TV Kids Screenings Festival Now Live

MIPJunior is finally returning to the JW Marriott, and by all accounts, the global kids’ industry is expected to be back in full force in Cannes. Buyers from across the landscape—linear, AVOD, SVOD—have an abundance of fantastic properties to choose from, as you’ll see from our second-annual TV Kids Screenings Festival.

Visit TVKidsScreeningsFestival.com to screen these titles. Clicking on each show title below will take you directly to the trailer.

ZDF Studios arrives in Cannes with a broad selection of shows to meet the needs of every buyer in the kids’ segment. Arne Lohmann, VP Junior, spotlights the company’s strong preschool slate, led by Grisù, about a plucky dragon who wants to be a firefighter. “This remake of the classic property will enchant a new generation of preschoolers,” Lohmann says, also pointing to another revival on offer from the company, Pettson and Findus. ZDF Studios has also strengthened its successful live-action lineup for older kids. There’s Theodosia, targeting kids 10-plus, and a new season of #LikeMe, which will make its tween and teen viewers “laugh, cringe, smile, cry and sing along to catchy tunes at the same time,” Lohmann says.

As virtually every major kids’ content buyer chases that elusive perfect 6 to 11 comedy, Odin’s Eye Animation is offering up The Beachbuds, about a group of exotic birds working at the Zoobak Resort. “We are confident that streamers, broadcasters and audiences alike will love The Beachbuds, a very funny, warmhearted, action-packed series from J-TOON Productions,” says Michael Favelle, CEO and founder.

CAKE, meanwhile, is showcasing its Angry Birds slate, encompassing such titles as Angry Birds Toons, Angry Birds Stella, Angry Birds MakerSpace and more. “We are excited to be offering Angry Birds short-form non-dialogue content now in a compilation format of 11-minute or 22-minute episodes,” says CEO Ed Galton. “Fun for all ages, our latest compilations introduce a second season of Angry Birds MakerSpace (now in 3D) as well as the newest series, Angry Birds Slingshot Stories.”

Epic Story Media is also looking for laughs with its new preschool offering, Luna, Chip & Inkie: Adventure Rangers Go, a music-filled series for the 4-to-6 set. “Each episode contains an original song written by award-winning composer Daniel Ingram,” says Jessica Labi, head of distribution and brand strategy. “It’s such a fun way to encourage kids to respect nature and explore the great outdoors!”

Animasia Studio has four highlights in the TV Kids Screenings Festival, including its hit non-dialogue slapstick comedy Harry & Bunnie and an action series for kids aged 6 to 11, Dragon Force 3—Monsters Rise. “Kids love dinosaurs and giant robots such as [those in] Transformers and Power Rangers,” says Raye Lee, executive director. “Dragon Force is a perfect blend: all these kid-favored epic elements with stories that also highlight universal values of friendship, self-reliance, sacrifice and true heroism.” Animasia is also highlighting the edutainment adventure Team Curios, which has been a hit in China, Lee says, and a series of educational music videos created by Adam Williams-Walters, English Tree TV, which has logged over 2.5 billion views and 2 million subscribers on YouTube alone.

Education is also the focus at Bimi Boo Kids with its 52×5-minute preschool series, The Incredible Stories of Bimi Boo and Friends. “The series inspires one to believe in oneself, to be unafraid of venturing out of one’s comfort zone to learn—what Bimi constantly does, pushing his friends into new adventures,” says Ani Poghosyan, COO and producer. “They learn by having constant fun. The series teaches about collaboration and compromise, and embracing differences. Good cartoons make you want to stay home; great cartoons inspire you to roam. We strive to create exactly that: a kind of series that would inspire kids to roam, play and learn.”

New from WildBrain is the comedy series Summer Memories, based on creator Adam Yaniv’s experiences growing up in Israel with his friends and family. “Summer Memories is an amazing, creator-driven comedy series for 6- to 12-year-olds,” says Caroline Tyre, VP of global sales and rights strategy. “The 2D-animated show offers heart, authenticity and laughs.”

Fostering a belief in kids that they can help to save the environment, SeaBelievers is being rolled out by Studio 100 Media. “SeaBelieversis targeted at preschoolers and is an outstanding TV series—the first ever to represent a whole new genre of eco-tainment,” says Dorian Bühr, head of global distribution. “This genre, created by Brien Arone, founder and SeaEO of SeaBelievers, combines the benefit of edutainment for children being informative and realistic about real-life issues affecting our ocean and encouraging kids to make a difference—because they can!”

See the TV Kids Screenings Festival here.