Melnitsa Animation Studio

Melnitsa Animation Studio is a Saint Petersburg animation producer founded in March 1999. Its work spans theatrical animated features, children’s television series, commercial animation and visual effects for live-action films. Combining traditional drawing with digital production, the studio handles projects from script adaptation and character design through animation, compositing, editing and final sound.

The studio established its feature-film identity with Little Longnose in 2003 and the early Three Heroes films: Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmey, Dobrynya Nikitich and Zmey Gorynych, and Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber. Its subsequent feature work includes the Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf series, The Fortress: By Shield and Sword, and Fantastic Journey to OZ. These productions draw extensively on fairy tales, folklore and family adventure, alongside original characters developed for continuing franchises.

Television is another substantial part of its production activity. Luntik and His Friends, also known internationally as Moonzy, began in 2006 and grew beyond 500 episodes. Its international distribution includes broadcasts on China’s CCTV Children’s channel. The Barkers followed in 2011, while Little Princesses premiered in 2018 as a collaboration with STS Media and CTB Film Company. The studio has also developed theatrical productions featuring characters from its television properties.

Melnitsa’s production capabilities encompass hand-drawn 2D animation, 3D character animation, modeling, texturing, rigging, lighting and rendering. Its sound work includes voice recording, ADR, Foley, sound design and theatrical mixing, allowing picture and audio production to form part of an integrated workflow.

Alongside its continuing family franchises, the studio produces director-led animated shorts, including Lavatory – Lovestory and We Can't Live Without Cosmos. This combination of feature films, episodic storytelling and short-form filmmaking gives its portfolio a range extending from recurring children’s characters to individual filmmakers’ projects.