14-11-2018

New Festive Fairy-tale

    Mimi & Lisa: Christmas Lights Mystery by Ivana Šebestová Mimi & Lisa: Christmas Lights Mystery by Ivana Šebestová

    Fool Moon production studio (Slovakia) - in cooperation with RTVS (Radio & Television Slovakia – public broadcaster) and MAUR film studio (Czech Republic) - has created Mimi & Lisa: Christmas Lights Mystery - a 26-minute animated film.  This new fairy-tale addition to the popular Mimi & Lisa series will premiere on 21 November in France, a day later at Slovak cinemas, on 6 December in the Czech Republic as part of a Mimi & Lisa Christmas special, and on RTVS during the festive season. Slovart Publishing Ltd has also published the fairy-tale as an attractive book in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

    When RTVS premiered the Mimi & Lisa animated series in 2013 it became an instant hit with young viewers, and in 2015 a further 13 parts were produced. The series has also been successful in France -  with six of the fairy-tales screened in cinemas in a 45-minute block with over 70,000 viewers. Kids as far afield as Czech Republic, Belgium, Brazil, China, Canada, Hong Kong and other countries have also befriended Mimi & Lisa. And now the creators have come up with something truly amazing!

    “Our French sales agent had the idea of a Christmas special,” said Katarína Kerekesová (co-director with Ivana Šebestová). “This was a big challenge – both because of the film’s length and the festive theme.”

    Being blind, Mimi interprets the world through her sensitive touch and alert hearing. She and best friend Lisa have visited many fantastic worlds of fun and mystery. And now Christmas is nearly here. Mimi, Lisa and their neighbours decorate a magnificent tree – but the Christmas lights won’t work! Where have their warm glows gone? Have they fled to warmer climes or perhaps been stolen? A finger of suspicion points in the direction of friend-less neighbour Viliam. Mimi and Lisa take an adventurous journey into the past to bring their magical Christmas lights back! "Although the story is universal, its yuletide setting makes the fairy-tale full of wonder and joy,“ observes Katarína.

    The film is complemented by music specially composed by Lucia Chuťková, in cooperation with Slovak Radio’s symphony orchestra and children’s choir. Slovak vocals were sung by Ela Tolstová from the Tolstoy cappella, while Markéta Irglová - an Oscar-winner with Glen Hansard for Once - sings the Czech version.

    As well as directing Christmas Lights Mystery, Katarína Kerekesová and Ivana Šebestová were also co-writers (with Kataríná Moláková and Anna Vášová) and worked with Boris Šima on the film’s art design.

    Mimi & Lisa: Christmas Lights Mystery was produced with support from the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, the Audiovisual Fund (SK), and the State Fund of Cinematography (CZ). In addition to Slovakia, France and the Czech Republic, interest has also been expressed by the RAI (Italy), RTV (Slovenia), and YLE TV 2 (Finland) television networks.

    Genre: Animated TV special
    Title: Christmas Lights Mystery
    Animation technique: 2D cut-out
    Lenght of the movie: 26 min
    Target audience: 5 – 8 years
    Country of origin: Slovakia
    Script: Katarína Moláková, Katarína Kerekesová, Ivana Šebestová, Anna Vášová
    Story editor: Halka Marčeková
    Art design: Ivana Šebestová, Boris Šima, Katarína Kerekesová,
    Technical director: Jozef Střelec
    Compositing: Juraj Kráľ
    Edit: Matej Beneš
    Sound: Martin Merc
    Music by: Lucia Chuťková Džubáková
    Directed by: Ivana Šebestová
    Producer: Fool Moon Ltd
    Co-producers: Radio and Television Slovakia, Maurfilm
    World sales: Planet Nemo Animation