RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, announced the signing of a cooperation agreement with Koch Media, a leading film distribution company, to distribute the “The Journey” in Germany and five other European countries: Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.
The deal comes as part of the subsidiary’s strategy of becoming a global competitor in the film industry.
The signing took place digitally, in the presence of representatives from the two companies in Riyadh and Berlin.
Koch Media is scheduled to begin distributing and showing the much-anticipated film to European audiences, providing viewers with the opportunity to learn about the culture of the Arabian Peninsula and its rich and inspiring stories.
Dr. Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, said: “We will continue in our mission to create inspirational content for all audiences and our heroes in the future. Let us reveal our Saudi creativity to the world.”
Stefan Kapelari, managing director of Koch Media and Koch Films in Planegg, Germany, said: “Koch Media always seeks to attract original and high-quality content. From this point, we are happy to release ‘The Journey’ as the first anime from the Arab market, as we view it as a high-quality movie in terms of drawing, animation and story. We hope that this partnership will be the beginning of a long-term relationship with Manga Productions in the creative content industry.”
Manga Productions, a subsidiary under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Charitable Foundation, produces animation projects and video games aimed at conveying the Saudi message globally through professional works that include distinguished creative content.
The company also provides training opportunities for Saudi talent in partnership with Japan’s Toei Animation, with the aim of transferring knowledge and localizing the creative industry in the Kingdom.
“The Journey” is the first Saudi film to present a movie experience in 4DX technology. It is one of the milestones in the journey of Manga Productions, which seeks to be a pioneer and global leader in the production of creative content in the Arab world and beyond.
Directed by Shizuno Kobon, the film tells an epic tale about the ancient civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East, and establishes a historical fantasy for future generations.
