The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) have invested $3 million across nine children’s animated series from Quebec.

The funds are from the CMF-SODEC Prototyping of Children and Youth Animation Series Program announced in June 2024. The partnership looks to accelerate the production of Quebec-made, original-IP animated series for children and facilitate their financing with broadcasters, distributors and other national and international partners.

SODEC contributed $2 million while CMF contributed $1 million to the program’s budget. The selected projects will be produced in 2D animation, 3D animation and stop motion.

Two projects received $438,000, the most among the nine. The first is Drama Queen (Productions Squeeze), directed by Patrick Beaulieu and written by Beaulieu and Vincent Bernier. It follows an only child who is a princess in a video-game world. One day, when she accidentally resets the game, she must move forward and regain what she lost.

The second is Tribu 3000 (Happy Camper Média), directed by Marie Émilie Rowe and written by Pierre-Michel Tremblay and rapper FouKi. The musical comedy is set in the year 3000 in a post-apocalyptic Quebec and celebrates resilience and the joy of living despite adversity.

Ma maison-tête (Productions CarpeDiem, Studio Singing Frog), directed by Sophie Roy and written by Robin Balzano with screenwriting consulting from Grégory Baranès, received $420,000. It follows an eight-year-old with ADHD who enters his maison-tête (head house) to find the answers to his problems. Ma maison-tête is based on the children’s book by author and illustrator Vincent Gagnon.

Nebulous Stars (Écho Média), written by Annie Turcotte, received $411,500. Inspired by the Quebec brand of the same name, the series takes place in a celestial world where emotions shape reality.

Le blues du bayou (RodeoFX Originals), directed by Olivier Côté and written by Côté and Adib Alkhalidey, was granted $379,000. It tells the story of a Lafayette bayou tadpole who wants to flee to the freshwater lake to undergo their metamorphosis into a frog.

Les tout doux (10e Avenue Productions, 10e Ave Animation, Unstandard Studio, Touski Animation), directed by Christine Dallaire-Dupont and written by Andrée Lambert was granted $365,000. The series follows animals made of fabric learning to live together.

Pauline (Productions Avenida, Loomi Animation), written by Anouk Mahiout, received $250,000. The series tells the story of a young girl who is searching for her place in the world. It is adapted from Mahiout’s book Pauline, une petite place pour moi.

The eighth selection is Super ami (Image-In Productions with Rayon FX), directed by Sylvain Lavoie and written by Manon and Muguette Berthelet. It follows a 10-year-old boy with Down syndrome who changes into a superhero costume to solve his friends problems. The series was granted $204,000.

Rounding out the selections is Albert, le lapin abstrait (Embuscade Films), written and directed by Suzie Bergeron. The series, which received $94,500, tells the story of a rabbit and his friend in a world of folded paper as they explore the world and broaden their horizons.

Image: Unsplash