Grindstone picks up “Beyond Beyond” animated adventure tale

PanARMENIAN.Net - Grindstone Entertainment has acquired North American rights to “Beyond Beyond”, Esben Toft Jacobsen’s animated adventure tale produced by Copenhagen Bombay, Variety reported.

Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release the toon this year on all media platforms.

Deal was unveiled March 7 at Lyon’s Cartoon Movie confab, where “Beyond” played on opening night.

“The wonderful animation style and the emotionally touching story is going to touch children and their family’s hearts,” said Stan Wertlieb, Grindstone Entertainment’s head of acquisitions. “Kids are enchanted by the unique characters.”

Sarita Christensen, the leading Danish animation production/distribution/sales shingle, said her team received offers from seven U.S. distributors. “Distributors have been drawn to ‘Beyond Beyond’ because it’s an original story,” said Christensen.

The exec added that Grindstone has already demonstrated its know-how in releasing foreign animated features in North America, notably “Little Brother, Big Trouble: A Christmas Adventure,” the lasted toon hit coming out of the Nordics.

Copenhagen Bombay has already sold the €2.7-million ($3.7 million) “Beyond” in over 20 countries.

The colorful 3D feature turns on a little rabbit, Johan, with an adventurous mind who embarks on an underwater journey to connect with his late mother. ”Beyond” marks Jacobsen’s follow-up to “The Great Bear.”

“With ‘Beyond Beyond,’ my goal was to create an adventure in the spirit of the classic fairy tales,” said Jacobsen. ”A great and wild core is unfolded through exciting, funny and touching scenes, which together give viewers the opportunity of glimpsing an amazing world and there recognize one’s own worries and wishes.”

CB Sverige AB and Copenhagen Bombay Rights produced. Gebeka Films will handle the French release.