German Animation ‘Tafiti — Across The Desert’ To Launch At AFM; Sola Media Attached For Sales

EXCLUSIVE: A pair of German production houses has teamed for animated adventure feature Tafiti — Across the Desert, which Sola Media is launching at AFM.

Tradewind Pictures and Little Dream Entertainment are making the CGI-animated film in association with compatriot Sola, and production has begun in Germany. Nina Wels (Latte and the Magic Waterstone, My Fairy Troublemaker) is directing with veteran animation director Timo Berg (Super Mario Bros. Movie, Despicable Me 3, Sing) a core part of the team. Helmut G. Weber and Thomas Springer are producing.

Tafiti is being made in English and scheduled for release in 2025. Sola, which is part of the Embracer group-owned Plaion (fka Koch Media), has worldwide sales and will unveil first footage in Santa Monica next week.

Synopsis reads: “When Tafiti, a young meerkat, meets Bristles, the bush pig, he knows they can’t be friends. ‘Meerkats stick to their own!’ is what grandpa has always told him, as life in the desert is full of danger. But when Bristles is attacked by an eagle, it’s Tafiti who rushes to his rescue. Desperately seeking a friend, the fun-loving bush pig follows Tafiti home, unintentionally causing an unfortunate accident – Tafiti’s grandpa is bitten by a deadly poisonous snake. Only a mythical desert flower can save him. Tafiti sets off on a perilous journey to find the flower, convinced he must do it alone. It’s up to Bristles to prove that adventures are always better with friends.”

“We are excited about this new collaboration with Tradewind Pictures and Little Dream Entertainment and are very impressed by the great quality and attention to detail of the animation they deliver,” said Solveig Langeland, Managing Director of Stuttgart-based Sola. “They put together a great team with Nina and Timo. We can’t wait to show first images of our cute meerkat Tafiti and the funny bush pig Bristles and share their story full of kindness and humour with audiences around the world.” 

Sola previously teamed with the Ali Samadi Ahadi and Frank Geiger-helmed Little Dream on Moonbound, an animated version of Gerdt Von Bassewitz’s 1915 tale Little Peter’s Journey to the Moon.

Tradewind has offices in Cologne and Erfurt and is behind the likes of Chandani — The Daughter of the Elephant Whisperer and doc Beltracci — The Art of Forgery.