A key player in kids and youth programming through its international co-productions (both live-action and animation), Cottonwood Media is notably one of the leading specialists in premium English-language teen drama for the global market. In this next chapter, the company is also expanding its creative strategy to include the production of internationally co-produced YA content (16-25/18-29 year olds). As such, several ambitious project will be announced shortly.
Over the years, Cottonwood has produced over 120 hours of programming and 13 international series (live-action and animation) with major broadcasters and streamers in the U.S., UK, Germany, Italy, France and more. This continues with a number of productions that are currently going through the greenlight process with key broadcasters.
To date, Cottonwood’s live-action series include premium productions such as The Lady Grace Mysteries which just wrapped filming in the UK on the final episode of Season 2 (Cottonwood/ Coolabi Productions co-pro commissioned by ZDF Studios, BBC Children’s and Education). Other hits feature Find Me in Paris (3 seasons) co-produced with ZDF and the Paris Opera Ballet School, Spellbound (Hulu, ZDF, Paris Opera, France Televisions), and Theodosia (ZDF, HBO Max, Globo) which over the years has won awards at the Chicago International Children’s Festival (Children’s Jury Award for Best Live-action), Luchon International Film Festival (Best Youth Fiction), and Cartoons on the Bay (Best Live Action).
Cottonwood also continues its work in top-tier animation (series and feature films), and is currently in production on the CGI dramedy 20 Dance Street for France Télévisions and ZDF. Previous titles include The Ollie and Moon Show (France TV, NETFLIX) which sold into 160 plus countries, and Squish!. As well as the feature film Around the World in 80 Days, distributed by Studio Canal (#1 French movie at the international box office in 2021).
David Michel
About David Michel
David Michel is Co-Founder & President of Cottonwood Media. He is also Co-Founder of French powerhouse Federation Studios and Managing Director of its kids’ division Federation Kids & Family.
Established in 2014, Cottonwood Media (co-founded by David Michel, Zoé Carrera Allaix & Cécile Laurenson) creates, produces and invests in premium, talent-driven animation and live action content. Based in Paris, with offices in Los Angeles, Toronto and Berlin, Cottonwood Media currently has four series including the hit tween drama series Find Me in Paris and animation feature films such as Around the World in 80 Days (distributed by Studio Canal) in production. With over two decades of television experience producing children’s programming, Michel was previously GM of Marathon Media where he created and produced international marquee series including Totally Spies.
Zoé Z. Carrera
About Zoé Carrera Allaix
Zoé Carrera Allaix is one of the 3 co-founders of Cottonwood Media and a Producer. In the early 2000s, she was a building block of Marathon Media where, early in her career, she served as the company’s first Studio Head. At Marathon, Zoe was Instrumental in putting together the creative team & process behind global success Totally Spies!.
Zoé went on to work in the animated feature industry as she became a Production Director and Executive Producer at Mac Guff, working on properties such as The Lorax, Kirikou an Pat et Stan. She held the same role at Teamto where she oversaw production for Yellowbird (2014).
Cécile Laurenson
About Cécile Laurenson
Cécile is co-founder and Managing Director of Cottonwood Media, France and the German branch of the company in Berlin.
Cécile started her career in Germany as a music video and commercials producer. She went on to become Managing Director of Marathon GMBH (Berlin) where she ran operations for all co-productions between Marathon’s French and German animation studios including The Odyssey and The Famous Five. In 2004 Cécile joined Marathon’s Paris studio where she ran business affairs for all programs ( including Totally Spies! ) for over 10 years.
Team Cottonwood
David Michel
Co-founder & President
Zoé Carrera Allaix
Co-founder Managing Director & Producer
Cécile Laurenson
Co-founder and Managing Director of Cottonwood Media, France and Germany
Alexa Dosne
Artistic Producer
Manon Ardisson
Head of Fiction
Renate Farber
Executive Assistant
Nathalie Roux
Administrative Assistant
Mickaël Guilbaud
Senior Legal Manager
Juliette Rouzier
Head of Production Cost Control
Antoine Chossat
Production Coordinator
Hortense Mourad
Production Administrator
Alexandre Petit-Jaillet
Financial affairs officer