French studio Xilam Animation has signed on to co-produce and distribute My Life in Versailles (five x 26 minutes, pictured), a 2D-animated series that France Télévisions commissioned from Parisian studio Films Grand Huit in 2021.
Set to launch on the French broadcaster next year, the long-form project is based on a Films Grand Huit short film of the same name. Creators Clémence Madeleine-Perdrillat and Nathaniel H’Limi are co-directing the series, and Luxembourg-based Mélusine Productions is also involved as a co-producer. Xilam will manage international sales for both titles.
The eight-year-old protagonist of My Life in Versailles navigates a challenging new life after losing her parents. She’s sent to live with her uncle (a caretaker at the Palace of Versailles), where she gradually overcomes her grief and makes new friends.
Films Grand Huit’s 26-minute short film was released theatrically in France in 2019, and it has since won 27 awards at festivals such as Annecy, the New York International Children Festival and Portugal’s IndieJúnior. French publisher L’Ecole des Loisirs has also adapted the story into four picture books, with two more titles in the works to launch in 2024.