Author: Newsroom
LOS ANGELES, CA – June 12, 2024 — Ketchup Entertainment has acquired the North American distribution rights to OZI, VOICE OF THE FOREST, an animated film produced by Appian Way Productions and Mike Medavoy with the voices of Amandla Stenberg, Dean Charles Chapman, Djimon Hounsou, Donald Sutherland, Laura Dern, RuPaul Charles, and Urzila Carlson. The film also features a title song penned by Academy Honorary Award winner Diane Warren. OZI, VOICE OF THE FOREST premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2023. Ketchup Entertainment plans to release OZI, VOICE OF THE FOREST in 2024 and is committed to a wide theatrical rollout.
OZI, VOICE OF THE FOREST follows Ozi, an orphan orangutan, who uses her influencer skills to save her forest and home from deforestation.
Produced by Mike Medavoy, Appian Way Productions and GCI Film, the feature aims to raise awareness around the issues our planet’s rainforests face due to growing levels of deforestation, and how this affects ecosystems and climate change.
The film is the first of a climate themed franchise; Ocean is in development.
“OZI, VOICE OF THE FOREST is a film the whole family can enjoy. We are thrilled to be working with Appian Way, GCI and Mike Medavoy and sharing this timely story with audiences in North America,” states Ketchup Entertainment CEO Gareth West.
“Ketchup are an exciting distributor, Their ambitious commitment to theatrical is key step in introducing Ozi and the Voices Franchise to US audiences” stated Adam Stanhope GCIFilm Director.
The Deal was brokered by Fred Hedman at GFM
Ketchup Entertainment recently distributed Michel Franco’s MEMORY starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard. Chastain received a Film Independent Spirit Awards nomination for Best Lead Performance, while Sarsgaard won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. Other recent projects from Ketchup Entertainment include FERRARI, helmed by the visionary Michael Mann, and the captivating Ben Affleck starrer HYPNOTIC.
The company’s upcoming theatrical slate also includes Hallie Meyers-Shyer’s comedy GOODRICH starring Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis, Brian Taylor’s HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN starring Jack Kesy, and George Huang’s WEEKEND IN TAIPEI starring Luke Evans and Gwei Lun-mei.