The studio behind ‘Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet’ has partnered with screenwriters Amy Higgins and Todd Casey, and ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ executive producer Jason Lust, on a 2D film about a young girl whose family is taken captive by a mystical shepherd who has lost faith in humanity; filmmakers will be attending Annecy 2023.
Bardel Entertainment, the animation studio behind 2016 Annie Award-nominated feature Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, has partnered with Amy Higgins and Todd Casey, screenwriters of an upcoming to-be-announced Apple TV+ animated series, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio executive producer Jason Lust, on the 2D animated feature, The Immortal. Alex Avagimian will direct.
Drawing inspiration from the rich folklore of Avagimian’s birthplace, the film follows the remarkable journey of 13-year-old Anna, described as a “wolf in the body of a mouse.” Tragedy befalls Anna’s family when they are taken captive by the enigmatic Immortal, a mystical shepherd whose loss of faith in humanity, witnessed through the horrors of war, drives him to transform all adults into sheep.
According to Lust, “The Immortal is a timely fable for today’s world. I’m very proud to be producing Alex’s directorial debut with such an amazingingly talented group of people. The Immortal is a truly special project that will help shed light on important current ideologies while using the classic medium of 2D animation in a fresh way. There may be no better time for this film than now. It’s a story that must be told because it’s being told in front of the world’s eyes.”
“The story of The Immortal weaves together elements of history, folklore and timeless storytelling,” said Chow. “The team at Bardel cannot wait to bring this extraordinary story to life.”
Avagimian added, “I am thrilled to shine a light on the strange folktales of my childhood.”
The feature will be produced by Lust of Soluble Fish Productions and executive produced by Lust, Tina Chow and Richard Grieve of Bardel Entertainment, Mike Callaghan and Reuben Liber of Ranger 7 Films, Higgins, Casey, and Avagimian.
Lust, Callaghan, Higgins, Avagimian, Chow, and Grieve will be attending Annecy 2023 next week, and can be reached via the Annecy Networking website.
Bardel is known for its work on animated features Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, and the Emmy Award-winning series Rick & Morty, Emmy Award-winning series The Dragon Prince, and Teen Titans Go! Higgins is currently the creator and showrunner of an undisclosed Apple TV animated series. Casey, a veteran animation writer, is the co-writer of the feature Krampus; he is also the current story editor on a yet to be announced animated series at Apple TV.
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