ANIMATION MAGAZINE – Montreal-Madrid based Pink Parrot Media has announced the voice cast for its 3D animated feature Butterfly Tale at this year’s American Film Market (AFM), casting the voice talents of Tatania Maslany (She-Hulk, Trollhunters, Rise of the Titans, Bite Size Halloween) as Jennifer and Mena Massoud (Aladdin, Aladdin 2, The Royal Treatment) as Patrick/ The film is set for theatrical release in the fall of 2023.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Tatiana and Mena on board to voice these characters,” said director Sophie Roy. “I’ve been following Tatiana’s career for years. She’s an exciting actress with unbelievable range second to none. She is the perfect person to play Jennifer. Finding an actor to play Patrick whose character is resilient, naive, fearless and optimistic was no easy task. Mena has all these qualities and more. I can’t wait to go into the recording studio with these two talented actors!”
Synopsis: Butterfly Tale is a heartwarming animated feature film about Patrick, a gutsy and resourceful teen butterfly who cannot fly — but won’t let that keep him down! It is a tale of adventure, self-realization and heroism, told with humor, which message is that our differences are less important than the bonds we share, and it is in adversity that our true character shines through.
“We have been eagerly looking for just the right voices to portray these two wonderful characters,” said Tania Pinto Da Cunha, VP/Partner at Pink Parrot Media. “Tatiana and Mena have an enormous amount of talent, as seen in their acting credits. We are so lucky to have these two actors as part of our feature. Together, the two of them are going to bring Patrick and Jennifer to life, ready to share the adventures we have set forth in Butterfly Tale.”
The film is produced by Marie-Claude Beauchamp of Montreal-based CarpeDiem Film & TV (Snowtime, Racetime) and Emely Christians of Germany’s Ulysses Films (The Amazing Maurice, Ooops! Noah Is Gone). The producers said in a joint comment:
“We are very happy to be producing this fantastic film full of excitement, heart and fun and that we are now able to roll-out with announcements about this amazing cast! Tatiana and Mena will inspire the success of our butterflies and carry them into the world.”
Butterfly Tale animated feature film has already been pre-sold to Canada (Vortex, Maison 4:3), CIS (Top Films), France (Wildbunch), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Germany (Wildbunch), Middle East (Front Row), Spain (Flins & Piniculas) and Poland & Romania (Monolith).
Directed by Roy, whose previous credits include producer on Racetime and The Legend of Sarila, the family adventure’s writing team includes Heidi Floss and Lienne Sawatsky.
As well as being an author, screenwriter, story editor and working in series development for shows on HBO, FOX, PBS, YTV, Nickelodeon and BBC, Floss is a well-known Canadian stand-up comedian. Floss recently served as story editor on the first season of Air Bud Ent.’s Pup Academy (Disney).
Sawatsky was nominated for the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards and WGC Awards for Best Writing on the animated TV series Wishfart. She is best known for her work on notable series for Disney Channel (Sidekicks), Nickelodeon (Middlemost Post), Cartoon Network (Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5) and more recently the original Netflix show Kid Cosmic.
Butterfly Tale was recognized with the Animation Screenplay Award from the 2021 Stuttgart International Animation Film Festival (IFTS).
Tag: movie news
DEADLINE – EXCLUSIVE: Shudder has come aboard Jenn Wexler’s 1970s supernatural horror film The Sacrifice Game, starring Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Olivia Scott Welch (Fear Street), Gus Kenworthy (American Horror Story: 1984) and Chloë Levine (The OA), which is heading into production next week. AMC Networks’ premium streamer for genre fare now holds all rights to the film in its territories, with Red Sea Media, Inc. having acquired international rights.
Wexler’s second feature following the 2018 horror film The Ranger (which was also distributed by Shudder) is set at a girls’ boarding school over Christmas break, 1971. It centers on Samantha and Clara, two students staying behind for the holidays, who must survive the night against uninvited visitors. Derek Johns (The Wolf and the Lion), Laurent Pitre (Under the Banner of Heaven), Madison Baines (1UP) and newcomer Georgia Acken will round out the cast.
Wexler and Sean Redlitz wrote the script. Wexler, Philip Kalin-Hajdu, Albert I. Melamed, Heather Buckley, and Todd Slater (King of Killers) of Slater Brothers Entertainment will produce, with Roman Kopelevich and Crystal Hill of Red Sea Media, Inc., Peter Phok, Mark Berry and Duane Farley of AMG, Massoud and Welch serving as executive producers. Post house Real by Fake (The Morning Show) is also on board, with Marc Côté executive producing and Yannick Sadler co-producing.
“I am extremely excited to be working with this incredible cast and to be partnering again with Shudder and with RSM,” said Wexler. “The Sacrifice Game is my tribute to the beauty and boldness of ’70s horror, anchored in an unlikely friendship between outsiders.”
“After years working in genre, it is a highlight to be making a Shudder original with this film. Wexler’s thrilling vision pulled us in from the start,” said producers Kalin-Hajdu and Melamed in a joint statement. “We have never seen Mena Massoud and Olivia Scott Welch in roles like these and we can’t wait to share it with the world. We are grateful to be working with Shudder and RSM.”
“I loved this script – it reminded me of the classic horror films of the 70’s,” said Red Sea Media’s CEO, Kopelevich.
“We loved The Ranger and are thrilled to be working with Jenn and her team to bring her new film, The Sacrifice Game, to life,” added Shudder General Manager, Craig Engler. “Jenn’s film promises to be a wild and thrilling ride that offers a fresh take on timeless horror themes. We can’t wait to share it with our members.”
Shudder has also recently acquired titles including Rob Jabbaz’s zombie pic The Sadness, Vincent Grashaw’s Southern Gothic horror What Josiah Saw, and VFX legend Phil Tippett’s experimental animated pic Mad God, among others.
Red Sea Media was founded in 2011 as a sales agent and production company. Recent films include King of Killers, with Frank Grillo and Stephen Dorff; Banshee, starring Antonio Banderas; The Survivalist, starring John Malkovich and Jonathan Rhys Meyers; and Rogue Hostage, with Malkovich and Tyrese Gibson. RSM’s slate also includes the action-thriller Born a Champion, starring Dennis Quaid; Where Are You, starring Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins and Madeline Brewer; Manson Brothers Midnight Zombie Massacre, starring Randy Couture; Bad Therapy, starring Alicia Silverstone; and Stray Dolls, starring Cynthia Nixon and Olivia DeJonge.
Slater Brothers Entertainment’s recent films include King of Killers, Albatross, The Deep Web, Odd Man Rush, Ragged Heart, Last Three Days, She’s In Portland, Darker the Lake, Miracle on 4th Street and the upcoming Code Red: Youth of A Nation. The company recently launched their SBE financing division and will be producing a dramatic television series to be shot in Europe later this year.
VP, Global Acquisitions & Co-Productions Emily Gotto negotiated the deal for The Sacrifice Game on behalf of Shudder, with Kalin-Hajdu and Melamed on behalf of the filmmakers. Slater of Slater Brothers Entertainment brokered the filmmakers’ deal with Red Sea Media. Massoud is represented by Gersh, Link Entertainment and Myman Greenspan Fox; Welch by UTA, Vault Entertainment and attorney Larry Kopeikin; Kenworthy is by WME, Sugar23 and Michael Spencer; Levine by APA and Anthony & Associates; and Wexler by CAA and Hitman Studios.
