UK animation will be front-and-centre at this year’s Berlinale as part of the first ever EFM Animation Days. To mark the occasion, we thought we’d get the inside skinny from some of the companies taking part in the event’s UK Spotlight.

Supported by the BFI National Lottery UK Focus Fund and curated by Animation UK as programme partner, the UK Spotlight will showcase the power of the UK’s feature animation talent with pitch sessions, a co-pro case study and opportunities for one-to-one consults with UK animation experts. As Kate O’Connor, Executive Chair, Animation UK explains: “The UK Spotlight at Berlinale reflects the strength, ambition and global relevance of UK animation today — bringing distinctive storytelling and world-class talent to international partners at a pivotal moment for feature animation.”

Pitching UK animation talent

Friday’s exclusive pitch session will see five family-friendly feature animation projects unveiled to international financiers, sales agents and potential co-pro partners. They range from adaptations of beloved stories to all-new IP, with reps from Lupus Films, Hoho Entertainment (in association with Wild Child Animation), Snafu Pictures, Two Daughters Entertainment and Space Age Films all keen to wow would-be partners with their creativity and storytelling.

While the producers don’t shy away from the challenges facing UK animation companies—market contraction; the ongoing impact of Brexit; rising production costs—they remain buoyant in terms of the country’s ability to deliver world-class animated features. “In the UK we have all the creative skills to produce top tier children’s content,” says Hoho Entertainment’sOliver Ellis. His thoughts are shared by Camilla Deakin of Lupus Films. “The UK animation sector is extremely strong in terms of creative vision and IP and the industry certainly has the skills and talent to create really memorable and commercial animated films,” she says. “Plus there’s the new enhanced tax credit for independent films makes the UK a more attractive territory for co-productions than ever before.”

Both producers are attending this year’s UK spotlight with adaptations of beloved children’s classics: Hoho Entertainment with Toad The Movie, an adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s classic The Wind In The Willows, and Lupus Films with Brambly Hedge, based on the work of writer and illustrator Jill Barklem. Between them, these stories have sold almost 100 million books and been translated into dozens of languages worldwide, neatly showcasing the universal appeal and evergreen popularity of British storytelling.

Hoho’s feature-length project seeks to build on the success of the animated series they produced Warner Bros. Discover, which launched worldwide throughout 2023-2026. “The series was very much inspired by the novel, taking the much-loved characters of Toad, Ratty and Mole and creating new stories for them and adding new characters for them to engage with,” explains Oliver. “In the movie, we are returning to the story of the original novel but updating it with the new characters we introduced in the series and also reinstating scenes from the novel that previous iterations have left out. It’s a very sympathetic adaptation whilst also being a sensitive update.” Currently in early stage development, Oliver is hoping to use his first trip to Berlinale as an information-gathering mission, with an eye to also attracting partners and financing.

Similarly, Camilla says that Lupus Films are seeking co-producers, buyers and financiers for their family animated adventure movie. “The books are so wonderfully charming and warm and still retain their appeal over 40 years since they were first published,” she says of Brambly Hedge, while also noting their enduring themes of community and respect for the environment.

An international co-pro success

Away from the UK Spotlight’s pitching sessions, there’ll be a special session focusing on The Amazing Maurice 2, with the UK and German companies behind the animated feature discussing their co-production experiences as part of an exclusive panel session. The session will explore how the co-production was structured, from financing strategies and partner alignment to managing cross-border production workflows while maintaining a unified creative vision. The session is likely to be of particular interest given that the film’s UK production company, Cantilever Media, have recently formed a join venture with sale and financing company Architect that seeks to get two new animated movies off the ground every year starting with an adaptation of English writer Guy Kennaway’s Bird Brain.

Ask an expert

For those inspired to find out more about the practicalities of working with UK animation talent, the EFM will also be hosting one-on-one consultations with UK animation professionals, including Sean Clarke (Aardman), Ken Anderson (Red Kite Animation) and Chris Halliday (BFI, Head of Certification).