01/10/2003 - The animation film Globi is being released in the Swiss German cantons over the next few days. The protagonist, a blue parrot with the yellow beak, was first used as a mascot for the big stores in ‘32

Finally there's an animated feature length film 'Made in Switzerland!' Even though there's no shortage of directors of animation films, for example Georges Schwizgebel (La jeune fille et les nuages), Zoltán Horváth (Nosferatu Tango), Samuel and Frédéric Guillaume (Bonne journée Monsieur M.), Jonas Raeber (Credo) or Marcel Hobi (Geranienfriede), who have won many prizes at international festivals, Swiss cinema hasn't produced this kind of project since the film The Blue Arrow by Enzo D'Alò, made in 1996, a co-production with Italy, Germany and Luxembourg. They've had to wait for Globi - Der Gestohlene Schatten by Robi Engler, the international production lasting 72 minutes being released in around 30 Swiss German cinemas at the start of October.

As a matter of fact, Globi, a blue parrot with a yellow beak who wears checked trousers, was first created in 1932 by J.K. Schiele and the artist Robert Lipps, as an advertising mascot for the 25th anniversary of the Globus chain of shops. Over his 70 year history, where he has appeared in countless publications, Globi has become a cult character whose popularity has stretched as far as Germany and Luxembourg.
The film adaptation for the character has also taken some time to come to fruition. In 1994, Peter and Patrick Schaumlechner from Impuls Home Entertainment and the producer, Rolf Schmid, from Fama Film, started a project for a series of animated cartoons. Following collaboration with a producer from Luxembourg, the idea was turned into a TV film, directed by the Italian filmmaker Enzo D'Alò in 1996. Two years later, a project was started up for an international co-production, while in 2001 a series of screenwriters came and went, ending up with the script written by the British author, Peter Lawrence. Finally, the budget of 7.5 million Swiss Francs (€4.83 million) was secured thanks to participation by Fama Film, Impuls Home Entertainment (Switzerland), Monipoly Productions (Luxembourg) and Motion Works (Germany).
The independent Swiss director, Robi Engler, who has made many short films since he started working in the sector in 1975, is providing the coup de grace with the collaboration with a Japanese "creative producer", Takashi Masunaga. After filming on location in Germany, Luxembourg, Japan and Switzerland, Globi is now finally set to burst onto the big screen, in what appears to be a very favourable climate.

(Translated from French)