German family adventure Akiko – The Flying Monkey has been officially selected for and is set to premiere at Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival in the Kids section. Directed by Veit Helmer, the hybrid feature film blends liveaction storytelling with animation.
Featuring a mix of real animals and 800 VFX shots, the plot follows the adventurous journey of Akiko, a young monkey who escapes from the zoo to reunite with his family and free other captive animals. Along the way, he befriends an eagle, a raccoon, a meerkat, a ferret and a chameleon, each bringing their charm to the story.
The movie has already been sold in 46 countries including Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Russia and Somalia amongst others.
Helmer, who started making films at the age of 14, has directed numerous works such as Tuvalu, Absurdistan, and Gondola. The director’s films have been featured at festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice, and have won over 150 awards. A member of the German Film Academy, he is an educator, sharing his expertise at various film schools in Germany and abroad.
The director expressed, “Creating Akiko – The Flying Monkey was about crafting a narrative that resonates with anyone who retains a sense of wonder about the world. The film uses the playful antics and challenges of Akiko and his friends to explore themes of freedom and the hidden magic that surrounds us every day.”
The movie is a Veit Helmer film production, supported by the German Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), Kuratorium junger deutscher Film (KjdF), the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Filmförderung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The film was produced in close collaboration with NDR, BR, SWR, HR, SR, and RBB. Farbfilm Verleih will release the film in German cinemas, and Loco Films Paris is handling world sales.
