APC Kids

France Télévisions has picked up Australian kids shows Hardball and DisRupted from APC Kids.

The broadcaster will launch the three x 23-minute films that make up DisRupted on November 18 through its VOD Okoo and on Channel 4 starting November 20. Australian prodco’s CJZ, Sticky Pictures and LateNite Films created the live-action films, which are about kids with disabilities finding their independence, friendship and inner strength.

The Paris-based distributor also sold the 10 x 24-minute season two of Northern Pictures’ Hardball (pictured) to the French broadcaster for a 2022 premiere. France Télévisions picked up and aired season one in 2020. The eight- to 12-skewing comedy follows a group of kids competing in handball games while dealing with the problems of growing up.

Nonprofit Australian Children’s Television Foundation distributes the shows internationally, excluding France, where APC Kids represents the org.

Fred Rogers Productions

The prodco behind Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Odd Squad has secured a US$2.7 million grant its latest series Alma’s Way.

The funds, provided by the nonprofit Corporation for Public Broadcasting, will go towards production, promotion and creating educational activities to accompany the preschool series. The 40 x 30-minute series focuses on a young Puerto Rican girl who learns about Latino culture through music, food and language. Pipeline Studios animates the show, which premiered on PBS KIDS October 4.

This is the latest funding Fred Rogers has received for the show, which received a US$1-million grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation to support Alma‘s production, as well as that of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Donkey Hodie.  

One Animation 

The Oddbods are expanding into new distribution and consumer product deals. Singaporean studio One Animation partnered with Netherlands-based theater company Just In Between Pictures to screen a collection of Oddbod’s Halloween content. This includes its two x 22-minute specials “Party Monsters” and “Oddbeard’s Curse,” and the non-dialogue comedy’s seven-minute “Halloween Heroes” episode. Just In Between Pictures is running the content at 75 cinemas across the Netherlands.

In Malaysia, One Animation’s CP agent ANIMONSTA has inked a new publishing deal with Ladybug for activity books set to launch in Q4 2021. It also signed a new agreement with Dr Mama to make branded face masks and hand sanitizers, which will roll out early next year.

WildBrain CPLG

The licensing agent is driving Little Grey Fergie—a ’90s brand about a tractor who secretly helps out on his farm—into consumer products. Brand owner Farmyard Stories and its consultant bRAND-WARD are working with WildBrain CPLG to develop and manage a licensing program across the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland) to promote the brand’s 25th anniversary in 2023.

The property originated as a Norwegian TV series in 1998, and today has a popular YouTube channel (624,000 subscribers).

Zodiak Kids 

German broadcaster KiKA has signed a pre-sale deal with the Banijay-owned children’s producer for its upcoming preschool series Mumfie.

Co-produced by Zodiak Kids Studio and Italian studio Animoka, the series will premiere on commissioning broadcasters France Télévisions and Rai (Italy) in 2022. No launch date has been set for KiKA yet.

In this 78 x seven-minute comedy an optimistic elephant and his animal friends go on different adventures meeting unusual animals. It’s a reboot of the ’90s series Magic Adventures of Mumfie, which aired on CITV (UK) and Fox Kids (US).