Universal Pictures Content Group has acquired all French distribution rights for Ukrainian CG-animated feature film Mavka: The Forest Song, produced by Film.UA Group’s Animagrad Studios

Universal will dub Mavka into French and release it to theaters when it’s delivered in Q4 2022. Film.UA has distribution deals set up for the family-friendly pic in more than 20 territories to date, with partners including Germany’s Koch Films, Italia Film International and Slovakia’s Cinemara.

Mavka is inspired by Ukrainian myths about a girl who becomes a guardian of nature, and has to try to bring peace to her forest home.

Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, Film.UA has been able to continue animation work on the film. The company has also signed Belietazh to launch a domestic line of Mavka-based apparel on June 26, and Ukrainian retailer Silpo has already released an app and a book with AR features.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is crippling the country’s kids animation sector, producers have previously told Kidscreen. For its part, Film.UA had to shelter more than 70 people in its studios and figure out how to keep production going remotely.