Helen Blakeman: Last News

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentDriving to develop animated features and series that reach out to more sophisticated global families and 18-34 young adults after the milestone success of the Academy Award-nominated “I Lost My Body,” Marc du Pontavice’s French animation studio Xilam Animation has tapped ‘Dustbin Baby’ and ‘’Hetty Feather’ screenwriter Helen Blakeman to write “Lucy Lost.”In the run-up to this year’s online Annecy Festival and MIFA market, Du Pontavice also teased further “The Wolf,” the next feature film at Xilam, to be directed by Julien Bisaro, nominated for an Annie for his storyboard artist work on “I Lost My Body,” whose half hour “Shooom’s Odyssey” is one of Annecy’s buzziest titles in its TV Film

Ben Croll Animation oriented sales outfit Gebeka International has boarded Xilam Films’ upcoming family feature “Lucy Lost,” while France’s Le Pacte and Canal+ have picked up French domestic distribution and pay-tv rights. Together the three new partners will help launch this seaside adventure tale, co-written and directed by animation vet Olivier Clert and adapted from “War Horse” author Michael Morpurgo’s 2014 novel “Listen to the Moon.” Production is now underway at Xilam’s animation studio in France, ahead of a March 2026 delivery date.