Achievements in your business’s two-year activity?
Two years ago, together with producers Juraj Krasnohorský and Martin Vandas, we launched the company and took our first steps into international distribution. Thanks to their experience and support, many doors opened for us from the very beginning. We also benefited from the openness of colleagues across the distribution community, who were always willing to share their experience and advice.
Our first Annecy was a memorable one. We launched the company there in 2024 with just two films in our catalogue, and one of them, Hello Summer by Martin Smatana and Veronika Zacharová, went on to win the Young Audience Award. In many ways, that was the moment when everything started.
Since then, it has been an exciting learning experience. We expanded our activities beyond festival and sales distribution and explored theatrical distribution. We started collaborating with new producers, built a real team, and established relationships with festivals that now approach us directly when looking for content for young audiences.
Another milestone was presenting the first Bear With Me Distribution Award. Supporting emerging talent and contributing to the animation community is something we care deeply about, and we hope to continue developing this part of our work in the future.
What do you represent, in which territories, and what are your highlights at the upcoming MIFA market in Annecy?
We represent short animated films with worldwide distribution rights, working closely with independent producers and studios. Our catalogue brings together projects from different countries, cultures, and animation techniques, but they share one thing in common: a strong connection to children, families, and young audiences.
This year’s Annecy is particularly special because we are celebrating our second anniversary. We launched the company there with just two films in our catalogue. Two years later, we are returning with a dedicated team and a much better understanding of what distribution actually means in practice.
At MIFA, we will be presenting several new titles and meeting with buyers, broadcasters, festival programmers, and producers. We are also looking forward to reconnecting with friends and colleagues from across the animation community.
What are your next plans?
We would like to continue doing what inspired us to start the company in the first place: discovering strong animated stories and helping them find their audiences.
In the coming years, we want to further develop our work with young audiences, continue building relationships with buyers and partners, and support talented filmmakers and producers. We are also interested in exploring new ways of bringing animated films to audiences beyond the traditional festival circuit.
We would also like to dedicate more time to education in distribution, particularly for films aimed at children and young audiences. We have learned a lot from others over the past two years, and we would like to help share that knowledge further.
In your opinion, how is the distribution of animation content changing during this recent challenging period?
To be honest, we are probably too young as a company to compare today’s market with previous decades. What I can say is that I have experienced the industry from several different perspectives over the last few years—first as a production coordinator, then as a festival director, and now as a distributor—which has shown me how quickly the landscape can evolve.
The current market is certainly challenging, especially for independent players. But I don’t think this is a reason to give up. Our own experience has shown us how strong and supportive the animation community can be, and I hope that spirit of collaboration continues.
We believe distributors are needed more than ever to help films reach the right audiences. This feels particularly important for us because we work primarily with children and teenagers. They are not only an important audience today; they will shape what cinema and animation look like tomorrow. Helping them discover diverse, meaningful stories is one of the main reasons why we do what we do.
