Imira Inks Pre-NATPE Toon Deals

Thursday, January 10, 2008
By: Ryan Ball

Barcelona-based production and distribution company Imira Ent. (formerly Icon Animation) has announced a raft of pre-NATPE sales that extend the reach of its animated shows across Spanish-language channels in the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S., free TV outlet ¡Sorpresa! TV has picked up Spanish-language rights to the Imira-produced Lola & Virginia, while Discovery Kids Latin America brings on Millimage’s international pre-school hit property Louie, and Ecuadorian free TV channel Ecuavisa adds the action show Skyland from Method Film and 9 Story. In addition, Miami’s Beverly Hills Entertainment has picked up TV and home video rights to Imira’s new 70-minute animated film Christopher Coolumbus for Latin America.

Lola and Virginia currently airs on Animania in the U.S., on Nickelodeon Latin America and SBT in Brazil, while Skyland can be seen on Nickelodeon International channels and Nicktoons in the U.S. Discovery Kids Latin America will launch Louie in March, and home video rights have been acquired by En Pentalla for México. The series previously sold to BBC, France 5, Super RTL, Discovery Kids Latin America and ABC in Australia, among others.

Imira will also head to NATPE with Bali, a co-production between Planet Nemo Animation and Subsequence Ent. The toon show for kids 3-6 was recently awarded the Special Children’s Jury Prize for Best Television Series at the Cordoba Animation Festival in Spain, and previously won the prestigious Gémeaux Prize in Canada for Best Animation Series 2007. Imira holds the rights for Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. Bali airs in more than 20 territories worldwide on channels including France 5, Disney Channel France and Radio Canada.

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