The National Film Board of Canada has entered a new international co-production agreement with Germany’s Studio Film Bilder for a project titled Altötting, directed by renowned filmmaker Andreas Hykade. This is the first collaboration between NFB and Studio Film Bilder, and only the Canadian organization’s second co-pro agreement with Germany.
Expected to be completed by February 2018, Altötting (named after Hykade’s Bavarian hometown) follows a young boy who each week rides his bike many kilometres to a neighboring village, drawn by the numerous paintings depicting the Passion of the Christ in its chapel. But the boy’s own passions are altogether different. The producers are Thomas Meyer Hermann for Studio Film Bilder and Marc Bertrand for NFB.
In addition to Hykade’s project, NFB also announces a deal with France to celebrate the talent of notable Canadian and French graphic novelists with a series of four short films, Les chroniques du 9e art. The series will be produced by NFB and Sacrebleu Productions and directed by Guy Delisle, Zviane, Lewis Trondheim and Aude Picault.
Les chroniques (late summer 2017) will consist of three- to four-minute shorts in which graphic novelists-turned-directors playfully explore the creativity and simplicity of everyday life. Working with experienced animators, the directors will present highly original tales either drawn from their existing work or newly conceived. Marc Bertrand and Sacrebleu’s Ron Dyens are producing. Canal+ in France and ICI ARTV in Canada are broadcast partners.
Finally, NFB also announces it is in development on Harvey with France’s Folimage. Nicola Lemay and Janice Nadeau (No Fish Where to Go) are directing the project, which is based on the graphic novel of the same name written by Herve Bouchard and illustrated by Nadeau. The story explores the grief of a young child who suddenly loses his father. Harvey is slated for completion by Winter 2019.
