FRENCH CYBER GROUP STUDIOS AND RUSSIAN FEDERATION SOYUZMULTFILM STUDIO ENTER INTO COPRODUCTION AGREEMENT

EMBARGO DATE: FRIDAY OCTOBER 12TH AT 4.00PM CEST/ 6.00AM PST

Cannes, October 12th:  Paris-based Cyber Group Studios and Moscow-based Soyuzmultfilm Studio are pleased to announce a coproduction agreement on two important animated kids series: “DIGITAL GIRL” and “MAGIC CHESS ODYSSEY”.  

Under the terms of this agreement, both companies will jointly develop and produce original content distributed worldwide by Cyber Group Studios outside of Russia.

“Digital Girl”,26 x 22’ CGI, created by Pierre Sissmann (Zorro The Chronicles) and Sylvain dos Santos (Droners), tells the story of 14-year-old Chrissie, the first ever digital super heroin. Alexis Briclot, renowned for his designs on Captain Marvel, Thor, Ant-Man or Avengers is signing off the graphic bible.  In the series Chrissie will be confronted to Hack Girl a digital supervillain to restore ecological balance and a peaceful community life in a futuristic but very contemporary world dominated by the digital networks.

“Magic Chess Odyssey” 26×22’ CGI tells the story of a magic chess board with supernatural powers that can change the life of children around the planet. While a pure entertainment piece, Magic Chess Odyssey combines storytelling with ground-breaking animation while immersing kids in the real intricacies of the great chess competitions. « Chess is a battle of brains over a board, where with a few pieces you learn so many things like patience and respect for your opponent, but also the ability to look beyond just one move» says Bachar Kouatly, Deputy President and Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, «FIDE is thrilled to partner with experts in animation such as Cyber Group Studios and Soyuzmultfilm on this unique project. Their talented animators will bring to all, from the inside of a competition, the magic that chess players do experience when they play chess ».

Both series will be presented to the international markets in 2019 as development is already underway.

“ I am thrilled to partner with a legendary studio such as Soyuzmultfilm  which has developed so many successes in Russia and comes with a great tradition in the  animation community , declares Pierre Sissmann, Chairman and CEO of Cyber Group Studios, and I look forward to working with Juliana Slashcheva and Boris Mashkovtsev to create some of the next compelling animation series for kids and families available all over the world”.

“We are pleased to work with the notable French Cyber Group Studios and the World Chess Federation, declares Yuliana Slascheva, Chairman of the Board of the Soyuzmultfilm Studio, and hope that our cooperation will be successful. This will be the first major international agreement for coproduction of modern animated series in the newest history of the legendary Russian Soyuzmultfilm Studio. Recently the Studio has gained good skills in the production of animated series in Russia, and we believe they will help to implement these projects”.

ABOUT CYBER GROUP STUDIOS:

Cyber Group Studios is a French independent, multi-award-winning company which develops, produces and distributes its own and third party audiovisual productions and brands. The company focuses on content with strong global appeal targeted particularly to kids and families, namely with 3D CGI and 2D HD-animated productions (TV series and movies). Its mission is to bring the best quality entertainment to audiences produced by top creative talent and to develop breakthrough technologies to enhance its productions. The company’s also aims to collaborate with other top creators and producers to help them bring their creations to market with outstanding content distributed and marketed through Cyber Group Studios’ worldwide operation. Visit us at www.cybergroupstudios.com and follow us on Instagram (@CyberGroupStudios), Twitter (@CyberGroupSDs) and Facebook (Cyber Group Studios).

ABOUT SOYUZMOULTFILM STUDIO:

Soyuzmultfilm is a Russian state film Studio founded on June 10, 1936. The studio released 1500 cartoons and more using different genres and techniques as puppet stop-motion animation, claymation, traditional or hand-drawn animation. The best films have become an important part of Russian culture and a part of international animation history as well. Soyuzmultfilm today is developing. A number of projects are in the production stage: modern animated series, short films and feature films. October 11, 2018 it was the Russian commercial release of the stop motion-animated feature film Hoffmaniada directed by Stanislav Sokolov. The Studio is working on two more feature films. For more information visit www.souzmult.ru and follow the Studio on Facebook (@soyuzmultfilm), Instagram (@soyuzmultfilm.official), VK (@soyuzmultfilm) and YouTube (Союзмультфильм).

ABOUT FIDE:

The World Chess Federation is known as FIDE from its French acronym (Fédération International des Echecs,). With 189-member federations, FIDE is among the biggest sports organizations in the world, very proud of the millions of tournaments and of the over forty official championships for youngsters, men, women and seniors. FIDE’s aim is to achieve significant growth in the number of people of all ages participating in chess events at all levels and to develop chess by increasing the level of tournament participation globally. The International Olympic Committee has recognized chess as an International Sports Federation in 1999. The next FIDE Chess World championships will be held in London from November 9th, 2018 between GM Fabiano Cuarana from the USA and reigning World Champion, GM Magnus Carlsen from Norway. Learn more about FIDE by visiting http://www.fide.com

Press contact: Eve Cohen, International Sales, Marketing and Communication Coordinator Cyber Group Studios – E-mail: ecohen@cybergroupstudios.com  – T: +33 (0)1 55 56 32 13