RTÉjr and RTÉ Player air 10 brand new commissioned Christmas animations
This Christmas RTÉ is making your festive season even more colourful as Shorts Yule Love, a series of 10 animated shorts from Irish animation companies all over the country, airs daily, from today, on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. The animations, many of which were produced in people’s own homes during recent months, were commissioned especially for RTÉjr this Christmas and feature heart-warming and hilarious stories about the spirit of the season.
The 10 animations are:
Bear with Me from Boyle-based animation company Studio Meala, dedicated to all of the children who won’t get home for Christmas, follows a lost teddy bear as they explore a Children’s Hospital looking for their owner.
Da Humbug is from Flickerpix, an animation studio in Holywood. It’s a festive and heart-warming stop-motion animation from the IFTA award-winning studio that brought you MACROPOLIS and ON THE AIR. Join Ella as she tries to share a little Christmas kindness with her grumpy older neighbour Bob, a real Bah Humbug!
WATCH: ‘The Making of Da Humbug’
Little from Alt Animation in Belfast is a short film about how the interruption to your day might be making someone else’s. Big just wants to go outside and play with his friends and he’s tired of his little brother tagging along. Little was written and directed by Matthew Bradley and produced by ALT Animation with the music and sound design provided by Score Draw.
The Wee Littles: Christmas Eve Eve by Clare-based company Magpie 6, is a film about two exhausted parents trying to get their children to bed, who come up with a new family tradition: where they’ll each get to open a really tiny present Christmas Eve Eve!!
Critters TV: Tiny’s Santa List, produced by Turnip & Duck. Mammy, Daddy & Tiny Owl are getting ready for Christmas. Even though they promised Tiny they’d keep their list short. Can Tiny teach them about the true meaning of Christmas?
Mistletoe & Stubbs by JAM Media. When a reliable, old cake decoration realises he’s been replaced (and right in the run up to Christmas!) his dreams of shining on a fruit-filled, frosting-covered stage look like they’re about to crumble away. With Easter, Birthdays and Spooky Season around the corner, could this plucky little cake topper gain a new starring role or will he end up stuck on the sidelines for good? The creative force behind it, Jess Patterson, recently directed ‘The Voyage’ which was a massive hit on RTÉ’s Comic Relief . Music score is provided by Richie Egan from Jape.
Urban Tails: The Big Christmas Song by Pink Kong, an awesome animated musical set in the universe of Urban Tails the RTÉjr pre-school series. Duo AoÍfe Doyle and Niamh Herrity really have Christmas wrapped up with this rap!
An Oíche is Speisialta by Dublin-based company Studio 9, follows a magical star as it visits the diverse homes of Ireland on the eve of Christmas.
Naughty vs Nice by Dublin-based Treehouse Republic. On a crisp Christmas Eve night, Santa is dismayed when he finds a child on the Naughty list. But the child in question, Grace, isn’t going to take a stocking full of coal lying down. Classic Christmas caper alert!
Gunter Falls in Love by Offaly-based company Cardel. Günter, a pudgy pug, becomes besotted with an old hand-me-down family toy. The cuteness barometer broke when we viewed this one. This is directed by BAFTA nominated Writer, Director & Animator Josephine Lohoar.
There are two episodes each day from 14th to 18th December on RTÉ2 at 6.40am and 11.20am and all episodes are live on RTÉ Player from today here.
Suzanne Kelly, Group Head of RTÉ Young People’s said: ‘This Christmas 2020, RTÉjr is delighted to partner with the Irish animation sector to bring to Irish audiences a delicious selection box of animated shorts for your viewing pleasure. Once again RTÉ has been bowled over by the imagination and creativity of all those who work in this incredibly vibrant sector. Young People’s Executive Producer, Eimear O’Mahony has worked closely with a wonderful mix of talented animation studios to deliver a collection of heart- warming, poignant and laugh out loud short films that will have everyone ho ho ho-ing all Christmas long…Our little gift to you. Enjoy!’