Ukrainian-dubbed version of Puffin Rock set for premiere in Derry's Nerve Centre

Derry-based animation company Dog Ears will host the event at the Nerve Centre in Derry on 9 March.

News of the event comes following official viewing figures released by Netflix recently for the first half of 2023, which showed Puffin Rock had over 10million hours watched.

John McDaid, creative director at Dog Ears said: “There are around 20,000 Ukrainian primary school children across Ireland, with many families and children here in the North West.

"Working with the Nerve Centre and Foyle Friends of the Ukraine, we're really happy to be able to bring this version to the big screen, and share the film's themes of leaving your home, going to a strange place, but finding hope and new friends there."

Carrie McCafferty, from Foyle Friends of Ukraine, added: “We are delighted that the talented team behind such a popular cartoon has taken the time to produce in Ukrainian.

"This means a lot to the Ukrainian children in the city and they are very much looking forward to the upcoming screening. Voiced by members of the Ukrainian community in Ireland, the film reflects in its storylines the plight of Puffins trying to find a new home. It touches on a number of subjects that mirror the stories of Ukrainians.”

Jeremy Purcell, director, said: "Puffin Rock is a wonderful place to live, but what if it just doesn't feel like your home? During the production of the film this was a guiding statement for us, for how Isabelle may be feeling as a new puffin coming to live on a new Island, far away from her home.

"We always try to talk about her character in the simplest ways, for us she is an eight-year-old child moving to a new school or an eight-year-old child whose parents have to work away from home. We tried to focus on universal themes and experiences for our audience.

"But sadly in the world we live in, she is also an eight-year-old child forced to leave all they have known, not because of climate change but because her home has been destroyed by war.

"It was quite late in production when our Executive Producer Gerry Shirren, suggested the idea of making a Ukrainian version of the film. We absolutely knew it was something we wanted to do.

"There were many new and exciting challenges on this project, not only was this the first time that Cartoon Saloon would take the lead creating a foreign language version of their films, a job that usually outsourced to the respective country. It would also be looking to fill all the roles from the newly arrived Ukrainian community.”

The screening is set to take place on Saturday, March 9 at the Nerve Centre Cinema, 7-8 Magazine Street in Derry, BT48 6HJ.

The screening starts at 1pm and will last for approximately 80 minutes.

Foyle Friends of Ukraine are organising a bus for children, visit: foylefriendsofukraine.org/about-us for more information.