RITA- A brand new animation series on Cúla4 & TG4
Date Posted: August 27, 2024
A brand new animation series on Cúla4 & TG4 on Mondays from 9th September at 9.25am
Find out more: : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRD2iV3Fs4k
Presenter Máire Zepf
The new series is based on the award-winning ‘Rita’ picture book series by Máire Zepf and Mr Ando, this fun show is designed to spark thoughts and conversations these are stories that will have kids thinking differently about problems they face every day.
Meet Rita. She’s a little girl with very big ideas.
The programmes were made by An tSnáthaid Mhór, the publishers of Rita, with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund. The series was directed by Damian McCann and produced by Jackie Doyle. Animation is by Flickerpix.
When Rita is faced with everyday problems, she imagines fantastical characters to help her – a super-sorting robot, a ferocious dragon, a fairy godmother, a wicked witch, a sneaky ninja and a wish-granting genie. But fantastical characters bring fantastical mayhem with dire and often hilarious consequences for Rita and those around her…
Rita will have kids thinking differently about the problems they face every day. The series is presented by the author herself with animations based on the illustrations from the books.
These stories are bursting with fun and mischief, but their ‘be-kind-to-ourselves’ wisdom is gentle and true. Rita’s ninja moves, her dragon-taming and her magic carpet-flying throw a new light on real-world challenges such as sharing with siblings, emotional regulation and tidying up.
This lively pre-school series comprises of 6 programmes, each 5 minutes long. With a mix of live action and animation. There are also 6 supplementary workshop-style educational programmes that will spark young imaginations with hands-on activities.
The award-winning author, Máire Zepf, is the author of 16 Irish language books for children, Máire’s books have appeared in 10 languages worldwide. Here, she brings her own books to life for the screen with a joy, warmth and authenticity that only the author herself can.
The animations showcase the original book illustrations by Mr Ando (Andrew Whitson) in all their madcap humour and creative glory. From golden palaces to yucky witches, Mr Ando’s artwork evokes the highs and lows of Rita’s imaginative adventures with vibrancy and skill that will win Rita a place in every viewer’s heart.
The Rita series of picture books is much-loved all over Ireland (in Irish), in Wales (in Welsh) and across these islands (in English). It has won a Children’s Book Award by the Literacy Association of Ireland, has been translated to Braille and has been chosen for World Book Day. Its creators, Máire Zepf and Mr Ando, are well-known to children the length and breadth of the country as they bring Rita to schools, libraries, festivals and theatres.
Rita already has a loyal fan base – imagine when they see her transported to Cúla4’s screen.
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Sraith úrnua bheochana ar Cúla4 & TG4 ón Luan an 9 Meán Fómhair ag 9.25r.n.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRD2iV3Fs4k
Seo í Rita. Is cailín beag í ach ní beag iad a cuid smaointe. Samhlaíonn sí carachtair iontacha le cuidiú léi – róbat sár-shórtála, dragún fíochmhar, sióg mhaith, cailleach dhorcha dhraíochtach, ninja sleamhain slíoctha agus ginid a thugann gach mian a croí di. Ach is cinnte go gcuireann na carachtair iontacha seo an saol trína chéile ar Rita agus ar gach ina timpeall agus go mbíonn tionchar uafásach ach greannmhar freisin scaití ag a gcuid pleidhcíochta.
An tSnáthaid Mhór, foilsitheoirí Rita, a rinne na cláir le tacaíocht ón gCiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge (ILBF). Ba é Damian McCann a bhí i mbun stiúir agus ba í Jackie Doyle a léirigh an tsraith. Is le Flickerpix an beochan.
Tá na scéalta seo lán le spraoi agus rógaireacht, ach tá meon na scéalta – atá ag iarraidh a chur ina luí orainn a bheith lách agus cineálta le chéile – séimh agus fíor. Tugann eachtraí Rita – í ag ceansú dragúin, í ag eitilt ar chairpéad draíochta, a cuid gluaiseachtaí ninja – léargas nua dúinn ar na dúshláin a bhíonn roimh pháistí gach lá, dúshláin ar nós a bheith ag roinnt lena gcuid deartháireacha agus deirfiúracha, a gcuid mothúcháin a rialú agus a bheith ag glanadh suas. Tá na cláir leagtha amach ar bhealach a spreagann smaointe agus comhráite; is scéalta iad seo a chuirfidh páistí ag smaoineamh ar bhealach éagsúil ar na fadhbanna a bhíonn rompu gach lá.
Tá 6 chlár ghleoite 5 bhomaite sa tsraith bhríomhar réamhscoile seo agus meascán d’aicsean beo agus beochan iontu. Tá gach clár bunaithe ar cheann amháin de na leabhair ón tsraith leabhar pictiúr ‘Rita’ leis an údar Máire Zepf agus an maisitheoir Mr Ando. Tá 6 chlár oideachais bhreise ann freisin, iad ar stíl cheardlainne chun samhlaíocht na n-óg a spreagadh trí ghníomhaíochtaí praiticiúla.
Is í údar na sraithe leabhar ‘Rita’, Máire Zepf, a chuireann an seó agus na ceardlanna breise i láthair. Tá 16 leabhar Gaeilge scríofa aici do pháistí agus tá a cuid saothar aistrithe go 10 dteanga agus iar ar fáil ar fud an domhain. Tugann sí beocht eile, beocht an scáileáin, dá cuid leabhar féin sa tsraith seo, sraith lán le croíúlacht agus le barántúlacht, gnéithe nach bhféadfadh duine ar bith ach an t-údar féin a chur ar fáil.
Déantar na léaráidí leabhar áille bunaidh a chruthaigh Mr Ando (Andrew Whitson) a cheiliúradh sna beochana. Is iad sméar mhullaigh na gclár na híomhánna áille agus tá greann craiceáilte cruthaitheach Andrew le brath i ngach aon chlár. Idir páláis órga agus cailleacha uafásacha, léiríonn saothar ealaíne Mr Ando na haistir thuas seal thíos seal a bhíonn i gceist le heachtraí samhlaíocha Rita. Tá beogacht agus scil le brath i ngach líníocht a chinnteoidh áit do Rita i gcroí an lucht féachana.
Tá an-ghean ar an tsraith leabhar pictiúr Rita ar fud na hÉireann (i nGaeilge), sa Bhreatain Bheag (i mBreatnais) agus ar fud na n-oileán seo (i mBéarla). Tá Gradam Leabhar do Pháistí de chuid Chumann Litearthachta na hÉireann buaite ag Rita; tá na leabhair aistrithe go Braille agus roghnaithe do Lá Domhanda na Leabhar. Tá aithne ag leanaí ar fud na tíre ar Mháire Zepf agus ar Mr Ando, a chruthaigh Rita, mar gur minic leo Rita a thabhairt ar cuairt chuig scoileanna, leabharlanna, féilte agus amharclanna.
Tá lucht leanta dílis ag Rita cheana féin – ach fan go bhfeicfidh siad Rita nuair a thiocfaidh sí chun beatha ar scáileán Cúla4!
