CANADA’S FIRST 100% INDIGENOUS-PRODUCED AWARD-WINNING ANIMATED FEATURE: “SEDNA EMPRESS OF THE SEA” LAUNCHES IN CANADA FOR INUIT DAY - NOVEMBER 7, 2022 CANADIAN PREMIERE PROMO SCREENING IN ASTRO THEATRE IQALUIT, NUNAVUT NOV 6, 2022 (2:30 & 4:30 pm) + NOV 7, 2022 (1:15 pm)
Montreal, Canada (Nov 3, 2022) – In recognition of INTERNATIONAL INUIT DAY coming up on NOVEMBER 7, 2022, JERRY CO ANIMATION is pleased to announce the launch of the world’s first 100% indigenous-owned award-winning animated Indigenous feature film, “SEDNA, EMPRESS OF THE SEA (1 x 85’)”. The film contains themes of LOVE and COURAGE and also includes an anti-bullying song to inspire kids and families to have more conversations that drive community awareness around identifying and preventing BULLYING. ASTRO Theatre in Iqaluit, Nunavut has been booked for a two-day run. See Astro Theatre’s Facebook page link here:
ABOUT THE FILM: “SEDNA, EMPRESS OF THE SEA” is an animated, action-adventure musical film about one of the most compelling Indigenous legends of all time: SEDNA, a courageous young Inuit girl who gets kidnapped by an evil raven and escapes by kayak to enter a brave underwater world and ends up at the bottom of the sea. While there, she turns into a mermaid and meets many new sea creatures who declare her to be the empress of all the sea animals. The film is infused with action, adventure and comedy with riveting original songs, Inuit characters, settings, and storytelling that transcend all cultures. This light-hearted musical film features many award-winning songs including “HOW TO GET RID OF A BULLY.”
The film is based on an Inuit story told to the Director by his grandmother, who is a survivor of the residential school system in Canada. This is the first animated feature film in the world that artfully combines music, and metaphors, with engaging allegorical themes that introduce children to the concept of residential schools. The film also contains many hidden easter eggs, secret images, sounds and meanings that gently reflect aspects of the harsh life, bullying and cultural genocide that took place within residential schools in Canada between the 1870s and 1997. With its provocative storyline and characters from director, writer, and producer Jerry Thevenet, combined with the powerful music and sound design crafted by Award-Winning Composer, Paul Baraka, and a Dolby Atmos sound mix by world-renowned sound engineer Richard Chycki (Mick Jagger, Dreamtheater, Rush), the film is destined to become an instant classic.
“Sedna, Empress of the Sea was produced as a gift to the world with a light-hearted allegorical storyline that has been inspired by my love of Disney’s animation films” director, Jerry Thevenet.
AWARDS TO DATE: Winner of Best Animated Feature Film, San Diego Kids Film Festival (OCT 2022), 6 x Winner of Lit Film Awards (2022), Winner Cannes Film Awards Best Song (2022), Winner of Best Indie Film Award (2022)
“Sedna’s story and her adventures demonstrate bravery, courage, resilience, and the importance of having greater love for yourself and others in the community to help rise from atrocious obstacles, including systemic bullying”, says Jerry Thevenet, director, writer and producer of the film and founder of JerryCo Animation.
JERRYCO ANIMATION - PRODUCER/PRODUCTION COMPANY
JerryCo is Canada’s #1 Indigenous-owned animation studio that you’ve never heard about until now. The company was launched over 20 years ago in Montreal, Quebec, Canada by Jerry Thevenet, a prolific Indigenous animation and live-action series producer and creator. The company is 100% Indigenous-owned and operated by Jerry Thevenet who is Southern Inuit/Inuk. On November 7, 2022, the company launches the award-winning animated feature film, Sedna Empress of the Sea (1 x 85’) which was produced, written and directed by Thevenet. The company’s library includes over 300+ episodes such as Tee Pee Time (78 x 11’/39 x 22’) a preschool animation series now airing on Aboriginal People’s Television Network (APTN Canada), CBC Gem (Canada) and soon to air on CCTV in (China), The Dreamcatchers (26 x 22’) a superhero tween animation series on APTN (Canada) with Season 2 + 3 coming soon, and The Deerskins (26 x 22’) the prime time animated comedy series rated # 1 in APTN (Canada) aired on SBS NITV (Australia) & many others!
PAUL BARAKA, MUSIC, SOUND DESIGN & VISUAL EFFECTS
Paul Baraka is an award-winning composer, sound designer, and visual effects supervisor who has worked in the animation industry for over 30 years. Paul composed and performed the score and songs with a profound musical soundscape filled with symbolism and hope. He also created a complex and immersive sound design, where every footstep and sound contains deeper hidden meanings. Paul’s work consistently delivers creative excellence, which can be seen in the stunning visual and lighting effects he provides that depict the otherworldly scenes in the film. Baraka also worked very closely with Director, Jerry Thevenet to build the allegorical themes throughout the film. His work on the film is a tribute & testament to his commitment to preserving indigenous languages and cultures.
KELENCONTENT (GLOBAL SALES & CREATIVE MANAGEMENT AGENCY)
Kelencontent (KCI) is the exclusive sales agency of record for JerryCo Animation, managing global sales and marketing for the film as well as JerryCo’s library of 300+ episodes. KCI works with leading national and global broadcasters, networks, studios and corporations including educational & governmental institutions which are all devoted to preserving indigenous languages and cultures through co-collaborative partnerships. The Company loves nurturing emerging and established producers by matching them with appropriate buyers worldwide through KCI’s global sales and creative management agency. KCI works with leading BIPOC talent to achieve greater diversity, equity, and inclusion within the creative industries via innovative business models including brokering third-party acquisitions, originals, co-productions, co-ventures and joint ventures in Film, TV and Digital XR/Metaverse Projects.
25-SECOND BULLYING SONG PROMO: https://vimeo.com/kelencontent/sednabullyingawarenesscampaign
SEDNA PREVIEW REEL (3 min.): https://vimeo.com/718737658/302bbb427e
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram/sednaempress
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SednaEmpress
FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/SednaEmpress FILM WEBSITE: https://www.sednafilm.com/
LINK FOR SCREENING (1 x 85’) FILM CAN BE SENT TO MEDIA UPON REQUEST
Indigenous Community Development: Angela Kijadjiwan [email protected]
Sales & Marketing Agency (Worldwide): Tanya Kelen +1 416 721 5919 [email protected]
Publicity Requests: Text or What’s App: +1 416-721-5919 [email protected]
