The stars of Mondo TV are at MIPCOM to save – and entertain – the planet!

BRANDORA Editorial Staff - September 2019

Mondo TV, one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content, will be offering a thrilling selection of properties established or about to launch during MIPCOM 2019, with a strong emphasis on eco-focused adventures and teen web stars as well as live action tween drama and animated science, romance and spooky comedy.

From 14-17 October 2019 in Cannes the place to be is at stand P-1.N1 / P-1.M2 where visitors can hear about the popular Mondo TV shows of today and the hits of tomorrow, including MeteoHeroes, House of Talent, YooHoo to the Rescue, Robot Trains, Invention Story, Heidi Bienvenida, Bat Pat and Sissi the Young Empress.

Mondo TV will preview a major new show at MIPCOM: House of Talent: The Web Series. House of Talent is already a phenomenon: a crew of over 20 online talented influencers boasting more than half a billion monthly impressions that has also inspired two novels (with more to come) and multi-venue fan meet and greets that have attracted over 80,000 fans since the beginning of 2019. And of course there’s the 260 x 13’ House of Talent web series beginning in September, in which fans will see their influencer idols in a whole new way! The web series is not acted and presenters and guests are themselves, testing their talents in different areas such as cooking, science, fashion, music and more in the rooms of a real house!

Another major focus will be MeteoHeroes, a Mondo TV co-production with MEC (Meteo Expert Center). Featuring six superhero kids who prevent pollution, global warming, and climate change, the series will capture the imaginations of kids but also help them better understand environmental issues and how they should be handled or prevented. MeteoHeroes is a multifaceted project: a compelling 52 x 7’ episode series scheduled to premiere in spring 2020, an information-packed website, and a content-rich app (including weather forecasts for kids). It is expected to inspire school projects, become a unique immersive journey of discovery – and of course thrill and entertain! The first deals are close to being finalised and will be announced very soon!

YooHoo to the Rescue is the first-ever Netflix Original Series from co-producers Mondo TV and Aurora World. This is a new 3D CGI 52 x 11’ children’s series based on the globally successful line of Aurora World plush toys, more than 80 million of which have been sold since the worldwide launch of the line in 2007. This is a funny, exciting and beautifully designed animated series with strong environmental themes, in which YooHoo and his friends, Pammee, Roodee, Chewoo and Lemmee, confront threats to nature and wildlife and meet many different endangered animal species. YooHoo to the Rescue has been available worldwide from March 2019 exclusively on the Netflix platform. Starting from April 2019 the series premiered exclusively on free-to-air channels in Italy (Frisbee), Poland (TVP ABC from September 2019), Russia (Carousel from July 2019), Spain (Clan TVE from September 2019) and Portugal (Canal Panda from autumn 2019).

A second season of Robot Trains, the exciting animated series for children aged between three and five years, is rolling out across Europe and a third season has been announced. Season two (52x11) co-produced by Mondo and South Korean content and media giant CJ E&M, introduces Rail Watch, the trusted robot train guardians of Rail World, who transform from trains to robots to protect their home and its vital energy supplies. The series combines action, humour and likeable characters with fabulous animation and storylines and environmental themes.

Demand for Series 1 (32 x 11’) remains strong: recent launches include Etisalat and MBC Mauritius for Series 1 & 2, while Series 2 (52 x 11’) broadcasters include Carousel (Russia), Gulli (France), Cartoonito (UK), Cartoonito (Italy), Canal Panda (Portugal), PCCW (Hong Kong), Dkids (Middle East), Clan TVE (Spain), and TVP ABC (Poland). YLE TV2 (Finland) will premiere the series from September 28, 2019.

Invention Story is the tale of Kit, an intelligent, thoughtful and creative fox who, in each episode, comes up with an amazing new invention that impresses most of the residents of his adopted home Carrot Town – but inspires jealousy in a few. There are conflicts and rivalries, as well as funny and engaging characters — but above all Invention Story encourages its young audience to have a creative approach to problems. Series 1 (52 x 26’) is now available on Mango TV and Series 2 (52 x 11’) will premiere on China’s primary broadcaster during 2019.

Henan York has also been involved in an Invention Story promotion in China on June 1 (China’s Children's Day) alongside fast-food chain Siblings. The clever fox is now on his way to Europe with a premiere in Italy on Frisbee at Christmas 2019 and a launch in the first months of 2020. Licensing partners in Italy include Balocco and Playpress. More European broadcast announcements are to be released soon.

The first two series of Heidi Bienvenida (120 x 45’), produced by Mondo TV Iberoamerica along with Alianzas Producciones, are already enjoying a strong audience response in territories as diverse as Latin America, Italy (Rai Gulp), Spain (Disney Channel), Israel (KIDZ channel), Russia (CTC Love and Ryzhiy and Ginger Channels) and Mauritius (MBC). In addition, the first thirty episodes of season 1, Heidi, Bienvenida a Casa, launched on Netflix in mid-May as part of an agreement that grants Netflix streaming video on demand (SVOD) rights for North America, Spain, Latin America (including Brazil), UK/ Ireland and Italy. Episodes 31-60 will launch on Netflix later this year. Mondo’s first-ever live-action show – the adventures of a happy, carefree girl who leaves her beloved mountain home to live in the big city – has also inspired a feature film that is now in production.

The second season of the 2D animated series Bat Pat (52 x 11), a co-production with Italian trans-media entertainment company, Atlantyca Entertainment, continues the spooky and comical animated adventures of Bat Pat – a talking bat – and his friends Martin, Leo and Rebecca Silver as they unravel mysteries and cross paths with supernatural creatures of the night in their home of Fogville. A visit to 13 Friday Street, the Silver kids and their friend Bat Pat is a recipe for spooky adventure-comedy in which fast-paced, quirky humour comes together with some very unusual adventures. This recipe has proved so popular in the first series of Bat Pat that it is now returning to chill, thrill and entertain for a second season – available from late 2019. Mondo TV will handle distribution in Iberia, Latam, Russia, Ukraine, France, Turkey, Middle East and Africa.

Already a big favourite with its a core audience of young girls, Sissi the Young Empress is well known everywhere! Two series in 2D (a total of 52 x 26’) are already available and a new, 3D CGI season (26 x 11’) is to be launched from winter 2019. With the show now making inroads into such diverse areas as Russia and the CIS, lusophone and francophone Africa, China, Asia-Pacific and of course much of Europe, this animated tale of the free-spirited princess who resists etiquette and the duties of the court to follow her heart is now an established ratings hit in over 40 countries. This autumn a strong licensing program will take off in GAS where the continual broadcasts on Nickelodeon and ORF since mid 2017 have brought such partners as Blue Ocean, Panini, and very recently Justbridge Entertainment, on board, with many more expected to follow soon.

Matteo Corradi, Mondo TV CEO, says: “We’re expecting a busy MIPCOM, emphasising the growing strength of MondoTV not just in animation but live action, with multiple production partnerships across multiple platforms. It’s also a MIPCOM at which we will show how we are connecting with our audience more than ever on themes like the environment while always bringing them exciting and engaging entertainment.”