Sophie "Kido" Prigent
Animals take center stage in HARI’s productions, and their universal appeal has driven the global success of the studio’s series, many of which have garnered multiple awards. For instance, "Grizzy & The Lemmings" (312x7), featuring the individualistic bear Grizzy and the playful lemmings, is now broadcast in 200 territories worldwide. “It is the number one most-watched animated kids' show (for ages 6 and up) on Netflix globally according to the report issued for the 2nd semester 2023, and is consistently in the top three animated series on France TV’s Okoo, the UK’s CBBC, and Toggo in Germany (Super RTL),” said Sophie "Kido" Prigent, Head of Distribution at HARI. The show delivers exceptional ratings on television channels around the world and generates 1.4 billion views per year on YouTube, where it boasts nine million subscribers. HARI recently launched the fourth season of the series.
“We’ve also made great strides in licensing and merchandising with 'Grizzy & The Lemmings,'” added Prigent. HARI signed a deal with fast food chain KFC to bring the series to 300 restaurants across France. In EMEA, the company partnered with Fashion UK to create apparel lines featuring artwork from the series. Additionally, HARI teamed up with craft brand UHU for a limited edition of glue sticks featuring "Grizzy & The Lemmings" designs.
Other beloved animal characters captivating audiences worldwide are Clever and Bro, the hamster stars of "Mystery Lane" (26x22’). The first season has performed phenomenally well. “France Télévisions has asked us to produce a Christmas special that will be released for this winter, and we’re receiving fantastic feedback from other buyers, who have also seen great ratings for 'Mystery Lane' in their respective countries,” mentioned Prigent. “We’re getting pre-buy offers for Season 2 of this series, so it will be our big focus at MIPCOM,” she affirmed.
Among HARI’s latest animated projects is "The Weasy Family" (78x7), which tells the story of Weasy, an irresponsible weasel who suddenly finds himself in the role of father to two little girls ducking. “The series explores the relationship between the three characters and how Weasy tries to make them happy, and put himself into some hilarious slapstick situations while doing so. The father/ daughters dynamic creates a lot of comedy with some heart-warming moments,” she explained. “The Weasy Family” is a very sweet series about parent-child relationships and. It will be delivered in 2025,” she added.
In addition to these three IPs, HARI has greenlighted a new series, "Baby Lemmings," featuring baby lemmings from "Grizzy & The Lemmings." This new project is a gentle-slapstick CGI-animated show aimed at preschoolers and their families. HARI will deliver 78 7-minute episodes between 2025 and 2026. France Télévisions commissioned the series for Okoo and France 4, while Warner Bros. Discovery secured the rights for Cartoonito and Max in EMEA, Cartoonito in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, as well as Cartoon Network in South Asia. Super RTL licensed the rights in Germany for Toggo.
POOL OF TALENTS
Reflecting on the current audiovisual landscape, Prigent expressed gratitude for the French eco-system, as well as the abundance of talent. “We are developing such a great pool of talents in France: CG artists, writers, directors, storyboarders etc.We produce fantastic animation in terms of quality and storytelling. With global players commissioning, co-producing, and acquiring far less than just a couple of years ago, we’re fortunate to have the support of partners for whom our shows are top performers, while also attracting interest from new partners for the same reasons,” she concluded.