Nelvana Announces The Most Magnificent Thing At Kidscreen 2017 – New Short Film Based On The Award-winning Picture Book Of The Same Name
February 15, 2017
NELVANA ANNOUNCES THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING at KIDSCREEN 2017 – NEW SHORT FILM BASED ON THE AWARD-WINNING PICTURE BOOK OF THE SAME NAME
Directed by Canadian Arna Selznick and Based on the Bestselling Kids Can Press Picture Book from B.C. Author-Illustrator Ashley Spires
“The Most Magnificent Thing captures the ups and downs of the creative process perfectly … with honesty and even a little elegance.” – The Globe and Mail
Toronto, Canada – Nelvana announced today, in association with Kids Can Press, and from the 2017 Kidscreen summit, that they are set to begin production on The Most Magnificent Thing – a special 22-minute short film based on Ashley Spires’s bestselling picture book of the same name. The film is currently in pre-production, developing story outline and pre-visuals, and will be directed by Canadian Arna Selznick. Both owned and operated by Corus Entertainment, Nelvana and Kids Can Press have a storied history in joining forces to bring popular children’s books to life on screen, including the ever-popular Franklin the Turtle series.
“We are delighted to be working with our colleagues at Kids Can Press to bring another one of their prolific tales to life on screen,” said Scott Dyer, President, Nelvana. “We were inspired by Spires’s story of a young girl and her vision and have infused the same passion and perseverance to this film, ensuring that we make The Most Magnificent Thing, the most magnificent thing we can.”
Featuring high-quality CGI and produced in 4k resolution, Nelvana’s short film version of The Most Magnificent Thing animates Spires’s tale about an unnamed girl, her furry best friend and their quest to make the most magnificent thing. The girl knows just how it will look and just how it will work – all she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. After several trials and several errors, the girl realizes that making the most magnificent thing might not be as easy as she thought, but with the help of her furry best friend, and a whole lot of dedication and imagination, she manages to get it just right.
“I am incredibly excited that the plucky little girl from my book will be making the magnificent leap from page to screen,” said Ashley Spires. “There can never be enough opportunities to present young female characters as empowered, inventive problem-solvers to inspire children. I’m honoured that Nelvana saw the potential in my illustrations to translate into film and I can’t wait to see the final product.”
Translated in nine languages and with more than 250,000 copies sold worldwide, The Most Magnificent Thing is a bestselling picture book written and illustrated by the award-winning B.C. author-illustrator. Originally published in April 2014, the book quickly became popular within the maker community, as well as with educators and parents around the world for its themes of perseverance, initiative and innovation. Spires first launched the book at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa and continued to tour Canada, visiting schools, libraries and festivals, landing the book on a number of 2014 Best Books of the Year lists.
-30-
About Nelvana
Nelvana is Canada’s premier animation company and a world-leading producer and distributor of children’s content. Nelvana has delighted audiences around the globe for more than 40 years with a vast library of more than 4,000 episodes from original, award-winning series like Babar and Franklin. Nelvana’s content is distributed in more than 160 countries worldwide and broadcast across Corus Entertainment’s suite of leading kids networks. Nelvana Enterprises, the global licensing and merchandising arm of Nelvana, manages the organization’s portfolio of in-house and third party brands with offices in Toronto and Paris. Nelvana Studio, with offices in Toronto and Montreal, employs more than 300 Canadian artists working with local and international producers to create premium children’s content for a global stage. For more information, visit www.nelvana.com.
About Kids Can Press
Kids Can Press, part of the Corus Entertainment family, is the largest Canadian-owned children’s publisher. Its catalog includes an award-winning list of over 700 picture books, nonfiction and fiction titles for young readers. For over forty years, Kids Can Press has distinguished itself as a publisher of high-quality children’s books and continues this tradition with its digital publications, custom publishing partnerships and brand marketing initiatives. Browse Kids Can Press books at www.kidscanpress.com.
About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that creates and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. The company’s portfolio of multimedia offerings encompasses 45 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, a global content business, digital assets, live events, children’s book publishing, animation software, technology and media services. Corus’ roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network Canada, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, HISTORY®, Showcase, National Geographic Channel, Q107, CKNW, Fresh Radio, Disney Channel Canada, YTV and Nickelodeon Canada. Visit Corus at www.corusent.com.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Laura Berkenblit
Corus Entertainment
416.860.4225
Laura.berkenblit@corusent.com
Michelle McTeague
Corus Entertainment
416.860.4226
Michelle.mcteague@corusent.com
Michaela Cornell
Kids Can Press
416.479.6766
mcornell@kidscan.com
