ZDF Studios announce a raft of sales for award-winning children’s series Sam and Julia
Mainz, October 11th, 2024
Two adorable mice, Sam and Julia (78 x 7’), will be taking their Mouse Mansion on the road as broadcasters across Europe snap up the multi award-winning animated series. ZDF Studios has licensed the children’s title to Czech TV, RTV in Slovenia and Slovakia along with AMC and MTVA in Hungary.
Produced by Cielo Films and Superswiss Red in coproduction with ZDF, ZDF Studios, France Télévisions, Caribara and M.A.R.K.13, the series is currently airing in France (France Télévisions & Okoo) and the Netherlands (AVROTROS / Zappelin) and will launch in early 2025 in Germany (ZDF/KIKA).
Sam and Julia is based on the books by Dutch author Karina Schaapman. To date the 22 original titles have been translated into 27 languages and have sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Tying in with the books is a unique range of plush and arts & craft products that recently earned a nomination at Germany’s Top 10 Toy Awards (2024).
The TV series, launched this year, is the winner of two prestigious awards. The BolognaRagazzi Cross Media Award (2024), which honours outstanding projects that have successfully transitioned from traditional publishing to other platforms such as television, cinema and video games, chose Sam and Julia for its meticulous craftsmanship, sustainable approach and captivating portrayal of childhood. The show also won the Pulcinella Award at Cartoons on the Bay (2024) and was shortlisted at the Annecy Festival (2024).
Arne Lohmann, VP JUNIOR, ZDF Studios said: “Lovable, captivating, enchanting are words I would use to describe this animated series. At the heart of it are very strong values, promoting sustainability and inspiring families to be creative, welcoming and kind. A worthy winner of impressive awards, I look forward to Sam and Julia setting up The Mouse Mansion in even more territories in the near future.”
Julia, a cute and speedy little she-mouse has moved from a distant island to a residential building, ‘The Mouse Mansion’, made of cardboard boxes, waste material and vintage fabrics. A stranger to this place, she is delighted to meet Sam who also lives there and is a welcoming and crafty little he-mouse. Julia has only her mam while Sam comes from a large family but despite their different characters, the two become firm friends. The funny entertaining adventures they experience in and around The Mouse Mansion helps Julia integrate into this new environment where she feels more at home day after day, surrounded by her new neighbours and friends.
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About ZDF Studios
ZDF Studios is a commercial subsidiary of ZDF, one of the largest TV broadcasters in Europe. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Mainz, Germany, the ZDF Studios Group operates more than 30 direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom spanning TV production, distribution and services. The parent company, ZDF Studios, is responsible for global programme distribution, realisation of international co-productions, acquisition of licences and merchandising of successful programme brands under its own name, for ZDF and third parties. ZDF Studios has the largest German-language programme inventory in the world and a constantly growing range of international productions, consisting of series and mini-series, television films, documentaries and children's programmes.
The companies of the ZDF Studios Group cover the entire value chain from the development of scripted and unscripted TV content to production, marketing and monetizing, including TV and streaming licences as well as merchandising and online rights. The positioning of ZDF Studios as an integrated media company enables the development of innovative, outstanding and high-quality programmes and makes the Group an attractive workplace for German and international talent to flourish in a very inspiring and creative environment.
Contact ZDF Studios
Christine Denilauler (VP Marketing and Corporate Communications), ZDF Studios GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Str. 1, D-55127 Mainz/Germany, Tel.: +49 6131-9911130, E-mail: christine.denilauler@zdf-studios.com, www.zdf-studios.com