In co-production with partners in Brazil, Argentina and Stuttgart, the stories of the great-great-great-great-grandson of Don Quixote will come to life as an animated film with 1 million euros of FFF funding. For Netflix, the Munich-based company Claussen+Putz is producing the second season of the series Biohackers in Bavaria, while W&B Television, also based in Munich, is producing two new series for Turner. ScanlineVFX is contributing to the digital imaging of the Isaac Asimov-adaptation Foundation for Apple TV+. FFF supports these projects within the framework of the International Theatrical Features and Series funding program.
Bavaria’s Minister for Digital Affairs Judith Gerlach: “Despite the Corona crisis, Bavarian film productions have some very interesting projects in the pipeline. I am very pleased that we are supporting, among other things, the planned animated film Quixote’s – The Heirs of La Mancha, which is being produced by Munich-based Studio 100 Media, mainly in Bavaria. Only with attractive offers like these will cinemas be able to master this crisis. The Free State of Bavaria stands behind its film and cinema industry
Production Support International Theatrical Features
1 million euros of FFF funding will go to Quixote’s - The Heirs of La Mancha, an animated film based on one of the greatest works of world literature: Miguel de Cervantes’ novel The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha from the 17th century. The film tells the story of Alfonso, the 11-year-old great-great-great-great-grandson of the dreamy knight Don Quixote. When his hometown of La Mancha is in great danger, Alfonso, the rightful heir of Don Quixote, decides to do everything possible to save the city together with his friends.
The Munich-based production company Studio 100 Media is realizing the project together with GF Films Argentina, Chatrone Brazil and M.A.R.K.13. Stuttgart. It will be directed by Gonzalo Gutierrez, based on books by stand-up comedian Carlos Kotkin, who was involved as an author in the screenplays of Rio 2, Ferdinand, Bo und der Weihnachtsstern and Jagdfieber 4.
More than half of the animation work will take place in Bavaria, where a total of 90 creative professionals at Studio 100 Media and Studio Isar Animation are expected to work on it over the next 27 months. Further animation work will take place in Stuttgart, Buenos Aires and Sao Paolo.
Line Producer Funding – Digital Imaging
FFF is providing 500,000 euros in funding for the drama series Foundation, based on the book series of the same name by Isaac Asimov. Showrunner and executive producer is David S. Goyer, the pilot will be directed by Rupert Sanders. Skydance Television is producing the adaptation in cooperation with Studio Babelsberg for Apple TV+. The Munich-based company ScanlineVFX is involved in the visual effects of the first season.
Line Producer Funding – Series
Three further series for the international market are being supported by FFF Bayern with a total of 800,000 euros.
400,000 euros will go to the production of the second season of Biohackers, which plays in the world of medical research. It is produced by the Munich production company Claussen+Putz, which already produced the first season and will start this year on Netflix. Head author, showrunner and director of some episodes is Christian Ditter, while further episodes will be directed by Tim Trachte. Tanja Bubbel and Miriam Rechel are working on the scripts. As in the first season, the filming will take place mainly in Bavaria.
The FFF is supporting the six-part coming-of-age series Almost Fly, a collaboration between the Munich-based production company W&B Television and TNT Serie, which travels to the beginnings of German hip-hop, with 250,000 euros: Three young people discover rap for themselves in the West German provinces in 1990. The director will be Florian Gaag, who also wrote the scripts.
A second project produced by W&B Television with TNT Serie, which is being supported by the FFF Bayern with 150,000 euros, is titled Para - Wir sind King: On the threshold of adulthood, four young women are looking into an uncertain future. Only one thing is certain: they have big dreams. A chance find gives hope for quick money and a better life. Torn between reason and the desire for more fun and perspectives, their friendship is put to the test. Behind the camera is the creative team responsible for 4 Blocks: Özgür Yildirim is the director, Hanno Hackfort, Bob Konrad and Richard Kropf are responsible for the concept. The scripts were written by Hanno Hackfort, Luisa Hardenberg and Katharina Sophie Brauer.
About the FFF program International Theatrical Features and Series
A sub-committee of the FFF Awards Committee for Film Funding decides on the allocation of funds in the International Theatrical Features and Series program. This program has, thus far, supported films such as Big Game with Samuel L. Jackson, Snowden by Oliver Stone with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shaileene Woodlay, The Happy Prince by and with Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Emily Watson, Euphoria with Alicia Vikander, Eva Green and Charlotte Rampling, Trautmann with David Kross and Freya Mavor,Guns Akimbo with Daniel Radcliffe, Resistance with Jesse Eisenberg, Kung Fury 2 with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Stowaway with Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette. Also supported were animated films for the international market such as Dragon Rider and Maya the Bee 3, while series supported for the international market include We Children of Bahnhof Zoo, Dark - Season 3,Tribes of Europa and Souls. In the area of Line Producer Funding - Digital Imaging, FFF supported 22 projects, including Transformers 5, Black Panther, Tomb Raider and Stranger Things - Season 3.