Netflix has acquired Juan Antin’s animated adventure film Pachamama, which it will begin streaming in June. Nominated for a Cesar Award as best animated film, it follows the adventures of a young boy living in a remote village in the Andes mountains who dreams of becoming a shaman.
Pachamama is set to make its festival debut as the opening spotlight at the 22nd annual New York International Children’s Film Festival on Feb. 24.
The film features an original score by Pierre Hamon, recorded with thousand-year-old pre-Columbian instruments, and the song “Somos la Nueva Tierra,” written by Antin and arranged by Hamon and Marc Hazart. The graphic creation is by Antin and Maria Hellemeyer.
It was produced by Academy Award-nominee Didier Brunner, an Oscar nominee for the 2012 animated film Ernest et Celestine as well as Damien Brunner (Folivari), Olivier de Bannes (O2B Films), Pierre Urbain (Doghouse Films) and Brice Garnier (Kaibou Productions). Blue Spirit Animation and Haut et Court served as co-producers. Bannes, Patricia Valeix and Nathalie Hertzberg were co-writers alongside Antin, with the participation of Christophe Poujol, Jean-Marc Pannetier, Christine Ponzevera and Isabelle Blanchard.
“Pachamama has been, for me, a very long journey, guided by a message that came like an echo from ancient times — a message of love, respect and gratitude to our cherished Earth. Thanks to Netflix, I am thrilled to share this awe-inspiring story with a global audience,” Antin said in a statement.
“At Netflix we look for passionate creators from around the world who have unique points of view, and Juan Antin has done an exquisite job creating a broad and beautiful family animated feature film in a style all his own, to honor the cultural backdrop against which Pachamama is set,” Netflix vp kids and family Melissa Cobb said. “We are thrilled that our global family audience will have the chance to visit the highest peaks of the majestic Andes mountains as they embark on an ambitious rite of passage alongside the film’s young and ambitious hero.”
Netflix took global distribution rights for Pachamama with the exception of France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Canada. SC Films International handled the worldwide sales.
