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In the high-stakes world of international animation, momentum is everything. At this year’s Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM), one project has captured the collective imagination of industry insiders: The March of the Sunflowers. A whimsical, ambitious, and culturally rooted stop-motion feature, the film has officially secured a powerhouse coalition of co-producers, marking a significant milestone for Brazilian cinema and the global animation landscape.
France’s Autour de Minuit—the creative engine behind the Academy Award-winning short Logorama—and the burgeoning Portuguese powerhouse Spamflix have officially boarded the project. This alliance signals a major vote of confidence in Brazilian filmmaker and cinematographer Erick Ricco, whose vision for a magical, sun-drenched adventure is set to push the boundaries of regional storytelling on a global scale.
The Heart of the Story: A Mythic Journey
At its core, The March of the Sunflowers is a fable of resilience and wonder. Set against the backdrop of Brazil’s magical sertão (backlands), the narrative follows nine-year-old Marialice. When her family’s sole rooster—the creature responsible for heralding the dawn—vanishes, the sun fails to rise. Plunged into an unnatural, unending twilight, Marialice embarks on a quest to restore light to her world. Accompanied only by her loyal chick, Marques, she traverses a landscape teeming with talking animals, living shadows, and mythical creatures.
Aimed squarely at children aged 6 to 9 and the broader family demographic, the film promises a blend of classic stop-motion tactility and modern fantasy. It is not merely a film about a quest; it is a celebration of the folklore, landscape, and traditional craftsmanship of the Brazilian interior.
A Chronology of Momentum: From Ventana Sur to Bogota
The journey of The March of the Sunflowers is a masterclass in strategic development. The project first gained serious traction during the 2023 edition of Animation! at Ventana Sur in Buenos Aires, where its unique visual identity and heartfelt premise stood out among a sea of competitors.
- Pre-Production Phase: Currently in active pre-production, the project is moving through the intricate stages of design and character development.
- The BAM Breakthrough: Its arrival at the Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM) serves as the industry launchpad, solidifying the production team and garnering critical international attention.
- The 2027 Horizon: With the co-production team now fully assembled, the current roadmap dictates that physical production—the painstaking frame-by-frame labor synonymous with stop-motion—will commence in 2027.
This methodical approach reflects the maturity of the production team, which balances the creative ambitions of Tuba Studio and Ricco Filmes (Belo Horizonte) with the seasoned expertise of producer Ivan Melo’s Cup Filmes (São Paulo).
Cultural Significance: A First for Minas Gerais
The production carries significant weight as a landmark for regional filmmaking. According to producer Ivan Melo, the film is poised to make history.
"‘The March of the Sunflowers’ will be the first stop-motion feature ever produced in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais," Melo stated. "It is also among the very few Brazilian animated features created specifically for young children."
This is not a project that seeks to mimic Western animation tropes; rather, it is a deliberate attempt to project the soul of the sertão onto the silver screen. To achieve this, the team has turned to the legendary legacy of Giramundo, Brazil’s iconic puppet theater company. Under the guidance of art director Ulisses Tavares, the film’s visual language is being crafted to reflect the textures, colors, and mechanical soul of traditional Brazilian puppetry.
"Inspired by the landscapes, folklore and traditional craftsmanship of the sertão of Minas Gerais, the film introduces an authentic Brazilian heroine while celebrating one of Brazil’s richest yet least represented cultural regions," Melo added.
Official Perspectives: The International Marriage
The involvement of Autour de Minuit is a major coup for the project. Nicolas Schmerkin, founder and CEO of the Paris-based studio, noted that the film aligns perfectly with the company’s 25-year history of championing auteur-driven, technically daring animation.
"Autour de Minuit is celebrating this year its 25th anniversary," Schmerkin reflected. "After several shorts and TV specials in stop motion, including the five last adventures from the A Town Called Panic franchise, we are very pleased to join Cup Filmes and Spamflix for the co-production of a first feature film with this wonderful technique."
Schmerkin’s enthusiasm for the project is not merely financial; it is technical and collaborative. He noted that the French team plans to integrate their expertise in CGI—specifically for complex crowd scenes and advanced compositing—while facilitating an exchange of talent. "We fell in love with the story and visuals when Ivan Melo and Erick Ricco pitched the project at Ventana Sur last year," he said. "We hope to contribute by sending French talent to the animation sets in Brazil."
The inclusion of Spamflix, the Lisbon-based powerhouse, further bolsters the project’s distribution potential. As a company that has quickly established itself as a force in original production and high-end animation distribution, Spamflix provides a bridge between the European market and the emerging Latin American animation scene.
Implications: The Rise of Latin American Animation
The success of The March of the Sunflowers is emblematic of a broader shift in the global animation industry. For years, major animation hubs were strictly defined by studios in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and parts of Western Europe. However, as production costs have become more accessible and global co-production networks more sophisticated, projects from Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina are increasingly capturing international interest.
Cup Filmes, in particular, has become a key player in this movement. Their portfolio includes Marcelo Caetano’s 2024 drama Baby (which debuted at Cannes) and the 2021 award-winning stop-motion feature Bob Spit – We Do Not Like People. Their ability to pivot between gritty live-action drama and intricate stop-motion animation demonstrates a versatility that is essential for modern independent production houses.
Furthermore, the project enjoys substantial institutional backing. Support from the state of Minas Gerais, the Brazilian Ministry of Culture, Energisa, and Animaparque—part of the Polo Audiovisual in the Zona da Mata region—proves that local governments are beginning to recognize the economic and cultural value of nurturing an indigenous animation industry.
Conclusion: A Sun-Drenched Future
As The March of the Sunflowers moves toward its 2027 shooting date, the industry will be watching closely. The project represents a rare synthesis: it is a deeply personal, regionally specific story that has successfully secured the international infrastructure required to reach a global audience.
By marrying the traditional, tangible magic of stop-motion with the rich, under-explored folklore of the Brazilian sertão, Erick Ricco and his collaborators are not just making a movie—they are building a bridge. For the young audiences of 2027, The March of the Sunflowers may well become their first window into the vibrant, textured, and magical world of Brazilian storytelling.
With the combined creative forces of Autour de Minuit, Spamflix, and the Tuba/Cup/Ricco collective, the project is well-positioned to become a benchmark for international co-productions, proving that when the right stories meet the right talent, the sun—even if it has gone missing—can always be found again.
Nana Wu
