Playmaker begins sales of ‘Horse on a Stick’

playmaker I was assigned to handle international sales for Sonja Maria Kröner’s family adventure film “The Stick”, which will premiere at the Cannes Film Market.

The film, which opens in German theaters on April 23 and is distributed by Port au Prince, is produced by Lieblingsfilm. Its predecessor, the comedy “Extrawurst,” was Germany’s most successful box office release so far this year, grossing $21.9 million from 1.9 million viewers.

“Stick Horse” is based on a real-life Finnish hobby horse phenomenon. That is, a competitive tournament where teenagers ride homemade hobby horses and show off their dressage and jumping moves.

The film follows 13-year-old Sarah from Munich as she discovers her passion for horse riding as a hobby. In search of the trophy, she travels to Finland with Beatrice, also 13, to compete in a hobby horse championship.

“‘Stick’ is a fun, loving and empowering adventure and friendship story about finding yourself and sticking with it no matter what,” said Ramona Sehr, Head of Acquisitions at The Playmaker.

“When I first heard screenwriter Gerlind Becker’s proposal for ‘Stick’, I knew right away that this would be a fascinating story, closely connected to the daily lives of the children’s target audience,” said producer Philipp Budweg.

Playmaker said the film has a universal message. Passion and friendship transcend where one comes from. The protagonist documents his journey on social media, and the film’s “TikTok-ready theme makes this a story that speaks directly to today’s generation,” the company added.

“A Horse on a Stick” was filmed by DOP Julia Daschner. Principal photography took place in Munich and Lithuania, with the film’s championship sequence set in Finland. The film’s music was composed by Inéz and Demian Kappenstein, the duo behind German electronic indie singer ätna. The film stars Manon Debaye, Chiara Chisopoulou and Aurelia Ott.

“Stick Horse” was produced by Budweg for Lieblingsfilm, in collaboration with ZDF and KiKA. The production was supported and funded by FFF Bayern, MDM Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Hessenfilm & Medien, BKM, Kuratorium Junger Deutscher Film, FFA and DFFF.