Chinese animation closes deals at Cannes
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, June 1, 2017
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A still from the Chinese animated feature "Duck Duck Goose." [Photo courtesy of Original Force/China.org.cn] |
Chinese animated family comedy "Duck Duck Goose" sold its U.S. distribution rights to Open Road Films at the already concluded Cannes Film Festival.
China's Original Force produced and financed the film, directed by Christopher Jenkins from a screenplay he wrote with Rob Muir. It has a voice cast of Jim Gaffigan, Zendaya Coleman and Lance Lim. The Chinese version's voice cast has not been released yet.
Open Road Films has acquired all U.S. rights to the "Duck Duck Goose." Open Road will release the film on April 20, 2018 in North America.
The story tells of a high-flying bachelor goose named Peng (Gaffigan) who is injured in flight and finds himself saddled with two adorably demanding ducklings (Zendaya, Lim) on a long journey south that will turn this scrappy threesome into a family. Penney Finkelman Cox and Sandra Rabins produced the film.
"We are thrilled to be in business with Harley Zhao and the team at Original Force," Open Road CEO Tom Ortenberg said. "Sandy and Penney are legends in animation having launched Sony Pictures Animation and DreamWorks Animation, and their impressive track record developing and producing commercial and critical hits in this space speaks for itself. In addition to being a wholly original story filled with lovably funny and relatable characters that the entire family will enjoy, the animation in 'Duck Duck Goose' is truly superb and the project is a welcome addition to our 2018 slate."
"'Duck Duck Goose' has been an amazing international collaboration from start to finish," Finkelman Cox and Rabins said. "And we could not be more proud of the artistry, storytelling and the dazzling animation accomplished by the team at Original Force Animation. Everyone from China to Culver City is delivering a visually stunning and enchanting film that all audiences will fall in love with all over the world."
Harley Zhao added, "'Duck Duck Goose' is just a beginning. In the future there will be more and more Chinese produced animated features coming out to amaze domestic and foreign audiences. We are so glad to start this journey with all the distribution partners."
Besides North America, the film's rights have been sold to dozens of countries. Britain's independent distributor Nigel Green acquired rights of "Duck Duck Goose" in the United Kingdom for more than 10 million yuan, which is said to be "the highest selling record for the distribution rights ever for a Chinese animated feature in a single overseas country."
Original Force has also signed cooperation contracts with China's film giant Wanda Pictures to produce, distribute and promote "Duck Duck Goose" back in April at the Beijing International Film Festival.
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