CEE Animation’s Short Distribution Workshop not only brushes up the expertise of professionals, sometimes a workshop can also inspire a career switch. Today Lucia Dubravay Trautenberger – former managing director of the Biennial of Animation Bratislava – heads the new distribution company Bear With Me Distribution, specialising in animated short films that appeal to young audiences. ‘Our mission is to bridge the gap between artistry and accessibility, captivating both international festival-goers and the hearts of children.’
Calling your company ‘Bear with me Distribution’ sounds like an apology…
Lucia Dubravay Trautenberger: Because I am asking for patience? To be honest, we didn’t think too much about it. It was Juraj’s (Krasnohorsky – Artichoke) idea; I believe the name came to him in a dream during CEE Animation’s Shorts Distribution Workshop in Ljubljana, where for the first time the launch of a new company was discussed. There is a certain logic behind the use of this idiom, as a bear – especially a teddy bear – is often associated with children. Martin (Vandas – MAUR Film) and I liked the idea, and we moved on to the next step.
Why so much hurry?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Initially, we planned to launch the company at Annecy 2024, but the political situation in Slovakia became a key motivator. After the September 2023 elections and the rapid, drastic changes in the cultural sector, I no longer saw a future for myself in a state organization. However, as the managing director of a festival of animated films for children, I wanted to stay active in the industry. Juraj and Martin had been considering the idea of starting a distribution company together for some time already, and during the workshop we made it concrete.
Because there was a gap to fill in the market?
Dubravay Trautenberger: At that time, there was no one distributing just short animated films for children in Slovakia or the Czech Republic. We sat down and outlined our goals. Afterwards, Juraj went abroad for a while, and Martin returned to Prague so we set up everything online. By March, the contracts were signed by all three partners. Before we even realized it, we had the first film in our catalogue: the Portuguese THE GIRL WITH THE OCCUPIED EYES (by André Carrilho), which had been pitched at the CEE Animation Forum. It all happened so fast; it was crazy!
Martin and Juraj are experienced producers, while you are running the company as managing director. How are responsibilities divided?
Dubravay Trautenberger: Martin and Juraj had the initial plan, which we then developed together into a solid partnership. We discuss the line-up and contracts together, while I handle the daily operations; sales strategies, festival submissions, accountancy, and more. Bear With Me Distribution is taking shape here in my home office, with Martin and Juraj providing essential backup. With me being relatively new to this business, Martin and Juraj are there to ensure that everything is handled properly. They also bring their valuable network and experience, which are crucial for the company’s success.
Bear With Me calls itself a ‘boutique company’.
Dubravay Trautenberger: This means we don’t want to grow too fast. The company is still young, and we need to figure out how many films we can handle to remain operational while also managing them responsibly and with respect for the filmmakers. We currently have nearly a dozen titles in our catalogue, and it’s crucial that producers and directors are being heard and involved in our campaigns and strategies. We need to understand their expectations and what they dream for their projects. This is a responsibility we take seriously towards our partners. Mutual trust and strong collaborations are values we deeply appreciate.
The company positions itself as mainly interested in children’s content, while I all the time feel the need to convince people that animation is not just for children.
Dubravay Trautenberger: I’m sorry if you feel that I’m ruining your mission. I’ve been working with children before, and as a mother, I’m surrounded by kids in my everyday life. This is my natural habitat. There’s a lot of interesting content out there. Recently, I saw my children watching a cartoon about a non-binary bison… that’s not something you would have expected on TV/ VOD a few years ago. What we are trying to do is give this high-quality content a longer life. This generation of children has experienced a pandemic, is witnessing a war in Ukraine, facing environmental challenges, and seeing a troubling rise in youth suicide. They deserve content that combines quality, safety, and values, not just for children, but also for teens, a group that is often overlooked.
Read the rest of the article: https://ceeanimation.eu/news/ceea-talks-lucia-dubravay-trautenberger-about-bear-with-me-distributionlike-a-master-chef-sharing-her-recipes/
