By founding Moon-Keys International Content, Cédric Depierre is leveraging a rare complementarity within the audiovisual industry. Positioned at the intersection of production, finance, and distribution, Moon-Keys aims to offer a fresh perspective on animation. In this interview, its founder shares his vision for an integrated, globally-minded model designed to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Moon-Keys may be a young company, but it is built upon extensive experience. Could you briefly share your background and what motivated you to create Moon-Keys International Content?
Cédric Depierre Debord Broca: I have over twenty years of experience in the audiovisual sector, in financing and entrepreneurship. Throughout my career, I became increasingly convinced that international markets and animation are two of the most powerful pillars of the French audiovisual industry. French animation is widely recognised for its world-class expertise and creative excellence. It offers an unlimited narrative and artistic playground, as well as a fertile ground for the development of original IPs. These beliefs led me to co-found Moon-Keys – a company that embraces animation in all its dimensions: series, films, and digital content.
Our ambition is to support IPs capable of evolving across formats. Moon-Keys is also about uniting creative talents around a shared vision.
The distribution market is largely dominated by long-established players. What makes Moon-Keys’ approach different?
Cédric Depierre Debord Broca: Moon-Keys is one of the very few international distribution companies that combine genuine expertise in both series and feature films. We’ve assembled highly experienced teams with not only strong market knowledge but also a keen creative eye. We make deliberate, curated choices. The projects we support must carry meaning and demonstrate the potential to connect with an audience. From the outset, we also established a dedicated digital department with a broad definition of digital designed to meet audiences where they are: on streaming platforms, social media, and beyond, complementing theatrical and broadcast strategies.
Moon-Keys aims to bring together cosmopolitan communities from around the world, united by a shared passion for animation in all its creative richness and diversity.
You’ve chosen an integrated model that includes financing, co-production, and distribution. What is the rationale behind this strategy?
Cédric Depierre Debord Broca: We’re working in an increasingly competitive environment, with fragmented audiences across multiple screens and formats. Bringing together all our areas of expertise is our way of helping partners get their projects off the ground and ultimately ensuring that those stories find their audiences worldwide.
How do you select the projects you support ? Would you say there is a “Moon-Keys signature”?
Cédric Depierre Debord Broca: We evaluate projects through three main lenses not necessarily in this order: the project’s potential, our ability to bring added value, and, perhaps most importantly, the quality of the relationship with the producing partner. We place a strong emphasis on consistency avoiding overlap or redundancy within our lineup. Of course, there’s always room for a passion project, which often aligns with the project’s inherent potential: a powerful story, a meaningful message, distinctive visual style, or demonstrated creative craftsmanship.
French animation is often praised for its quality but sometimes struggles to reach international markets. How does Moon-Keys intend to meet this challenge?
Cédric Depierre Debord Broca: Animation has historically been one of France’s most successful audiovisual exports. But in today’s intensely competitive environment, there’s always an element of unpredictability. That’s precisely what drives Moon-Keys—to reduce that uncertainty by backing the right projects and finding the right path to bring them to life and connect with audiences worldwide.
What major trends or transformations do you anticipate in the global content market for 2025–2026?
Cédric Depierre Debord Broca: Adult animation and digital-native formats will likely dominate industry conversations. But one of the biggest challenges will be to reduce production costs. This is key to helping producers secure financing more quickly and launch their projects under more favourable conditions.
The international landscape is becoming more complex – far beyond the audiovisual sector alone. Paradoxically, there are more potential buyers than ever, yet many players struggle with limited sales opportunities. The acquisition strategies of major platforms have shifted significantly in recent years. The keyword today is adaptability.
As audiences fragment across formats and platforms, we must diversify, explore new models, and rethink production workflows to align with current market realities. And that’s exactly what global competitors are doing – so we must, too.
What are your ambitions for Moon-Keys over the next five years? How do you envision the company’s role within the global animation industry?
Cédric Depierre Debord Broca: We want to become a key industry reference – for professionals and audiences alike. Our goal is to be recognised for the diversity and quality of our portfolio: from family features with strong international appeal, to auteur-driven films, from children’s content to adult animation. It’s a broad creative field, and we now have the structure and vision to fully embrace it.