THE FIRST DOG (TFD)

The objective of the present application is to complete the financing to cover the development needs of the children’s 3D CGI animation feature film THE FIRST DOG, succeed in the development and be able to take the project to the production stage. The number of people involved in the development of the film project is around twenty-five and include the scriptwriting team, the animation team, the production team, etc.

The development actions include: scriptwriting, visual research, having animation tests ready, budgeting, financing of the project, securing distribution of the project, visiting film markets and festivals, creating a marketing strategy, building up all the creative team and crew, management of the activities, etc. In order to reach the main goal: Wagtale (Finland), main production company of the film, is building up the project as an international co-development and co-production with Germany, Norway and Slovenia. The co-developers will all be involved in the creative development, as well as in the financing, distribution and marketing of the film from the earliest stage.

THE FIRST DOG is an animated adventure film set in prehistoric Northern Europe. At the heart of the story is the friendship that forms between Usva and the Dog, the first human-dog relationship. The adventure is set against the epic backdrop of the prehistoric frozen North and its magnificent nature.

The film will have five original versions: English, Finnish, German, Norwegian and Slovenian.

[Source: portal F&TOP]

Invida d.o.o.

(Partner) Škofja Loka

All projects of Slovenian producer

Fortissimo (FF)

Foreign producers in the supported project

WAGTALE OY (leader)

Finland (EU)
KNUDSEN PICTURES GMBH (partner)

Germany (EU)
DEN SISTE SKILLING AS (partner)

Norway

Funded projects

Here I am! (HIA)

EUthentic Detectives – Fostering Media literacy of people who face cognitive challenges, their caregivers and young volunteers

CEE Animation Workshop (CEE AW) – 2026

Film in Hospital - a pan-European Film Initiative for Young Audiences in Healthcare Structures (Film in Hospital 3.0)

THE FIRST DOG (TFD)

36. and 37. Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe)

The 22nd and 23rd Kino Otok - Isola Cinema International Film Festival in Years 2026 and 2027

The 12th and 13th edition of FeKK - Ljubljana Short Film Festival

Animateka International Animated Film Festival (AIAFF)

Young Stories from the Old Continent (YSOC)

Bookmark – Marking Europe's Best Narratives

No Person Is An Island (NPII)

Immersive European Cultural Heritage Outreach (Immersive ECHO)

European Media Art Platform Extended (EMAP Extended)

EHIN - European Hybrid Intelligence Network

W.Write – Women, Writing, Rights, and Rites: reimagining the ecosystem of Literary Arts

RE-MIND: A Mindfulness-Based Capacity-Building Model for Digital Wellbeing and Intergenerational Audience Engagement in Museums

New Steps: EU’s first steps towards career transition support for dancers

Brave Creative Producers (BCP)

stART point - a platform where performing arts and young people get connected (stART.)

Heritage Understanding & Participation Hackathon: Co-creating Cultural Heritage Experiences with and for youth (Hup Hackathon)

Artificial Intelligence for Artistic Futures and Creative Talents (ARTIFACT)

CULTIVATOR

Architecture With an Approach to Regeneration and Empowerment (AWARE)

Upsala – SUITCASES

Invisible painting (IP)

Building, Revising, Including - Diaspora and Gender Equality (BRIDGE)

Studio Virc – Mini Slate 2025: Izzvenelo bo, Dolasilla, princesa usode, Tujek, Pobeglo srce

NOSOROGI – Mini Slate 2025: Three Waters Meet, The Healers, Liar, Thief, Flea-Eater

Mono O – Mini Slate 2025: The Happiest Day, The Last Roast, After Sunday

Cvinger – Mini Slate 2024: Before the Eyes Turn Black, Reckoning by the Sea, Project North

Venice Eastern Gate

ECHOES from Invisible Landscapes

PORT OF DREAMERS

ACuTe: Culture Testbeds for Interactivity, Performance and Technology

Rail2Dance (Rail to Dance)

Innovation through media collaboration: Digital assets exchange platform (MEDEXCHANGE24)

Animation HUB (A-HUB)

Word: Enhancing European Graphic Novel Perception, Circulation and Market Development

Roma Soul Food (ROMASOUL)

Tying the European Cultural Landscapes with Knots and Patterns (Knots and Patterns)

Hiking Heritage Trails (INHERIT)

Sensory Artistic Experiences for the Blind (Multisensory Art)

PASS – Pass the Street (Art), Shake the Hand

Slow Performing Arts Festivals for Improved Wellbeing, Mental Health and Social Inclusion (Festival SPA)

Staragara – Slate 2024 (The Colour of the Doubt, Black Swan, Removal, We would have told each other everything, Kozmonavti)

PAGE: Project for Advancing coGnitivE accessibility in publishing

NEB COOLTOURS: Transforming Tourism Through Cultural Innovation and Environmental Stewardship in Alpe-Adria

Bridges

Transition to 8: European societies in flux

ENACT – Easy-to-understand News for Collaborative Transformation

THRIVE – Talent Harvest: Rural Intangible Heritage and Value Empowerment

Land of Lace

CAFE: Redefining Historic Cafés as European Cultural Heritage

ArtElevate – Fostering Inclusive Cultural Expression in Europe

CARE – Culture for Mental Health

Glassmaking Between Tradition and Innovation (GTMI)

WONDERCUT – Collaboratively Exploring the Public Value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Next Level Cultural Experiences

Heroes Unleashed: Implementing a Sensory Reading Program in European Public Libraries (HERUN)

DATAS – The Data and the Sovereign

TALKING HEADS – Conversation with the art of the past

Libraries of Emotions for Good – LOE for Good

GreenHeritage – Nurturing a sustainable future in the gardens of time

G-BOOK 3 – Audience engagement activities for the social and emotional education of EU teens through gender-positive literature and digital technology

DIGITAL on STAGE – Unleashing the Performing Arts Experience through Digital Innovation

OASis – Open Art Spaces in Synergy

Transport: Sustainable puppet co-creations for European young audiences

Danube Dance Alliance for Development of Contemporary Dance Scene in the Danube Region

Mind the GAP

Beletrina Digital

WOMEN interACT – participatory theatre against the double exclusion of women

TECH(ing) TALES WITH A TWIST for the children of the present

DoSEL – Drama of Smaller European Languages

MUSICVILLE – Green European Opera

Operation Nova - OPE.N

Kino x Games

FASIH - Future Art and Science Industrial Heritage

CULTURAL BEES: Promotion of entrepreneurship skills in the Cultural and Creative Industry among youth

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