EXCLUSIVE: Paris-based Folivari International has acquired world sales rights for hit French animated series Samuel.
The deal with French production company Les Valseurs follows the short format show’s runaway success in France, Germany and Spain.
Consisting of simple black and white illustrations and a voiceover by creator and director Émilie Tronche, the show follows 10-year-old protagonist Samuel as he navigates the complexities of friendships and crushes while transitioning from elementary to middle school.
The series is produced by Damien Megherbi and Justin Pechberty at Paris-based production and distribution company Les Valseurs, who developed its innovative format bridging linear broadcasting and social media.
To date, Samuel has generated more than 35 million views on Arte and its social channels in France and Germany.
The series has also delivered a hit for Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE and the regional Catalan channel TV3, and their respective platforms. It is also the first animated series to be shotwcased on TikTok by these channels.
It has also enjoyed high levels of engagement on Instagram and YouTube.
“We are thrilled to represent such an innovative and creative series as Samuel,” said Folivari International Head of Sales Mélissa Vega, who has announced the deal ahead of the series being showcased in the screening library of the upcoming Unifrance Rendez-vous in Biarritz.
“The success of Samuel in Europe highlights its international potential, and we are excited to work with Les Valseurs to bring it to an even wider audience.”
For Les Valseurs, the deal represents a significant step in its growth strategy.
The company has produced several award-winning short films, including Wicked Girl, which won the Jury Prize at Annecy and a César for Best Animated Short, is now actively expanding into feature films and series.
“We chose Folivari International because we feel closely aligned with Folivari’s DNA and trust their team to unlock the international potential of a unique program like Samuel,” said Megherbi.
“This partnership marks a crucial step in developing a new kind of animated series that will lead to the creation of new IPs with international reach.”
French animation company Folivari – led by Damien Brunner, Sarah Delmas, and Thibaut Ruby – launched Folivari International earlier this year in a move to expand its reach outside of France.
Its slate also features series Nino Dino and The Four of Baker Street produced by Folivari and as well as recently acquired Guitar & Drum (Punk Robot, Hype).