Mavka: The Forest Song
July 19, 2023
Shout! Kids, in collaboration with Animagrad Animation Studio and Film.UA Group, will release the Ukrainian CG-animated feature Mavka: The Forest Song on DVD and digital download Aug. 15.
Produced by Ukraine-based Animagrad Animation Studio (Stolen Princess) amid the ongoing attack from Russia, Mavka‘s filmmaking process was arduous and hindered by continuous armed bombardment, gunfire, unrest, and massive property destruction onsite.
Based on the Ukrainian drama “The Forest Song” by celebrated poet and author Lesya Ukrainka, the ecological animated fable unfolds in a universe that blends ancient Slavic traditions and folklore with a modern narrative that showcases Ukrainian culture, values, designs and music. The movie boasts a soundtrack written by well-known Ukrainian musicians, a mix of folk tunes in modern adaptations, and compositions created especially for the animated adventure.
Oleg Malamuzh and Sasha Ruban direct the English-language movie. The voice cast includes Laurie Hymes (Lupin III: The First), Eddy Lee (Your Name), Sarah Natochenny (Pokemon Master Journeys), Tom Wayland (Pokemon), Marc Thompson (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Scottie Ray (Zane Truesdale), HD Quinn (A Night Before Christmas), Nikki Thomas (Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous), Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld (Pokemon), and Mike Pollock (A Cat in Paris).
The film follows Mavka — the soul of the forest — who has been chosen by the supreme spirits to become the forest’s new guardian. But when she meets a talented human musician named Lucas — a man on the hunt for a mysterious tree with the power to give life — she is faced with an impossible choice between her newfound love and her duty to the spirits. Bonus features on DVD include a featurette, a music video and trailers.
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The film first drew international attention when the initial teaser was presented at the MIFA content market in 2017, held within the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. It gained further acclaim as the only Ukrainian project to be selected to be pitched at the European animation forum Cartoon Movie 2017 in Bordeaux for two years in a row. The project has since grown into a multi-platform IP — Mavka Universe, which brings together people from the creative, technological, and business spheres, scientific and public institutions, and government agencies.