ZDF Enterprises and Red Balloon Film to adapt Alea Aquarius

ZDF Enterprises - October 2019

ZDF Enterprises and German production company Red Balloon Film, led by Managing Director and Producer Dorothe Beinemeier, are to jointly develop and produce an adaptation of the best-selling German young adult novels „Alea Aquarius“ by the author Tanya Stewner ("LittleMiss Dolittle“, original German title "Liliane Susewind").

Their first successful collaboration was the young adult series "Heirs of the Night", which was launched at a World Premiere Screening at MIPJunior this year. Dorothe Beinemeier had already adapted the books and also took care of the project development and financing on the German side.

ZDF Enterprises and Dorothe Beinemeier, now with her newly founded production company Red Balloon Film, are to work together again, and repeatedly in the proven team with screenwriter Maria von Heland, on the development of this new young adult series.

"Alea Aquarius" is planned as a 26x26' series and feature film and will be filmed in English. It is based on the young adult books of the same name by Tanya Stewner, published by Hamburg-based publishing house Friedrich Oetinger. The series will address issues that are important to young people, such as pollution, and tells the story of the mergirl Alea and her friends from the Alpha Cru, who together want to save the oceans and the Earth from destruction. Production is due to be completed in 2021/2022.

The Alea Aquarius books are available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic and are due out soon in Italy. In German-speaking countries alone, the total circulation of the bestseller series already amounts to around 530,000 books. The 5th volume, "Alea Aquarius: The Message of the Rain", was published in Germany on 7 October.

Arne Lohmann, VP ZDFE.junior at ZDF Enterprises, commented, "In the days of Fridays for Future and Greta Thunberg, environmental issues are a hot topic, especially among young people, and this series could not be more in tune with the times."

Dorothe Beinemeier, Producer at Red Balloon Film: „With "Alea Aquarius", author Tanya Stewner has succeeded to tell a story that meets the zeitgeist and spirit of an extraordinary generation, as if she had guessed that Greta Thunberg would come. POWER TO THE CHILDREN!"

Julia Bielenberg, Managing Publisher at Oetinger Publishing Group: ""Alea Aquarius" is one of the most successful children's book series of recent years and we are very glad to see the bestseller of Tanya Stewner being adapted for the screen now! The exciting adventure series sends out an important and highly topical message: Save the oceans, protect the underwater world from pollution and ensure a more sustainable use of nature. In doing so, the series really strikes a chord with today’s children."

Tanya Stewner, author of the best-selling “Alea Aquarius“ books: „I'm really happy that my books are being made into a movie and that there are such great partners on board!"