Mondo TV

**Mondo TV** is one of the major production and distribution animation companies in Europe. Founded by Orlando Corradi in 1985 and based in Rome, Mondo TV is a public company, quoted on the STAR segment of the Italian main stock exchange, Borsa Italiana, a part of the London Stock Exchange Group since 2007.

It distributes and produces, on its own or in co-production with leading international networks, animated series and feature films for television and theatrical release. Mondo TV also operates in other related sectors such as music and audiovisual distribution, exploitation, media, publishing and merchandising.

## History

In 1964, Orlando Corradi and Kenichi Tominaga found DEA S.n.c., a company active in the audiovisual animation sector, with the aim of acquiring the rights to Japanese animated cartoons for distribution in Italy and Europe. In 1979 and 1980, respectively, Corradi and Tominaga created the companies DORO TV Merchandising. for large-scale television networks, and Italian TV Broadcasting S.r.l., for smaller-size broadcaster. The period from the late 1970s to the early 1980s saw the rise in demand for Japanese animated cartoons and the growth of the Italian television market. The two companies started distributing feature films, TV series and sports events. Mondo TV S.r.l. was founded in 1985 in order to produce animated cartoon series.

In 1990, DORO TV Merchandising created its first animated television series *The Jungle Book* and *Christopher Columbus*. From 1992 on, Mondo TV undertook the production of animated television series. In late 1999, Mondo TV S.r.l. was transformed into a joint-stock company, Mondo TV S.p.A., and then acquired the 100% of the shares of DORO TV Merchandising S.r.l., and on 28 June 2000 its shares make their debut on the Italian stock exchange, Borsa Italiana. The 2000s (decade) saw Mondo TV expands its operations into complementary multimedia and publishing sectors, and its worldwide collaborations and strategic partnerships. Mondo Home Entertainment S.r.l., for the distribution of video and DVDs, and Mondo Licensing S.p.A., fcr merchandising and publishing, were both created in 2001, followed by MHE (Mondo Home Entertainment) S.p.A., quoted on the Expandi bourse on 28 February 2005, Moviemax, purchased by MHE in 2006, and MEG Mondo Entertainment Germany for home video distribution in Germany. Mondo TV plans to create a London-based business for the United Kingdom market in the mid-term.

In September 2010, Mondo TV launched its own licensing agency in Italy, Mondo TV Consumer Product, for selling the licensing, publishing and merchandising rights of properties owned by the Group itself as well as third parties. The future will see Mondo TV Group building up its presence in sectors like home video, music, multimedia, children's books, interactive games, eCommerce, merchandising for toys and children's wear, computer games and publishing synergy with cartoon products.

## Activities

Mondo TV is one of the few branches of Italian audiovisual production companies or groups active in markets outside Italy.

### **Subsidiaries**

The holding company, Mondo TV, has several incorporated subsidiaries: DORO TV Merchandising S.r.l., for the distribution of Japanese animations in Italy, Mondo Distribution S.r.l., for the distribution of video games, Mondo IGEL Media (MIM) AG, for the distribution and co-production of television programmes in Europe, Mondo Kidz, for the distribution in the United States, Mondo TV Consumer Products S.r.l., for merchandising and licensing, Mondo TV France, for the distribution and co-production with television stations in France, and Mondo TV Spain S.L., for the distribution of television programmes in Spain and Latin America.

### **Production and distribution**

The group's activities were initially focused on the distribution of Japanese animations in Italy. In 1990 the company moved from distribution to distribution and production, and DORO TV Merchandising created its first television series, *The Jungle Book*, 52 episodes based on the 1894 collection of stories written by Rudyard Kipling, and *Christopher Columbus*, a 26-episode animated series based on the life of the Italian explorer and navigator. From 1992 on, Mondo TV undertook the production of animated television series, which saw the release of *Robin Hood*, based on the outlaw in English folklore and released in 1992, *The Legend of Snow White*, based on the Brothers Grimm's version of the fairy tale known from many countries in Europe and released in 1993, and, in 1994, *The Legend of Zorro*, 52 episodes of about 26 minutes each based on the famous character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The series was co-produced by the animation department of the Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company Toho.

In the following years, Mondo TV released several animated series such as *The Story of Cinderella*, co-produced with Japanese animation company Tatsunoko Production , a 26-episode animated series based on the fairy tale of the same name, *Simba the King Lion* a 52-episode animated series , and the sequels *Simba Jr. Goes to the World Cup* and *Winner and the Golden Child* , *Jesus: A Kingdom Without Frontiers*, co-produced with Institute of Antoniano, *Pocahontas: Princess of the American Indians*, a 26-episode animated series based on the Pamunkey Algonquian princess and daughter of Chief Powhatan from early American history, *Sandokan: The Tiger of Malaysia*, a 26-episode animated series co-produced with SEK Studio, Rai, TF1 and Taurus Film based on the fictional pirate of the late 19th century created by Italian author Emilio Salgari. And also, *Albert the Wolf*, a 52-episode animated series co-produced with Rai Trade based on the comic book series created by Guido Silvestri under the pseudonym of John Silver in 1974, and *The Black Corsair*, a 26-episode animated series based on the book by Emilio Salgari.

In 1999, Mondo TV participated to the International Animation Consortium for Child Rights, "Cartoons for Children's Rights", a collection of 30-second non-verbal animated public service announcements promoted by UNICEF, which illustrates the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Mondo TV contributed with "Children Have the Right to Survive", based on the Article 6 of the Child Rights Convention. At the turn of the 21st century, Mondo TV released its first feature film, *The Legend of the Titanic*, a 90-minute animated feature that was then followed by its sequel, *In Search of the Titanic*, in 2004, and by many other animated feature films. In 2003, Mondo TV throughout MIM AG and in co-production with NDF, and Caligari Film, launched its 26 episodes series, *Letters from Felix*, based on the Children's books by Annette Langen and Costanza Droop.

It was followed by two 81-minute each animated featured films: *Felix: All Around the World*, released in 2005, and *Felix: The Toy Rabbit and the Time Machine*, released in 2006. In 2004 Mondo TV in co-production with RAI launched *The Last of the Mohicans*, a 26-episode animated series based on the historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper. That same year Mondo TV released three feature films: *Turandot*, released in co-produced with Hahn Shin Corporation, is a 90-minute animated feature based on the 1926 opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, *Mother Theresa*, a 90-minute animated feature based on and inspired by the life of Mother Teresa and *Genghis Khan* a 90-minute animated feature based on Genghis Khan, the founder and Great Khan (emperor) of the Mongol Empire.

Mondo TV, to strengthen its commitment to children's education, has produced a series of feature films of particular significance. Among these there are: *Padre Pio*, co-produced with SEK Studio, is a 90-minute animated feature film depicting the life of Pio of Pietrelcina (1887–1968), an Italian Capuchin priest who is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church; *Saint Catherine*, a 60-minute animated feature depicting the life of Saint Catherine of Siena (1347–1380), a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. This film was co-produced by Orlando Corradi, the Rome's LUMSA University and its students attending the *Cartoons: Animation and Managagement* masters; *Alexander the Great*, co-produced with DIFARM, is a 90-minute 3-D CGI-animated feature based on Alexander the Great, the king of Macedonia.

They were all released in 2006. These feature films were followed by *Karol*, a 90-minute 3-D CGI-animated feature film with music composed by Luis Bacalov that depicts the life of Pope John Paul II (1920–2005), *Welcome Back Pinocchio*, a 90-minute animated feature film based on the fictional character that first appeared in 1883, in *The Adventures of Pinocchio* by Carlo Collodi, which were both released in 2007, and *Saint Anthony*, a 90-minute 3-D CGI-animated theatrical feature film released in 2008 and co-produced with DIFARM. It is based on the life of Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), the Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. *The Journey of J.M. Escrivá*, a 60-minute animated feature film that deals with the life of Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, was released on the following year.

*Gawayn*, first aired on Rai 2 in 2008, is a French and Italian animated television series co-produced with Alphanim. The series has been translated into different languages, and its title refers to King Arthur's nephew. In 2008, Mondo TV also presented its new cartoons at MIPTV Media Market.

*Monsters & Pirates* is a two-season, fifty-four episode, 11-minute animated series co-produced with MPG, an associate of the confectionery giant Ferrero. It tells the story of two different pirate crews hunting for the same treasure. DVDs with the first two episodes of the cartoon can be found inside packets of Ferrero snacks, along with characters from the series, which are also available inside the famous Kinder Eggs. The second series presented,

*Kim*, is a twenty-six-episode, 26-minute animated series co-produced with Rai Fiction and based on the picaresque novel Kim by Rudyard Kipling. This was the first time that this story was presented in an animated series.

*Angel's Friends* is a 2-season, 104-episode 13-minute comedy-adventure, contemporary-girl fantasy animated series cc-produced by Mondo Home Entertainment, Play Entertainment, and Mediaset. It is based on the comic strip created by Simona Ferri. This series was launched at Mipcom in 2009, together with *Sandokan III: The Two Tigers*, the third season of the successful series about Salgari's hero co-produced with Rai Fiction. Another title, in co-production with Giochi Preziosi and MEG Toys, *Puppy in My Pocket: Adventures in Pocketville* is based on the successfully toy line of ceramic pets.

Mondo TV's animated series *Virus Attack* is an animated cartoon created to raise awareness of pollution-related problems in the audience of youngsters. The series consists of 52 episodes of about 13 minutes each and was first aired on 1 April 2011 by Cartoon Network. Two titles that Mondo TV launched at Mipcom 2011 are *Power Buggz*, a 26-episode 30-minute children's comedy directed by Orlando Corradi and co-produced with Meg Toys, and *Playtime Buddies* with the music by John Sposito, a preschoolers 52-episode 13-minute series that encourages the development of positive social interaction and cognitive skills.

According to Meg Toys, this is unlike any other product on the preschool market and will be available on the back-to-school shelves in North America from 2012 and even earlier in other parts of the world. It was co-produced with Visual Picnic, which holds the rights to the property created by Erik DePrince, and Licensing Works. Both series were filmed in full HD.

## Library

The whole library of animated television series, films, and special releases can be found on this article.