12/10/2021 In a milestone deal, Superights, the distribution arm of France’s Superprod Group, has pacted with ViacomCBS Networks International for Nickelodeon International to roll out “Anna & Friends” across the world outside North America. Made on a brand-new addition to the Superights catalog, the deal was announced on Monday, the first day of MipJunior, which this year forms part of Mipcom. It also marks the first multi-territory Nickelodeon sale for the Paris-based Superights, and a massive first window distribution ensuring that the series will broadcast in nearly all international territories. Nickelodeon will specifically bring episodes to Asia-Pacific territories, excluding mainland China, as well as to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. “Anna & Friends” also underscores the innovation coursing through much contemporary animation, using what Superights describes as “innovative CG animation techniques” to create a “charming, hand-modeled clay appearance.” In an interesting distribution arrangement, free-to-air broadcast networks will have the opportunity to acquire the program for further broadcasting after Nickelodeon’s first window. The Nickelodeon deal for international marks the latest move from Superprod, founded in 2010 by Jérémie Fajner and Clément Calvet, which has made its name producing both animated series (“Pat the Dog,” Netflix’s “Go, Go Cory Carson”) and features and runs its own animation studio. It leapt to prominence co-producing Tomm Moore’s Academy Award-nominated “Song of the Sea,” In its storyline, “Anna & Friends” looks classic pre-school fare: Six-year-old Anna lives daily adventures with friends including impatient Froga the frog, thoughtful Ron the cat, overly-confident Bubu the dog and naïve Christopher the orange worm. The series’ “engaging” storylines are “full of heart, humor and happiness,” Superights announced Monday.
