Russian companies presented 25 animated films and series to Vietnamese and other international distributors at Telefilm Vietnam 2023, which was organised by Russian film promotion body ROSKINO. Six key animation companies from the country participated in the international film market under the united Russian Content Worldwide brand.
Russia’s SMF Animation presented an animated feature Detective Chirp & the Golden Beehive and a slate of animated series, including Adventures of Peter and Wolf, Monsikids, the Secrets of Honey Hills and I’ll Get You! Animated series produced by SMF Animation are broadcast in Vietnam by the largest telecommunications provider FPT Telecom and the leading premium pay TV service VSTV. In Southeast Asia, SMF Animation has enhanced global media distribution coverage – it has partnered with a cable and satellite television operator Truevision in Thailand, Astro media holding in Malaysia, and RTB national public broadcaster in Brunei.
Riki Group presented its latest TV series Beardy Bodo and new seasons of its internationally known projects The Fixies, Tina and Tony, Finnick and Teddy Boom. Beardy Bodo talks about about geography, culture and history of different nations and important travelling tips. This project presented Russia at Chicago International Kids Film Festival and got the top award at Chinh India Kids Film Festival. By the end of this year the series will be released in China. Last year, three of Riki’s projects – Baby Riki, Pincode, KikoRiki have been launched on FPT Play (a subscription TV service with more than 36 million app downloads and 25 million users) in Vietnamese language.
Another Russian animation company which is already known in many other Asian countries is Voronezh Animation studio. The studio presented its new project – the teen-oriented animated show The Steel Family: Brotherhood vs Gold – which is about a 15-year-old Moscow school boy who discovers a secret of an incredible power source, which the head of an influential international corporation is after. The studio also presented an animated feature The Arctic Heroes, the main characters of which save a baby mammoth from an obsessed scientist, who wants to use the animal for future cloning and sales. In December 2018, the fourth movie of the studio’s franchise – The Snow Queen: Mirrorlands – had a successful debut in Vietnam, through the region’s largest movie theater chain CJ E&M Corporation. The Vietnamese premiere was well-accepted by the audience. Later, the distributor purchased the rights to broadcast the fifth instalment of the franchise – The Snow Queen and the Princess – in Vietnam, the dates of the future release being decided on.
Digital Television Russia (DTR), a leader in kids’ media and Pay TV market in Russia, brought to Vietnam its new projects – Puppies&Kittens and Champies. Puppies&Kittens tells the story of incredible adventures of little animals that teach kids how to help each other and develop important skills. In Champies, toys living in the room of a boy named Roma come alive when he isn’t home, carrying young viewers off into a world full of unpredictable adventures. DTR considers APAC region as important, started collaborating with Asian partners a couple of years ago and has sold many hours of TV shows for kids. The company has a wide range of products and services: 19 pay TV channels of different genres, a popular OTT platform for kids in Russia, YouTube channels, theatrical distribution, toy stores, festivals and the largest kids’ animation studio.
The animation company Yarko presented the animated series Dragonia, Team M.A.T.C.H, Fly Deliveries and Tickabo, which have already been successfully launched in Russia. As of today, the studio’s flagship project Tommy the Little Dragon is already available in Thailand. The project is also planned to be launched in China by the end of the year. Yarko is a newcomer to Vietnam. In 2021, it joined Gazprom-Media, Russia and Eastern Europe’s leading media holding company. Today, the animation studio has become a multi-brand enterprise featuring a one-of-a-kind approach to animated content and boasting full project life-cycle capabilities. The company has a portfolio of 15 projects of different genres and technology, aimed at children and family audience.
At Telefilm Vietnam, KinoAtis Studio was betting on the animated TV series Space Dogs. Cosmic Adventures. Here’s what the series is about: “The international space team lives and works in the newly built research module on the Moon’s surface. Despite the fact, that the astronauts communicate with each other every day, at first difference in mentality and temperaments stands in the way of building the real friendship. But to achieve the great goal and fulfill an entrusted mission, the heroes have learn how to work together.” The studio also presented full-length film Space Dogs. Tropical Adventures: “Belka and Strelka are sent on a secret mission to solve the mystery of the anomaly. They will have to go through a series of dangerous adventures.” The studio is interested to collaborate with Southeast Asian countries.
