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Prodco hones in on Young Adult/Prime Time fiction content
Paris, February 13th February, 2024
Premium kids content producer Cottonwood Media has appointed BAFTA-nominated producer Manon Ardisson to the newly-created position of Head of Fiction, effective immediately.
Since its inception almost 10 years ago, Cottonwood produces animation (series, feature films), and big-budget cinematic-styled live action kids/tween series resulting in global hits such as Find Me in Paris. Hiring Manon Ardisson marks a new phase in the prodco’s growth as it hones in on primetime and YA fiction content.
Based out of the Paris office, Manon Ardisson takes up this new position at Cottonwood as the company ramps up its kids and YA live action offerings. Reporting to co-founders David Michel, Cécile Laurenson, and Zoé Carrera Allaix, she will cover all aspects of fiction: from development through to filming and post. And will also be responsible for hiring the respective creative teams at each stage of the production process.
With a solid track record as an indie producer, she has worked on a variety of fiction content such as the BFI backed BAFTA nominated, BIFA winning feature film God’s Own Country by Francis Lee (winner of various standout awards at film festivals – Sundance, Edinburgh, Chicago, Berlin, and more). She co-produced the acclaimed Venezuelan feature films La Soledad, and La Fortaleza, both by Jorge Thielen Armand. And produced the feature documentary Mo Scarpelli’s El Father Plays Himself to name a few.
Over the years she has worked closely with multiple broadcasters and organizations such as Ffilm Cymru, BBC Film, BFI, and SKY, securing development funding for numerous fiction projects.
Manon also co-created the ‘Mother Tongues Award’, a development initiative for UK-set feature films in a language other than English (with the support of sales agent Charades, and UK distributor Curzon). The initiative’s first production Kneecap about the Irish-language rap band of the same name, premiered last month at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, and went on to win an Audience Award.
David Michel, President and Co-Founder, Cottonwood Media said: “Live-action has been an incredible growth area for us, and for a while now we have been considering the primetime and YA space. Manon has a great track record for working on some incredible films, and we feel she will greatly contribute to the augmentation of our premium live-action slate for the global marketplace over the coming years.”
Manon Ardisson commented: “I have spent over a decade working in the UK, and since returning to Paris some time ago, I am now looking forward to this next stage in my career. Cottonwood Media has an incredible reputation globally, and I am confident that over the coming months we are going to forge some great creative partnerships, and take the fiction side of the business to a whole new level.”
About Cottonwood Media
Cottonwood Media (a subsidiary of Federation Studios and part of its kids’ division Federation Kids & Family) was founded by David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix and Cécile Laurenson. Cottonwood Media creates, produces and invests in premium, talent-driven content with a focus on bringing together North American and European audiences, on both linear and non-linear platforms. In 2015 Cottonwood Media partnered with Federation Studios (formerly Federation Studios) to create Federation Kids & Family, a global distribution division which distributes original content as well as third party acquisitions.
Based in Paris and Berlin, with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto, Cottonwood’s productions include premium live action series such as Circuit Breakers (sci-fi for Apple TV), Spellbound (ballet/witchcraft themed), Theodosia (period Egyptology/adventure), Find Me in Paris (time-travelling/ballet themed) with 3 seasons, the animated feature film Around the World in 80 Days distributed by Studio Canal (#1 French movie in Box office internationally in 2021), and animated series such as The Ollie and Moon Show (preschool), and the wacky kids comedy Squish (6-10yrs) https://cottonwood.tv/
