Lí Ban: First Celtic-Inspired Irish Language Anime with strong Belfast ties premieres on Cúla4 channel
Date Posted: October 11, 2024
One Fiery Adolescent. One Loyal Friend. Three Hundred Years of Adventure in the Celtic Seas
Promo: Lí Ban YouTube Promo
Paper Owl Films’ fast-paced Celtic-inspired adventure anime series Lí Ban is launching on Cúla4 in Ireland and S4C in the Welsh language on 15th October 2024. For the first time, these old and nearly forgotten Celtic stories have been brought to life in an anime style produced in the Irish language. Lí Ban, the first Celtic-inspired Irish language anime, also features strong Belfast connections. Producer Claire Handley and Jude Petticrew, the voice of Con, both hail from Belfast.
Lí Ban was commissioned by TG4 and S4C has been made with funding support from Coimisiún na Meán and Northern Ireland Screen’s Screen Fund and Irish Language Broadcast Fund. The series is distributed internationally by Aardman.
The 13 x 11-minute episodes for children aged 7-9, but appealing to the whole family, will air on the dedicated children’s channel Cúla4 on October 15th at 4.20pm. All episodes will be available on the Cúla4 Player from Tuesday 15th. The series features a cast including Sadbh Breathnach as the voice of Lí Ban and Jude Petticrew as the voice of Con. Lí Ban was co-created by Gráinne McGuinness and Máire Zepf, who also wrote the series.
Fantastical heroes, legendary villains and a reality that bends around Celtic magic are at the heart of the adventures of sassy 12-year-old Lí Ban. The tales are some of the wildest ever passed down the Celtic generations. With origins as old as the lands and shores that shaped it, each incredible episode brings some answers, but even more questions, as Lí Ban’s quest unfolds.
Transformed into a Mermaid and a Sea Otter, Lí Ban and her faithful dog Con spend centuries scouring the watery kingdoms of Celtic legend meeting gods, monsters, giants and wily humans as they search for answers.
Who destroyed her homeplace? Why was she transformed? And who is she really? Theirs is an immortal quest through the heart of an ancient Celtic universe into the stories of a time and place (almost) forgotten.
Lí Ban seeks answers. Her quest leads her to Manannán the sea god but as answers materialise more questions arise. Hers is a journey from childish rebel to courageous adolescent through the growth that shows her what the real meaning of family is and what it means to be Lí Ban.
Gráinne McGuinness, Creative Director at Paper Owl Films comments: “Tapping into the international popularity of anime and fantasy storytelling, this is a true coming of age tale, perfect for the 7-9 year old audience facing the end of childhood and beginnings of adolescence. Lí Ban’s ancient Celtic story will resonate with children worldwide – her struggle to find out who she is in the world is as real for today’s audience as it was for her centuries ago.”
Siobhán Ní Bhrádaigh, Commissioning Editor for Young People at Cúla4 & TG4 wished to congratulate Paper Owl and to all involved with Lí Ban. “We are delighted to introduce this beautiful Celtic-inspired series to our Cúla4 audience this coming Autumn. There’s no doubt that our viewers will be captivated by Lí Ban and Con as they dive into timeless tales and navigate the mysteries of the Celtic seas.”
Robin Gladman, Head of Acquisitions at Aardman says: “We’re delighted to be distributing Lí Ban for Paper Owl, and look forward to introducing the world to this timeless Celtic story that has been so brilliantly developed for global audiences today.”
Lí Ban can be viewed live on the Cúla4 channel and on the Cúla4 player – cula4.com.
More details on Cúla4 social media channels.
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Lí Ban: An Chéad Sraith Anime Ghaeilge faoi thionchar Mhiotaseolaíocht na gCeilteach le craoladh den chéad uair ar Cúla4
Dé Máirt an 15 Deireadh Fómhair 2024
Seolfar Lí Ban, sraith anime eachtraíochta mhearshiúlach do pháistí faoi thionchar mhiotaseolaíocht na gCeilteach de chuid Paper Owl Films ar TG4 in Éirinn agus i mBreatnais ar S4C sa Bhreatain Bheag an 15 Deireadh Fómhair 2024.
Craolfar an tsraith nua 13 clár 11 nóiméad an ceann seo atá dírithe ar pháistí idir 7 agus 9 mbliana, ach a mheallfaidh an teaghlach uilig, ag 4.20 p.m. ar Cúla4/TG4 agus beidh na cláracha ar fad ar fáil ar cula4.com. Tá Sadbh Breathnach (glór Lí Ban) agus Jude Petticrew (glór Chon) i measc na n-aisteoirí.
Beidh laochra iontacha, bithiúnaigh fhinscéalacha agus réaltacht atá fite fuaite i ndraíocht na gCeilteach i gcroílár eachtraí Lí Ban, cailín dána 12 bhliain d’aois. Tá na scéalta seo ar chuid de na cinn is fiáine atá tugtha ag na glúnta Ceilteacha dúinn. Bunaithe ar scéalta atá chomh sean leis na domhain agus na cladaí a mhúnlaigh iad, éiríonn le Lí Ban roinnt freagraí a fháil le linn a haistir, cé go n-ardaíonn roinnt de na freagraí sin tuilleadh ceisteanna.
Anois agus iad iompaithe isteach ina Maighdean Mhara agus Dobhrán Mara, caitheann Lí Ban agus a madra dílis Con na céadta bliain ag dianchuardach ríochtaí faoi thoinn as na bhfinscéalta Ceilteacha. Buailfidh siad le déithe, arrachtaigh, fathaigh agus daoine glice ar an mbealach agus iad ar thóir freagraí.
Cé a scrios a baile? Cad chuige ar claochlaíodh í? Agus cé hí féin i ndáiríre? Tabharfaidh siad faoi aistear síoraí trí cheartlár an domhain ársa Cheiltigh isteach i scéalta faoi am agus áit a bhí ligthe i ndearmad, beagnach.
Tá freagraí ó Lí Ban. Tugann a tóraíocht a fhad le Manannán, Dia na Mara, í ach le gach freagra tagann tuilleadh ceisteanna. De réir mar a théann an t-aistear ar aghaidh, feicfimid í ag fás agus ag forbairt agus ag athrú ó bheith ina leanbh ceanndána go dtí a bheith ina hógánach cróga trína dtuigeann sí anois céard is brí i ndáiríre le teaghlach agus le Lí Ban.
Deir Gráinne McGuinness, Stiúrthóir Cruthaitheach Paper Owl Films: “De bharr an éilimh idirnáisiúnta atá ar scéalaíocht anime agus fantaisíochta, beidh suim ag an lucht féachana óg 7–9 mbliana d’aois sa scéal seo faoi a bheith ag teacht in aois ó tharla iad féin a bheith ar thairseach na hógántachta. Rachaidh scéal ársa Ceilteach Lí Ban i bhfeidhm ar pháistí ar fud an domhain, atá iad féin ag streachailt lena n-áit ar an saol seo a fháil amach, mar a bhí Lí Ban í féin sa saol eile na céadta bliain ó shin.”
Ba mhian le Siobhán Ní Bhrádaigh, Eagarthóir Coimisiúnaithe Daoine Óga Cúla4 & TG4 comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le Paper Owl agus le gach duine a raibh baint acu le Lí Ban. “Tá an-áthas orainn an tsraith álainn seo faoi thionchar mhiotaseolaíocht na gCeilteach a chur i láthair lucht féachana Cúla4 an fómhar seo. Níl aon amhras ach go mbeidh ár lucht féachana faoi gheasa ag Lí Ban agus Con agus iad ag tumadh i scéalta a bheidh á n-insint go deo agus iad ag déanamh a mbealaigh trí mhistéirí na bhfarraigí Ceilteacha.”
Is iad TG4 agus S4C a choimisiúnaigh Lí Ban agus léiríodh an tsraith le cúnamh maoinithe ó Choimisiún na Meán agus ó Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann. An comhlacht beochana Aardman a dháilfidh an tsraith go hidirnáisiúnta.
Dúirt Áine Walsh, Ceannasaí Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann: “Is sampla galánta é Lí Ban den dóigh a dtig linn ár dteangacha agus ár n-oidhreacht choiteann Cheilteach a phlé agus a cheiliúradh trí sheánra úrnua, mar atá anime Ceilteach. Tá sé mar thosaíocht againn tacaíocht a thabhairt d’ábhar beochana nua, scríofa i nGaeilge, agus táimid cinnte go mbainfidh an lucht féachana óg sult as Lí Ban agus Con a fheiceáil agus iad ag tabhairt na scéalta ársa seo a fhad lenár scáileáin.”
Deir Robin Gladman, Ceannasaí Éadálacha Aardman: “Tá lúcháir orainn a bheith ag dáileadh Lí Ban do Paper Owl agus tá muid ag dúil go mór leis an scéal Ceilteach seo a bhfuil buaine ag baint leis a chur i láthair an domhain, atá sárchurtha le chéile do lucht féachana domhanda an lae inniu.”
