“Building co-production relationships in animation is a long-term investment of time and commitment.”
Ronan McCabe, CEO Animation Ireland
A new and irresistible protagonist is winning over young viewers on RTÉ KIDS: Mortina, the zombie girl who has already charmed hundreds of thousands of readers around the world, made her debut in a brand-new animated series on RTÉ2 at the end of January, and will run weekdays over twenty-six 12 minute episodes, created in 2D and made for 5 to 8 year old audiences.
The series, produced by Cartobaleno (Italy) and Treehouse Republic (Ireland) with the participation of Rai Kids and RTÉ KIDS (Ireland), is based on the book series of the same name written and illustrated by Barbara Cantini, published by Mondadori. Established in 2010, Treehouse Republic – Dale Robinson, Kevin McBride and Graham Holbrook – is a creative-led award-winning 2D animation studio based in Dublin, Ireland with over 2,100 minutes of content created to date, including shows like Marvel’s Hit Monkey, Hey Fuzzy Yellow, Atom Town, Cozmo & Friends!, and Hungry Bear Tales.
The co-production is the latest in a string of Irish and international collaborations facilitated by Animation Ireland, the representative trade body for animation studios in Ireland. The organisation is the collective voice of forty-five member studios, advocating for more than 2,500 highly skilled animation professionals who are employed full time across the island of Ireland, working on both international and domestic productions. “Building co-production relationships in animation is a long-term investment of time and commitment. Like all strong and sustainable business partnerships they take time to nurture and grow before they can produce tangible outcomes.”, says Ronan McCabe, CEO of Animation Ireland.“We led an Irish delegation to Turin in 2019 to meet the Italian industry and Public Service Media broadcasters. There have been follow up contacts with Italy at animation markets such as Kidscreen, Annecy and MIPCom over multiple years since then and the Mortina co-production was assisted by Animation Ireland’s presence at these markets and the relationship building that it encourages and facilitates.”
“In the current economic climate, it is vital that opportunities for Irish animation studios in international markets are explored and encouraged”, notes Dale Robinson, Creative Producer at Treehouse Republic and Executive Producer on Mortina. “Animation Ireland’s attendance and visibility at markets and festivals is an essential element of this process. Mortina is the result of years of relationship building; these collaborations don’t happen without consistent advocacy and a strong presence in the spaces where co-production deals are made. We’ve had thirty fantastic Irish crew working over six months to deliver the Irish lead elements of Season 1 of Mortina. And now we’ve just started into Season 2 and we’re looking forward to the work ahead with our brilliant partners Cartobaleno in Italy.”
Mortina is a true international publishing success: the book series has been translated into thirty languages and has sold 600,000 copies. The saga, consisting of six main volumes, several specials and spin-offs, now comes to the small screen with a mix of mystery, humor, and tenderness. The series recounts the adventures of the young detective with pale skin, raven hair, and an infectious smile who, however, is not a child like any other, she is a zombie. However, Mortina is not frightening, but with her friendliness and big heart, she shows that diversity is a treasure and not a flaw. The series’ 2D animation enhances the poetic and gothic graphic style of the books, with a visual language that blends fairy tale and mystery.
Mortina is directed by Andrea Castellani; Literary Bible by Alessandro Ferrari and Danny Stack; with Executive Producers Valeria Brancia, Elena Castellani and Dale Robinson. The Art Director is Mattia Francesco Laviosa
Mortina is co-financed by the European Union through the MEDIA program and produced with the support of audiovisual investment funds from Ministero della Cultura, Regione Toscana, the Government of Ireland, and Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, with the participation of RAI KIDS and RTÉ KIDS. The animation is certified according to the EcoMuvi regulations for environmental sustainability. The International Distributor is Studio100 International GmbH.
