Local man a director for Lí Ban
A local man is the animation director for Lí Ban, and new Celtic inspired animation series which is on Cúla4.
The series will appeal to children aged seven to nine is on the dedicated children’s channel from today, Tuesday October 15, and all 13 episodes are available on the Cúla4 Player.
The series will also be aired on S4C in the Welsh language.
The animation team comprises a number of artists from across Ireland, including animation director, Craig Fish, from Delvin.
“This series has an anime-inspired look with a Celtic design, which is unique,” Craig said.
“It’s nice to make something in Irish that isn’t twee or stereotypically Irish, while still telling stories that I had never heard before. I was unaware that Lí Ban was the first mermaid in literature.”
The series, co-created by Gráinne McGuinness and Máire Zepf, features a cast including Sadbh Breathnach as the voice of Lí Ban and Jude Petticrew as the voice of Con.
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.
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.
It’s a story of her journey from childish rebel to courageous adolescent through a growth that shows her what the real meaning of family is and what it is to be Lí Ban.
“This is unique, but there’s a deeper meaning of the transition from childhood to adolescence and it’s not watered down,” said Craig.
“Lí Ban does fight some scary monsters and I’m hoping that emotional depth will really set it apart.
“We really tried to take as much local talent as we could from all over Ireland and that’s something I’m really proud of,” he concluded.
Lí Ban was commissioned by TG4 and S4C and has been made with funding support from Coimisiún na Meán and Northern Ireland Screen’s Screen Fun and Irish Language Broadcast Fund. The series is distributed internationally by Aardman.
Lí Ban can now be viewed on the Cúla4 player on cula4.com.