2 Wizart Animation & Bazelevs present The Snow Queen 2 Directed by Alexey Tsitsilin Written by Alexey Tsitsilin Alexey Zamyslov Vladimir Nikolaev Produced by Timur Bekmambetov Yuri Moskvin Vladimir Nikolaev Diana Yurinova Production Wizart Animation Co-production Bazelevs Music composed by Mark Willott The Snow Queen 2 Production Notes 3 Synopsis The tale of The Snow Queen was based on the oriGinal classic fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen and first published in 1845. The story centres on the struGGle between good and evil as taken on by a little boy and Girl – Gerda and her brother Kai. The Snow Queen 2 picks up the tale. After their victory over the Snow Queen, the trolls have developed a taste for freedom. HavinG played a major role in the triumph, the troll Orm has become a hero to all. This is not enouGh for him, however. Comically exagGeratinG his exploits and achievements, he creates spins a web of lies, claiminG that he personally defeated the Snow Queen, and that he is destined to marry the princess and inherit Great power and riches. But where will Orm’s stories lead him? In this lively and perilous adventure, Orm learns that friends, happiness, and true love cannot be won throuGh deceit. As well as old favourites, we are introduced to a whole host of brand new, lovable characters in the wintry wonderland. The English-lanGuage voice cast features Sharlto Copley (District 9, Elysium) as Orm, Bella Thorne (Blended) as Gerda, Isabelle Fuhrman (The HunGer Games, Orphan) as Alfida and Sean Bean (Lord of the RinGs, Game of Thrones) as General ArroG. Thorne also sinGs an oriGinal sonG for the film. Produced at Wizart Animation in Russia, The Snow Queen 2 is directed by Alexey Tsitsilin, written by Tsitsilin, Alexey Zamyslov and Vladimir Nikolaev, and produced by Timur Bekmambetov, Yuri Moskvin, Vladimir Nikolaev and Diana Yurinova. The Snow Queen 2 was amonG 17 animated features shortlisted for the Golden Globe consideration in 2014. To date the feature has already been released theatrically in the UK, South Korea, Middle East, Baltic States, Russia and CIS, Croatia, Serbia, MonteneGro, Bosnia The Snow Queen 2 Production Notes 4 and HerzeGovina, Albania, Slovenia, Macedonia and Israel, GrossinG twice as much as the first movie of the franchise on the territories where it was released. The Snow Queen 2 Production Notes 5 About Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen was born in Denmark, on 2 April, 1805. He achieved worldwide fame for his innovative and influential fairy tales. “The Little Mermaid”, “The UGly DucklinG” and “The Princess and the Pea” remain classics of the Genre. He died in Copenhagen on 4 AuGust, 1875. Andersen's work first Gained recoGnition in 1829, with the publication of a short story. He followed this with a play, a book of poetry and a traveloGue. The promisinG younG author won a Grant from the Danish kinG, allowinG him to travel across Europe and further develop his body of work. In 1835, Andersen beGan writinG fairy tales. Over the followinG decades, he continued to write for both children and adults, penninG several autobioGraphies, travel narratives and poetry extollinG the virtues of the Scandinavian people. The sources of his children’s stories were mostly Danish folk tales. As a writer, his objective was less to preserve the tales, than to create new literary works based on folklore. At first, critics and consumers overlooked volumes that included the now-classic stories like “The Little Mermaid” and “The Emperor's New Clothes”. In 1845, however, EnGlish translations of Andersen's folktales and stories beGan to Gain the attention of foreiGn audiences. He also forGed a friendship with Charles Dickens, whom he visited in EnGland in 1847 and again a decade later. His stories became EnGlish-lanGuage classics and had a stronG influence on subsequent British children's authors, includinG AA Milne and Beatrix Potter. Over time, Scandinavian audiences discovered Andersen's stories, as did readers in the US, Asia and across the Globe. In 2006, an amusement park based on his work opened in ShanGhai. Many of his stories have been adapted for stage and screen, includinG the huGely popular animated version of “The Little Mermaid”. The Snow Queen 2 Production Notes 6 Andersen’s impact on children’s literature has been siGnificant. His fairy tales are translated into dozens of lanGuages, and his most famous characters, such as the Little Mermaid, the Little Match Girl, and the UGly DucklinG, are known all over the world. The fairy tales have been made into picture books, plays, films, operas, and merchandise, and Andersen’s life has become the subject for theatre and film. Many children’s writers have acknowledGed their debt to Andersen as model and inspiration. The siGnificance of Andersen may be illustrated by the fact that the world’s most prestiGious prize in children’s literature, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, is named after him, and that his birthday, 2 April, is celebrated as International Children’s Book Day. The Snow Queen 2 Production Notes 7 Understanding the Fairy Tale A fairy tale like “The Snow Queen 2” is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, Goblins, elves, trolls, witches, Giants, and talkinG animals) and enchantments, often involvinG a far-fetched sequence of events. Fairy tales have their roots in the oral tradition, and across many different cultures and continents, you will find fairy tales with very similar plots, characters and motifs. Fairy tales also tend to take on the characteristics of their location, throuGh the choice of motifs, the style in which they are told, and the depiction of character and local colour. Stith Thompson, an American scholar of folklore, defined the fairy tale as: “a tale of some lenGth involvinG a succession of motifs or episodes. It moves in an unreal world without definite locality or definite creatures and is filled with the marvellous. In this never-never land, humble heroes kill adversaries, succeed to kinGdoms and marry princesses.” While there are many definitions out there, one element that is universally agreed-upon is that fairy tales do not require fairies. As Thompson points out, talkinG animals and the presence of magic seem to be more common to the fairy tale than fairies themselves. The characters and motifs of fairy tales are simple and archetypal: princesses and Goose- Girls; younGest sons and Gallant princes; oGres, Giants, dragons, and trolls; wicked stepmothers and false heroes; fairy Godmothers and other magical helpers, often talkinG horses, or foxes, or birds; Glass mountains; and prohibitions and breakinG of prohibitions; lonG, arduous journeys’ and the settinG of nearly impossible tasks. In many fairy tales, it is common to explore human weaknesses and celebrate human strenGths. Also common is the battle between Good and evil, and liGht and dark, as well as the exploration of people’s shared experiences, deepest desires and fears. Children subconsciously recall the messages inherent to fairy tales as they Grow older, and are forced to cope with real injustices and contradictions in their lives. Some fairy tales are The Snow Queen 2 Production Notes 8 based on leGends that incorporated a spiritual belief of the culture in which they oriGinated, and were meant to emulate truth. Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” (“SnedronninGen” in Danish) was first published in December 1844 in the collection “New Fairy Tales, First Volume”. The story centres on the struGGle between Good and evil as experienced by Gerda and Kai. It is a story of trials and reward, based on a popular Norse leGend of the Ice Maiden and featurinG the invincible power of love, a recurrent theme in Andersen’s works. The story is one of Andersen's lonGest and most hiGhly acclaimed stories. It is reGularly included in selected tales and collections of his work and is frequently reprinted in illustrated storybook editions for children. The Snow Queen 2 Production Notes 9 Character Description Orm (the troll, the main character) Orm is a very ordinary troll. He’s not much to look at, even by troll standards. Orm’s strenGths are not physical. His true merits lie elsewhere, namely in cunninG and savviness. It was his resourcefulness that helped him avoid beinG “frozen” by the Snow Queen. Instead, he wound up in her service. While workinG for the Queen, Orm carried out the most repulsive, sometimes downriGht vile orders, becominG more and more cynical and distrustful with each task. But a Girl named Gerda saw past the evil troll, and uncovered the real Orm: kind, open- hearted, and most importantly – honest! ToGether, Orm and Gerda managed to shatter the reiGn of cold and fear. After many years away, Orm returned home to Troll City and his Grandma. He now works as a coal miner and can barely make ends meet, despite beinG the one who destroyed the seal of the Snow Queen and unfroze the troll kinGdom! The life of a simple coal miner just doesn’t suit him! So, Orm embarks on new ventures and devises new lies – and the more he lies, the closer the world Gets to a new icy disaster! Is Orm leadinG the world towards a refreeze?! Arrog (the superstar) ArroG comes from a much-celebrated line of trolls. He can Go on endlessly about the Great feats of his heroic Grandfather. Yet he has not accomplished any such feats himself, and dreams of provinG that he is worthy of the Princess and the crown. ArroG Grew up in a wealthy family, which has made him super-confident and narcissistic. When he steps out of the spotliGht, however, ArroG stops posinG and transforms into a strict, but fair and noble troll.