One does not simply craft a pastel, hand drawn TV series. Yet that is the odyssey Miyu Productions set out on with Inès Bernard-Espina, Mélody Boulissière and Clémentine Campos, the trio of directors who brought “Blooming Wonders” to life. After a 23-month journey involving more than 60 people and 3,500+ Sennelier oil pastels, the French-Belgian six-minute-epioside TV series has been selected as part of Annecy TV Films competition and is scheduled to air in France on France Télévisions in spring 2026.
Aimed at children aged 3-7, the series invites young audiences to discover the world of plants and develop a sense of empathy towards the living world. Each episode follows Patouille, a small creature who can shrink and explore the inside of plants, and Momo, her companion, who has the ability to accelerate time. Together, they explore the different stages of plant life, introducing children to the wonders of the natural world. Each episode focuses on a specific plant, such as the water lily, the banana tree or the porcini mushroom.
“It’s a project we’ve been following for a long time”, Miyu co-founder and producer Emmanuel-Alain Raynal told Variety. “I first met Inès, Mélody and Clémentine in 2018 at the Rennes National Animation Festival where they pitched the project, but I had known them even before, since two of the three directors studied at EMCA in Angoulême. At Miyu, it’s always been our motto to put our resources at the disposal of the filmmaker’s vision. The trio wanted to speak to children directly, and using oil pastel was part of their approach. We did tests, and it was working, so we set out on this project.”
A seven-minute short film titled “Patouille And The Parachute Seeds” (also selected at Annecy) was born out of these tests back in 2021, which reassured the teams of their capacities to produce a full TV series, with the same singular approach.
“Pushing the limits of the animated medium is rooted in our Miyu DNA”, added Raynal, “and doing so in this format, which as a rule has more constraints than short films or even feature films, was very gratifying. We managed to craft the right pipeline and guarantee a level of quality that convinced our partners very early on, and France Télévisions (who were also familiar with the trio’s works since they all had had a film in the FTV-backed shorts compilation program ‘En sortant de l’école’) got on board very fluently.”
Along with the upcoming France Télévisions airing, Miyu and the directors have developed, in collaboration with French Distributor Little KMBO, a cinema program based on the series. “Blooming Wonders: Tales from the Forest” is a 40-minute film tailored for theatrical release and aimed at audiences aged three and up, inviting young viewers to immerse themselves in the heart of nature and its mysteries that are at the core of this young blooming IP.
“The concept of the series is brilliant”, underlined Doris Gruel, Young Audience Manager at KMBO. “Patouille explores the plant world on a miniature scale, while Momo accelerates time. Through these two powers, the series offers a true introduction to biology. But what first drew us to collaborate with Miyu was the project’s stunning visual quality: traditional animation, pastels, vibrant colours and a richly detailed universe.”
It’s also this artistic quality combined with compelling, tender narratives that appealed to Mediatoon Distribution, which will co-distribute the series internationally with Miyu. The latter remains responsible for festivals, international theatrical sales and non-theatrical distribution, while Mediatoon Distribution handles rights for TV, VOD and SVOD sales.
For Morgann Favennec, deputy managing director at Mediatoon Distribution, “Every new project from Miyu brings a wave of curiosity and excitement, since their creative vision stands apart in its originality. It is with great joy that we welcome ‘Blooming Wonders’ into our catalog: a gem of kids’ animation led by two vibrant heroes. Their boundless energy and the richness of their journey promise a truly captivating experience that will enchant viewers of all ages.”
Miyu Distribution, true to its expertise in animated short and feature films, will rely on festivals as a key driver to support the series’ international visibility, while also activating institutional and cultural networks. This strategy aims to encourage wide non-commercial circulation, particularly within libraries, schools, and cultural venues. In parallel, and following models developed by distributors such as Little KMBO in France, the series may also reach its audience through event-based theatrical releases. Per Miyu, local distributors, particularly in Spain, Germany, and other territories, can thus be engaged alongside TV sales to anchor the project within a diverse range of distribution channels.
“It’s interesting to me to bring to the screens a TV series which invites kids to go look away from these very screens”, added Raynal, who also produced Momoko Seto’s nature sci-fi “Dandelion’s Odyssey” last year, following the interplanetary voyage of four dandelion seeds. Almost entirely shot with real flora and fauna using cutting-edge technology, the feature film was itself an invitation to discover natural wonders from a new point of view.
“With ‘Blooming Wonders’, we were also accompanied by a botanist during the whole process, to make sure everything was accurate and also to bring easily understandable information to children and parents alike. I learned a lot during this series about the nature that surrounds us, and I’m looking forward to bringing this new project to a young audience.”
Beyond the screen, the series is partnering with organisations committed to environmental education, including WWF France and the French association L’École Comestible. These partnerships help highlight the series’ themes, promoting the discovery of the wonders hidden in the French forests and beyond, but also emphasizing respect for biodiversity, and the importance of food education for children.
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