Loco Films Paris Sells ‘Akiko – The Flying Monkey,’ Debuts English Trailer

Loco Films Paris has secured numerous sales for Veit Helmer’s German kids and family movie, “Akiko – the Flying Monkey.” The film will be part of this year’s Kids Screenings at the Locarno Film Festival.

The film has been sold in over 40 territories, including Germany, Austria, and many MENA, CIS, and African countries. In Germany, Farbfilm Verleih will be responsible for distribution.

Loco Films is also in ongoing discussions with distributors in other European nations, which will continue at Locarno. While the Swiss festival is often a platform for auteur-driven arthouse films, its Kids section is notably influential in commercial aspects. Last year, the Finnish kids and family title “Snot & Splash” generated a significant bidding war and was eventually acquired by FilmSharks.

“Akiko – The Flying Monkey” begins in a German zoo, where the young simian protagonist, Akiko, believes it to be his home. However, upon discovering there is more to the world, Akiko embarks on a daring escape to reunite with his family and liberate other captive animals.

Although primarily a live-action film, it boasts an impressive amount of digital effects for a European indie, with more than 800 VFX shots in the final cut, according to Helmer.

Helmer is a highly accomplished filmmaker with a career spanning 35 years. His works have been showcased at Cannes, Sundance, and Slamdance, earning him a European Film Award nomination for “Tuvalu” in the European Discovery category.

The director expressed, “Creating ‘Akiko – The Flying Monkey’ was about crafting a narrative that resonates with anyone who retains a sense of wonder about the world. The film uses the playful antics and challenges of Akiko and his friends to explore themes of freedom and the hidden magic that surrounds us every day.”

“Akiko – The Flying Monkey” was produced with backing from the German Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Kuratorium junger deutscher Film (KjdF), the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Filmförderung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The production involved close collaboration with NDR, BR, SWR, HR, SR, and RBB.

Source: Variety