by her large and warm white tiger. I also liked the idea of Ninn roaming freely through the underground tunnels on her skateboard as if it were her bedroom, and her unique and touching relationship with her two dads.”

Mary Bredin, TeamTO Creative Development Executive, added, “Stories that are grounded in locations are really appealing to me and this one is set in the Paris Metro—how surprising and intriguing is that?! Our hero’s story is at once unbelievable and yet so relatable. Adapting graphic novels is a bit of a trend right now but I think it is because they play in a darker, more dramatic space which provides a depth that isn’t normally present in a lot of animated series.”

Jean-Michel Darlot, author of Ninn, said: “I have definitely been influenced by Miyazaki in finding the magical in the ordinary, and I have always been inspired by the Paris Metro. This is where the story comes from, the Metro is not just a means of transportation. It has its own personality and we portray it as a character in our story—a character with some secrets of its own.”