TF1: BLUE SPIRIT ACCELERATES ITS GROWTH STRATEGY AND STRENGTHENS ITS PRODUCTION TEAM | Market area

PRESS RELEASE

Paris, November 15, 2022

BLUE SPIRIT ACCELERATES ITS GROWTH STRATEGY AND STRENGTHENS ITS PRODUCTION TEAM

The Blue Spirit group, a subsidiary of the Newen Studios group, is accelerating the development of its production activity to cope with market growth. Producer of animated series and feature films and 2D/3D production studio since 2004, Blue Spirit is taking over from Armelle Glorennec and strengthening her team with appointments to head productions.

• The evolution and strengthening of Blue Spirit Productions reflect the creative and industrial ambitions that have driven the company since its creation. Sylvie, Justine and Jacques are passionate and talented producers. I have full confidence in their human and creative qualities, as well as their expertise in the development and production of strong and innovative content to win over a wide audience. I would like to warmly thank Armelle for the immense work accomplished all these years at Blue Spirit and wish him the best for his future projects”. Olivier Lelardoux, Director
  General of Blue Spirit

Arrived in 2005 Armelle Glorennec co-directed the group Blue Spirit with Eric Jacquot, and was the producer of Blue Spirit. She has carried all the emblematic projects of the company including the series The mysterious cities of Gold, Grabouillon, Alice & Lewis, Arthur and the children of the Round Table ; and feature films My Zucchini Lifewhich won 2 Césars, and the films of Jean-François Laguionie Table and The Prince’s journey (co-directed with Xavier Picard); and was rewarded this year with the French film animation trophy.

Sylvie Mahe, who joined the group, was named producer and deputy general manager. As such, she supervises all the activity and production teams for series and feature films. She now succeeds Armelle Glorennec who has accompanied her since the start of the school year in this position.

Sylvie Mahé started her career in the audiovisual sector by joining the audiovisual subsidiary of the Total Group

• the financial management of the animation activity alongside Eric Jacquot. Then, from 2005, through her consulting company, she supported animation producers both on their series and feature film projects and on the corporate scope of their activities (Blue Spirit, Cube Productions, Technicolor Animation Production, and Mondo French TV). In 2018, she joined Mondo TV France as Managing Director and Director of Development.

• Blue Spirit Productions has been carrying out ambitious, identifying and high quality projects for years. With the whole team, we will pursue this editorial line and we will commit both to current productions and our next developments with the same high standards to continue to delight our audience, which remains at the heart of our ambition.” Sylvie Mahe

Jacques Romeu also joined the Blue Spirit group, after more than 20 years in animation, including ten years as Executive Producer in development on around fifty projects (Studio 100, Cyber ​​Group Studios, Superprod), and was named producer. Its mission is to strengthen the production of series at Blue Spirit Productions by initiating new projects and supporting series already in production or development, Alice & Lewis (season 2) ; Mille Bornes Challenge, Borrowers (The Pilferers), The nightmares are in fine sheets. He will work alongside Caroline Oustlant, artistic producer.

Communication contact – press:

Mathilde Clermont: mathilde@spirit-prod.com– +33 (0)1 76 52 59 73 https://www.spirit-prod.com

• Initiating, developing and producing new series within Blue Spirit Productions, what could be more exciting! I am proud to join a team for whom storytelling, graphic arts and new technologies are a passion” Jacques Romeu

Justine Franke, producer with the company since 2021, takes charge of the production of feature films, with Sara Wikler at her side as artistic producer.

She joined the Blue Spirit group in 2018 as legal director, with several years of experience in international distribution at Studiocanal.

It will continue the development of the films already initiated: Yaya’s ride directed by Hélène Giraud and Thomas Szabo, The Adventures of (Almost) King Arthur based on an original idea by director Jean-Luc François, Their heels from Chloé Cruchaudet’s graphic album, and Colleen & Amelia by Eric Summer, in co-production with Syon Media in Canada. Two of these films should go into production in 2023. At the same time, Justine Francke is also taking over, alongside Folivari, the production of the premium serial series The Baker Street Four adapted from the comic strip published by Glénat.

• It is with pride that I take over from Armelle Glorennec to carry ambitious films, and defend a sensitive, captivating animation cinema, in keeping with its time, which opens up paths in everyone’s imagination. » Justine Franke

Communication contact – press:

Mathilde Clermont: mathilde@spirit-prod.com– +33 (0)1 76 52 59 73 https://www.spirit-prod.com

About Blue Spirit

Created in 2004 by Eric Jacquot, Blue Spirit (Newen Studios Group) produces and manufactures animated series and feature films. In parallel with its production activity, Blue Spirit also acts as an executive producer and/or service provider on projects carried out by French and foreign producers, but also by American majors and platforms. Blue Spirit studios are based in Paris, Angoulême and Montreal.

Blue Spirit Productions has been producing animated films and series since 2005.

On the series side, Blue Spirit Productions notably produced The mysterious cities of Gold (3 seasons), Arthur and the children of the Round Table (2 seasons), Alice & Lewis (2 seasons), Splat & Harry, Grabouillon (5 seasons), UFO (2 seasons), The Little Hens. Original creations or adaptations, the series allow Blue Spirit studios to experiment with new techniques and enrich their know-how and the company to strengthen its links with national and international broadcasters.

On the cinema side, Blue Spirit Productions has approached the production of feature films by supporting authors on unique proposals, such as Table by Jean-François Laguionie (appointed to the CESAR in 2012) followed a few years later by the multi-award winningMy Zucchini Life by the Swiss Claude Barras (CESAR 2017 for best animated film and best adaptation, Cristal for feature film 2016 and Audience Award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, awarded at the Emile Awards and nominated for the OSCARs, GOLDEN GLOBES and BAFTA); Le voyage du Prince (directed by Jean-François Laguionie and Xavier Picard) released in December 2019.

About – Newen Studios

Newen Studios, a subsidiary of the TF1 Group, is a rapidly growing major European player in audiovisual production and distribution, with a multi-genre strategy (fiction, film, animation, television film, documentary, entertainment, etc.).

Present in 11 countries, Newen Studios has more than 50 production labels and passionate teams of 600 people who each bring their unique expertise.

Newen Studios programs, as well as third-party programs, are exported worldwide through its distribution subsidiary Newen Connect, whose activities contribute to promoting the group’s European culture.

Communication contact – press:

Mathilde Clermont: mathilde@spirit-prod.com– +33 (0)1 76 52 59 73 https://www.spirit-prod.com