The animated feature “The Unicorn That Said No,” based on the bestselling book “Das Neinhorn” by Marc-Uwe Kling and Astrid Henn, is set to make its market premiere at the American Film Market (AFM) in Los Angeles. In an impressive move ahead of its debut, sales agency The Playmaker Munich has secured distribution deals for the film across various territories.
Wide International Distribution
The film has been sold to numerous distributors, including Unlimited Media for the Baltic states, WWE Rights for Benelux, KMBO for France, Grand Entertainment for Motion Pictures in the Middle East, M2 Films for Poland, Idea Film for Romania, Another World Entertainment for Scandinavia, Pack Magic for Spain, and Orjinlab for Turkey.
Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany will handle the release in Germany, slated for January 1, 2027.
Storyline and Creative Team
The storyline follows a sweet yet grumpy unicorn who, frustrated with the overly colorful and idyllic world of his fellow unicorns, decides to venture into Nowhere. Along the way, he discovers unexpected friendships and together they embark on a mission to rescue the king’s daughter from her tower, ultimately leading to a journey back home with his newfound companions.
The film is directed by Kling, along with Johannes Weiland, known for “The Gruffalo’s Child,” and produced by Studio Soi. Kling co-wrote the screenplay with Marcus Sauermann and also lends his voice to the main character. The German voice cast includes talents such as Nora Tschirner, Torsten Sträter, and Karoline Herfurth.
Production Details
Produced by X Filme Creative Pool, renowned for works like “Run Lola Run” and “Goodbye, Lenin!” in collaboration with Studio Soi, the film boasts an accomplished production team. Producers include Uwe Schott, Nicole Kellerhals, and Carsten Bunte, with co-producers Steffen Schier, Margret Mackuth, and Julia Hayungs. The score is composed by Felix Raffel, featuring a key song by Dota Kehr.
The project has received backing from institutions such as MFG, MDM, BKM, FFA, and Kuratorium Junger Deutscher Film.
Market Premiere at AFM
The market premiere will take place on November 11 at 11 a.m. at the AMC Century City in Los Angeles. The Playmaker Munich is set to be based at the Fairmont Century Plaza during AFM.
Sylvia Edelmann, head of sales at The Playmaker, expressed her excitement about the strong international interest, stating, “It’s wonderful to see so many territories on board before the film has even screened. The book is a hit with readers of all ages around the world, and we can’t wait to bring this sweet, grumpy unicorn to even more audiences at AFM.”
