Magma Films’ animated feature film Niko & the Way to the Stars received both the juried Lion award and the Audience Award at children’s film fest Cinekid in Amsterdam over the weekend. The CG movie was released on home video in the U.S. on Tuesday under the title The Flight Before Christmas. The win marks the first time a film has picked up both awards at Cinekid. The Lion Award comes with a cash prize of ‘15,000 to help filmmakers produce new projects.
Directed by Michael Hegner and Kari Juusonen and exec produced by Magma Films’ Ralph Christians, Niko & the Way to the Stars tells the story of a young reindeer who dreams of flying and pulling Santa’s seligh on Christmas like his father. Things turn hairy when he discovers that the Big Bad Wolf and his cohorts are planning to replace the reindeer as Santa’s elite flying outfit.
The pic is co-produced by Finnish film company Anima Vitae, Ulysses Films in Germany and A. Film in Denmark. Production was supported by the Irish Film Board and the Government of Ireland Section 481 tax incentive. German distributor Telepool has sold the film to more than 100 territories, with The Weinstein Co. handling the English-language rights. Moviegoers in Ireland can catch it in theaters on Nov. 28.
