10/12/2008

As the Christmas holidays approach, it’s time for Studio 100 to release their seasonal blockbuster. After Samson & Gert: Hotel op Stelten at Easter and Anubis: Het pad der 7 zonden [+see also:
trailer
film profile] on All Saints’ Day, Piet Piraat en het zwaard van Zilverstand [+see also:
trailer
film profile] is now hitting theatres.

This third instalment in the Piet Piraat (“Pete the Pirate”) series (directed by Studio 100’s preferred filmmaker, Bart Van Leemputten), centres once more on captain Eksteroog and Piet Piraat. The film is set to delight Flemish children and boost sales of associated merchandise over the festive period.

Created just over ten years ago, Studio 100 has established itself as the leader in entertainment for young audiences in Benelux. Having adopted a combined approach to production and marketing, Studio 100 works in both television and film, but is perhaps best known for the production of DVDs, CDs and assorted toys. The company also heads three theme parks in Belgium, as well as a dance school.

In 2008, Studio 100 looks set, for the first time, to exceed €100m in turnover, including €20m in profit. Its current aim is to conquer the European market. Studio 100 has been working in partnership with the private Francophone network RTL Tvi for over a year and a half and signed an agreement with the BBC one year ago.

Meanwhile, the company’s film arm is running smoothly. Leader on the domestic market for children’s films, Studio 100 recycles the recipes for success used elsewhere and is now surfing on the pirate trend (Pirates of the Caribbean, etc). Like its predecessors, Piet Piraat is being released by Kinepolis Film Distribution on around 30 screens in Flanders.

Another European film on the line-up is Francis Veber’s remake of A Pain in the Ass [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which is being released by BFD on 23 screens. It’s likely that Patrick Timsit will have a hard time living up to Belgian audiences’ memory of their national hero Jacques Brel, all the more so given the unenthusiastic press response to the film.

Also hitting screens is Transporter 3 [+see also:
trailer
film profile], produced by Europa Corp, co-written by Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton (Red Siren). The title will compete for audiences alongside this week’s US action film, The Day the Earth Stood Still, which is being launched on 66 screens.

(Translated from French)