A new Czech co-production made its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 24, as Born in the Jungle debuted at the world’s leading showcase for animated filmmaking. The family adventure is a collaboration between Latvia’s Atom Art, Poland’s Letko, and Czech production company Hausboot, with significant animation, music recording, and sound postproduction completed in the Czech Republic.
The 73-minute feature marks the second animated film from Latvian director Edmunds Jansons and continues a creative partnership with artist Elīna Brasliņa established on Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs. Supported by the Czech Audiovisual Fund and featuring key creative contributions from Czech artists and technicians, the film underscores the increasingly international nature of Czech animation production.
Czech collaboration reaches animation’s biggest stage
Annecy is the animation industry’s premier international festival, bringing together filmmakers, distributors, buyers, and studios from around the world. Premiering a feature there is widely regarded as an important milestone, particularly for independently produced European animation.
Born in the Jungle is produced by Sabīne Andersone for Latvian studio Atom Art, with Piotr Szczepanowicz’s Polish company Letko and Vladimír Lhoták’s Czech studio Hausboot serving as co-production partners. While Latvia led the film’s creative development, production responsibilities were shared across all three countries.
The Czech contribution extended well beyond financing. Character animation, orchestral music recording, sound design, and final sound mixing were completed in Prague, with Jan Čeněk and Viera Marinová overseeing the film’s sound design and postproduction. Original music was composed by Polish composer Krzysztof A. Janczak and recorded in the Czech capital as part of the multinational production process.
The project also received backing from the Czech Audiovisual Fund and the Zlín Film Fund alongside support from Eurimages, Creative Europe MEDIA, the National Film Centre of Latvia, and the Polish Film Institute. Czech distributor CinemArt will handle the film’s domestic theatrical release.
International sales are managed by French company Dandelooo, with the film already securing distribution across more than two dozen territories. Confirmed European distributors include companies in France, Germany, Spain, and Sweden, reflecting strong international interest ahead of the film’s festival premiere.
The production combines digital cut-out and 2D computer animation, with work divided among animation teams in Latvia, Poland, and the Czech Republic. According to the filmmakers, the collaborative approach allowed each partner to contribute specialized expertise while maintaining a consistent visual style throughout the feature.
A coming-of-age adventure inspired by real history
Set in Venezuela during the late 1950s, Born in the Jungle follows nine-year-old Elisabeth, who reluctantly spends her summer in the rainforest where her family lives among the Pemón people near the legendary Devil’s Mountain. When an unexpected emergency forces her parents to leave, Elisabeth is left in charge of her younger brother Leo. Distracted by the books she loves, she fails to notice when he wanders into the jungle alone.
Her search for Leo becomes a journey of self-discovery as she ventures into an unfamiliar landscape filled with natural wonders and mysterious creatures. Along the way, Elisabeth must overcome her fears while attempting not only to rescue her brother but also to protect a previously unseen furry creature from captivity.
The screenplay by Lote Eglīte and Līga Gaisa draws inspiration from the work of Latvian author Luīze Pastore as well as the real-life experiences of Latvian-born explorer Aleksandrs Laime, who settled with his family near Venezuela’s Angel Falls during the mid-20th century. Rather than presenting a historical retelling, the filmmakers use that setting as the backdrop for a fictional adventure centered on family relationships, responsibility, and personal growth.
Visually, the film is distinguished by Elīna Brasliņa’s richly illustrated aesthetic, featuring painterly backgrounds and vibrant depictions of the Venezuelan rainforest. The filmmakers have described the jungle itself as functioning almost like another central character, with detailed flora, wildlife, and changing weather helping shape the narrative.
The Annecy premiere of Born in the Jungle continues a successful run for European animation co-productions involving Czech partners, reflecting the country’s growing reputation as both a creative and technical hub for international animated features. As production increasingly spans multiple countries, Czech studios have expanded their role in areas ranging from animation and sound design to orchestral recording and postproduction.
