Following up the success of what is hailed as New Zealand’s most internationally successful animated property, “Kiri and Lou,” the first feature based on the BAFTA-nominated series, will premiere on Wednesday June 24 in the beating heart of Annecy Festival, the lakeside Bonlieu.
New Zealand’s first ever stop-motion feature, the “Kiri and Lou Go Raaa!” bow will be capped by a Q&A with voice actors Jemaine Clement and Olivia Tennet, alongside animation director Antony Elworthy.
Led by Jemaine Clement (“Flight of the Conchords,” “Moana,” “Rio,” “What We Do In the Shadows”) and Olivia Tennet (“Lord of the Rings,” “Power Rangers RPM”), the feature is written and directed by Harry Sinclair with visual development by Ant Elworthy (“Pinocchio,” “Isle of Dogs,” “Ma vie de Courgette,” “Coraline”) and music and songs by Don McGlashan in collaboration with Harry Sinclair (“The Front Lawn”).
An award-winning preschool series produced by Stretchy, “Kiri and Lou” follows the friendship between Kiri, a lively little dinosaur, and her best friend Lou, a gentle and caring creature, as they explore the world of feelings through laughter, song and outdoor adventure.
First aired in 2019 on TVNZ in New Zealand and CBC in Canada which commissioned the series, it saw a strong premiere on CBeebies in the U.K. and Nick Jr in the U.S. which led both broadcasters to prebuy subsequent series.
Now in its fourth season, with 104 five-minute episodes available, the series has been translated into multiple languages. Other broadcasters include ABC Kids in Australia, Sky NZ in New Zealand, YLE in Finland, SVT in Sweden, RTP Portugal, KRO Netherlands, Canal+ Poland, Czech Television, EVision and BeIN in the Middle East, Globosat in Brazil, Canal Once in Mexico and Showmax in Africa.
Antony Elworthy, animation director for ‘Kiri and Lou go Raaa!’ Courtesy of Stretchy
“Kiri and Lou” has received international critical acclaim, having been selected in competition at the Annecy International Animation Festival in 2019 and nominated for a BAFTA in 2022. The series won the Rockie Award in Canada in 2023; twice won Best Pre-School Show at the Asian TV Awards; received Silver at the Australian Animation and Effects Awards and Prix Jeunesse in 2020 and 2022; and received nominations at the Chicago Film Festival, Cynopsis Best of the Best (New York), and the Los Angeles International Film Festival, where it won Best Animated Short. “Kiri and Lou” has also twice won Best Children’s Show at the NZTV Awards.
The feature, handled by the series Producer Fiona Copland for Stretchy, is made in association with the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air and Hinterland.
Vendetta Films will distribute theatrically in New Zealand and Australia, with CAKE handling world sales. According to Copland, the film has been crafted with enormous care by a dedicated team of artists, the same that gave birth to the beloved characters. “Our artists sculpted its evocative stop-motion world frame by frame”, she added, “and this recognition from Annecy is a proud moment for everyone who has helped bring this world to life.”
“Kiri and Lou has quietly built a global audience”, emphasized Ed Galton, CEO of CAKE, “and the feature is the natural next step for the brand. Annecy is exactly where it belongs, in front of buyers who understand what this property can do theatrically and on platform. We’re looking forward to taking it out from there.”
Backed by the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) who champions New Zealand’s dynamic screen, animation and VFX industry by supporting local stories and attracting major international productions.
According to Chris Payne, NZFC deputy CEO & head of co-production and incentives, the Annecy Presents section is the perfect World Premiere for “Kiri and Lou Go Raaa!”. “Both this film and the acclaimed series preceding it have a distinctive voice, a deep sense of care for young audiences and world-class talent behind them. We’re delighted by the film’s selection for the world’s leading animation festival and can’t wait for longtime fans and new viewers to fall in love with this film.”
Six books, four albums of songs and a “Grow Your Own Forest” AR app have been released with further publishing, music and sustainable consumer products licensed and in the pipeline, as the IP continues to grow.
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