27/11/2006

One of the best-selling titles by French sales outfits at the recent American Film Market in Los Angeles was animated feature Piccolo, Saxo & Cie [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. The film – by directing duo Eric Gutierrez and Marco Villamizar – was sold by Films Distribution to The Weinstein Company for all English-language territories and South America.

This international interest means that the film’s French release on December 20 through Haut et Court on 300 screens is set for an excellent start, proving yet again the quality and popularity of French animation (whose leader Michel Ocelot has exceeded the million admissions mark in France with Azur & Asmar [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]).

Produced by Carole Scotta for Haut et Court and Roch Lener for Millimages, Piccolo, Saxo & Cie is adapted from a musical piece made over 50 years ago by André Popp and Jean Broussolle based on an orchestral arrangement.

Scripted by Isabelle de Catalogne and Juliette Sales, the film is set on the planet Music where families of instruments get angry when the Sol, Fa and Ut keys mysteriously go missing. Cacophony breaks out, as each instrument plays on its own and no one wants to listen to the big orchestra.

Piccolo, a woodwind, becomes best friends with Saxo, a brass, and the two decide to search for the keys along with Do. A magnificent adventure ensues, full of traps and dangers on a trying search for harmony.

The €7.2m budget Piccolo, Saxo & Cie received pre-sales and co-production financing from France 3 Cinéma, CNC advances in receipts of €450,000 and was pre-bought by Canal +. Co-produced by France (70%) and Romania (30%, Studio Dacodac), the film was also backed by the Eurimages fund (€750,000).

(Translated from French)