Grom’s Curiosity Ink Media Announces September Production Start for Theatrical Release of Santa.com Animated Movie

BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: GROM) (“Grom” or the “Company”), a media, technology and entertainment company dedicated to family friendly programming, web filtering technology, and safe social media for kids, today announced that Curiosity Ink Media, the company’s original storytelling division, is planning to begin production on its animated holiday movie, Santa.com, beginning in September. The film, nominated for both Best Animated Film and Biggest International Market Potential Screenplay in the 2023 Stuttgart (Germany) International Festival of Animated Film, is being prepared for theatrical distribution in Fall 2025. The production commencement was confirmed by Curiosity Ink Media’s Chief Executive Officer, Jared Wolfson.

“We are thrilled to unwrap production on this delightfully comedic, adventurous and heartfelt film,” explains Wolfson. “Santa.com has been a labor of holiday love for us. This production commencement marks the culmination of unwavering support from partners and industry peers, and opens up an exciting door through which we expect to welcome many more relationships en route to establishing and nurturing the next great holiday tradition franchise.”

Santa.com is a co-production between Curiosity Ink Media and international global production and distribution powerhouse, Toon2Tango GmbH & Co. KG (“Toon2Tango”), the acclaimed and prolific Germany-based production company. As production forges ahead, the companies will continue to evolve discussions around expanded distribution, licensing & merchandising deals, globally.

The film takes place in a world where Santa’s Workshop has undergone a technological revolution and where magic and tradition have been replaced with automation and efficiency. Even Santa himself has seemingly retired, leaving his operations in the hands of a new generation of tech-savvy elves. But when a grinchy computer hacker takes control of Santa’s Workshop and threatens to destroy Christmas unless Santa is handed over, Yoyo, a lovable but naive, homeschooled elf, unexpectedly becomes the North Pole’s last hope at saving the day. Fortunately, Yoyo isn’t alone. Along with his cynical HR elf colleague, his loyal reindeer pup, and a misfit packaging drone, Yoyo sets off on a wild and heartwarming mission to find Santa, all while helping everyone rediscover the true magic of Christmas.

The Santa.com feature was a standout at the Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film in April, which drew over 100,000 attendees. There, it was nominated in the category of Best Screenplay for an Animated Feature Film, which recognizes scripts that exhibit the most promise as a global market success, as well as in the category of Biggest International Market Potential Screenplay, for scripts that exhibit the overall qualities of a commercial success.

Read the full press release here.