LA- and Paris-based entertainment mainstay Gaumont has appointed Laura Laas as Vice President, International TV Sales, Animation. Charged with selling the company’s TV toon slate within EMEA and North America, as well as securing international co-production partners, Laas will report to Vanessa Shapiro, President of Worldwide TV Distribution & Co-Production.
Laas will also work closely with Gaumont’s animation team, lead by Nicolas Atlan, President, Animation. She will join the company’s contingent at the MIFA in Annecy next week for her first market attendance in her new role.
Before joining Gaumont, Laas most recently served as International Sales Manager at France TV Distribution, where she created and oversaw global distribution strategies for animation content. Her resume also includes previous posts at Toei Animation Europe and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
“We have seen significant growth in our animation business over the past year, with three new kids series close to completion, and three recently announced projects in development with several more to be unveiled in the coming months,” commented Shapiro. “Laura’s extensive industry background and expertise will be of paramount importance as we roll out these completed series and finalize co-production partnerships for our new development slate.”
Slated for delivery by Gaumont’s animation division this year are Belle & Sebastian (52 x 11 min.), a co-production with Canada’s Groupe PVP Inc., to air on ZDF (Germany), M6 (France), Piwi+ (France), Radio Canada (Canada), VRT (Belgium), RTBF (Belgium) and RTS (Switzerland); Furry Wheels (52 x 11 min.), commissioned by France Télévisions and Disney XD; and Trulli Tales (52 x 11 min.), co-produced with Groupe PVP Inc., Congedo Culturarte and Fandango, to air on Disney Junior EMEA, RAI, Radio Canada and Globosat.
