Lucky Number Acquires ‘The Bird Kingdom’: A Mythical Anti-Violence Fable

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Newly established French sales company, Lucky Number, acquires worldwide distribution rights for director Wesley Rodrigues’ film “The Bird Kingdom“. This production is supported by Sacrebleu Productions from France and Brazil’s Lupa Filmes. In France, UFO Distribution will handle the distribution of this tale about non-violence.

In a fantastical depiction of Brazil’s Sertão, a barren expanse, the young protagonist Assum Preto gets abducted as a child by Carcara, an outlaw yearning to become a legendary figure in this region, who possesses the ability to transform into birds of prey.

As an artistic producer myself, I pride myself on having a keen sense to identify promising projects and suitable partners. Recently, when discussing our film’s new sales agent with EbMaster, I expressed this feeling of strong intuition. Interestingly enough, Olivier Barbier, co-founder of Lucky Number, shared many past projects that aligned with the references I had in mind for ‘Kingdom’. It was a powerful first impression, and I believe it bodes well for our collaboration.

This year at EFM, Lucky Number – a production company founded last year by industry veterans including Barbier and Ola Byszuk (previously with mk2 Films), Lenny Porte (ex-Orange Studio), and Thierry Machado’s Greenland dog-sledding adventure “Pipaluk,” as well as Annemarie Jacir’s “Palestine 36” starring Jeremy Irons, will make its first appearance. Lucky Number represents these projects.

Regarding their latest acquisition, Barbier elaborated, “Finding a movie like ‘The Bird Kingdom’ is incredibly uncommon. When we assess a project, whether it’s fiction, documentary, animation, or anything else, we always prioritize storytelling. With Ron’s assistance, I stumbled upon a script that’s exceptionally clever, blending ancient folklore with contemporary themes about how violence might be perceived as a resolution. This film primarily explores the boundaries of violence.

Barbier and Dyens were adamant about ensuring “The Bird Kingdom” receives a wide theatrical release in numerous markets. “I assure you,” said Barbier, “this movie not only meets the standards for a theatrical release but will show audiences something completely new and unique.

In addition to its achievements in producing animated feature films, Sacrebleu Productions has more recently branched out into creating animated television series. One such series is “The Chimera Brigade,” helmed by directors Louis Letterier and Antoine Charreyron, based on the critically acclaimed graphic novel of the same name by Serge Lehman and Fabrice Colin, illustrated by Gess. This Steampunk series, which generated a lot of excitement at last year’s Cartoon Forum, poses an intriguing question: “What if Marie Curie had developed the first superheroes by experimenting with radium during the battlefields of World War I?

In reflection of our contemporary society and its struggles, the upcoming series will be titled “Fast X” and “Lupin”, marking Louis Leterrier’s debut in animation. This captivating story is referred to as a “pulp alternate-history yarn”, weaving together European superheroes within a 1938 Paris reimagined by Marie Curie’s radium, on the precipice of World War II. The narrative will trace the journey of a young soldier and a journalist, who seem to be the only ones capable of averting a significant historical shift in events.

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2025-02-16 21:18