Entertainment

BetterHalf Boards Indonesian Animated Feature 'Galeo of the Seawalkers' Ahead of VIFF

Jonah VillalbaPublished 7h ago2 min readBased on 4 sources
BetterHalf Boards Indonesian Animated Feature 'Galeo of the Seawalkers' Ahead of VIFF
Photo by POI on Pexels

BetterHalf Films has joined Indonesia's Studio Amarana as co-producer on the animated family feature "Galeo of the Seawalkers," Variety reported on 18 September. The film, known in Indonesian as "Galeo Anak Segara," is among the selected projects at the Vancouver International Film Festival's newly launched Business Hub Co-Production Forum. The news gives the project a Canadian-U.K. partner ahead of the market.

The story is a family adventure set in an oceanic world. It features floating villages, sea-forests and people who walk on water. It follows timid boy Galeo and his younger sister on a journey involving sea ghosts, a missing father and pirates seeking control of sacred water.

The film adapts writer-director Andara Fembriarto's novel and comic book of the same name. Streaming platform Rangkai has also boarded the project and will distribute it in Indonesia. The production is in advanced development with support from the Indonesian cultural ministry.

Producers aim to begin production in January 2028. They are still looking for additional co-producers, companies that share costs and creative responsibilities across countries. That search will continue at Vancouver.

BetterHalf Films is a Canadian-U.K. organisation linked to Gursimran Datla, with offices in Toronto and London. This is its first international co-production. Its earlier credits include the comedy series "Masala Love," about a family-owned South Asian restaurant in Toronto, and the award-winning shorts "Refuge" and "Cinnamon Tea."

Fembriarto previously directed the award-winning animated short "Cipak Cipuk" ("Splish Splash"), drawn from the same Galeo world. Her other shorts include "Utan Rambutan" and "The Raining Tree." Studio Amarana leads the development.

The Vancouver festival runs Oct. 1-11, with the Business Hub Co-Production Forum set for Oct. 3-4. For audiences, this means the film is still early in its journey. It must finalise partners and financing before animation work can start in earnest.

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