Rai has acquired the broadcast rights to "Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter" from UK distributor Serious Kids, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Studio Ghilbi. The series will air on RAI Gulp and RAI Play this Autumn.
The property is based on the well-loved 1981 novel, "Ronja, The Robber’s Daughter", by Astrid Lindgren. RAI have also acquired two specials "The Ghastly Ghoul" (Dreamlogic/Lupus Films for Sky Kids and Kika) and "We’re Going on a Bear Hunt" (Lupus Films/Walker Books for Channel 4) as well as the 2-hour movie edit of "Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter" for their holiday programming.
"The fact that these titles have been selected by RAI, a broadcaster with such an esteemed reputation, is a tremendous endorsement of their quality. We are succeeding in major markets, and this deal further strengthens the international presence and longevity of these productions,” says Leila Ouledcheikh, Director of Global Distribution at Serious Kids.
"I am delighted that Ronja will broadcast on RAI. I believe that through 'Ronja, the Robber's Daughter', the great Astrid Lindgren encourages children to trust their ability to grow…all the while calling on not only children but also adults to respect one another and to attain freedom in the true sense of the word. I hope that everyone in Italy will enjoy Ronja, and that Astrid's message will reach a world where, unfortunately, conflict is on the rise," added Goro Miyazaki, Director.
Serious Kids, Studio Ghibli and The Astrid Lindgren Company oversaw the creation of the English version in London, which won the International Emmy Kids Awards for best animated series in 2017. The original version of the animated series aired in Japan on NHK to great public and critical acclaim, and the later movie edit was created by NHK in collaboration with Studio Ghibli in 2022.
"Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter" is the 26-part story of a 10-year-old girl born on a stormy night in a mountain fort, surrounded by her parents and a loving band of robbers. She grows to be a strong and active girl, and discovers that the surrounding forest is both beautiful and a frightening place inhabited by strange creatures. She befriends the son of her father’s rival and so beg
