Global distributor, producer and streamer Mubi has swooped on key European territory rights for Dash Shaw’s Cryptozoo, which scored a special mention in Berlin’s Generation competition this week.
In a deal with The Match Factory, Mubi has acquired all rights to the adult animation for the UK, Ireland, Germany and Turkey. The film premiered at Sundance, where it won the Next Innovator Award, and played in the Generation 14plus competition of the Berlinale.
The hand-drawn animation marks the second feature of US comic-book artist and writer Shaw, whose debut My Entire High School Sinking Into The Sea premiered at Toronto in 2016 and also went on to screen in the Generation 14plus section of the Berlinale.
His follow-up is a fantastical, psychedelic feature set amid the counterculture of the 1960s, with a voice cast including Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Angeliki Papoulia and Zoe Kazan. It frames a war between the authorities who want to capture and weaponize a mythical creature, and those who seek to protect the fantastical beast and other ‘cryptids’ in the titular establishment.
The film’s animation was directed by Shaw’s wife and collaborator, Jane Samborski.
Magnolia Pictures recently acquired North American rights out of Sundance and The Match Factory subsequently closed sales for Spain (Filmin), Benelux (September Films) and CIS (Russian Report).
Cryptozoo is an Electric Chinoland production, with Fit Via Vi and Low Spark Films, in association with Washington Square Films, with support from Cinereach.
Producers are Kyle Martin, Samborski, Bill Way and Tyler Davidson, with co-producers Dan Janvey of Fit Via Vi and Kate Moran. Executive producers are Gail Flanigan, Dexter Braff and Drew Sykes.
No comments yet