The Los Angeles based Shout! Factory will distribute EuropaCorp’s Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart, written and directed by Mathias Malzieu and Stephane Berla. Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is a romantic and fantastical period animation that premiered recently in Berlin. Malzieu, in addition to being the author of the book Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is based on, is also the lead singer of the band Dionysos, whose album La Mécanique du Cœur relates to the same story.
The film follows the story of a boy, Jack, who is born on a cold winter’s day in Edinburgh at the end of the 19th century with a frozen heart that is replaced with a cuckoo-clock heart. He is forbidden to experience any emotions for fear it may overwhelm his delicate heart. However, one day he falls in love with a young girl named Acacia who is singing on the street corner. Determined to find her again, Jack goes on a romantic quest throughout most of Europe from the Scotland Lochs to the beautiful city of Paris and up to Andalusia, where he meets her again.
The English voice cast features Orlando Seale (Sleepy Hollow), Harry Sadeghi (The White Room), Stéphane Cornicard (Saving Private Ryan), Sophia Ellis (The Zombie Diaries), Jessie Buckley (I’d Do Anything), Barbara Scaff (Still Life 2), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) and Richard Riddings (Fat Friends). In addition, Samantha Barks is also added onto the cast as the main love interest Miss Acacia. Barks, known for her portrayal as Eponine in both the London stage and recent film versions of Les Miserables, will surely be a hearty addition to this romantic animation.
Shout! Factory is planning for a release in select theaters as well as an array of digital an VOD offerings sometime in 2014. Virginie Besson-Silla, a producer for EuropaCorp on Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart had this to say of the release plans:
Having shown constant and renewed support for this film, Luc Besson (owner of EuropaCorp) is very proud of the result and thus very keen to have a U.S. distributor attached to the film. Shout! Factory’s success with previous animated features from EuropaCorp made it the ideal partner to distribute this movie in the U.S and Canada.
Prior to this project, Shout! Factory also distributed Bibo Bergeron’s A Monster In Paris in North America, also from EuropaCorp. The Shout! Factory founders are especially thrilled with the recent addition to their distribution collection.
Over last year, we enjoyed tremendous success with Bibo Bergeron’s A Monster in Paris from EuropaCorp, and this new opportunity continues to build on our prowess in distributing premiere animation and family friendly content in the entertainment marketplace. This beautifully made, highly entertaining feature is a perfect addition to our growing library of exciting new films.
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