Dale Robinson from Irish animation studio Treehouse Republic tells us about their new show Mortina. The zombie detective has a new lease of life with the animated series - streaming now on RTÉ Player. Press play up top to watch the promo.
Mortina is the spooky-sweet heroine of a much-loved children's picturebook series created by Italian author-illustrator Barbara Cantini. The books are steeped in a delightfully gothic aesthetic, but their tone is always gentle and warm, perfectly creepy in a cozy, humorous way rather than frightening. It’s a world where cobwebs and shadows exist alongside kindness, curiosity, and heart.
At the centre of the stories is Mortina herself, a zombie girl living in a creaky old mansion known as Crumbling Manor. She shares her home with her strict but loving Aunt Departed and her energetic greyhound, Tradegy. Because Mortina is undead, she must keep her true identity hidden from the living children in the nearby town. This secret leads to a series of humorous mishaps, misunderstandings, and tender moments as Mortina tries to navigate her desire for friendship while remaining safely concealed.
Despite her spooky exterior, Mortina is curious, kind, and deeply eager to belong. One of the central themes of the series is acceptance, the idea that being different does not mean you are undeserving of friendship, joy, or connection. Through Mortina’s experiences, the stories gently explore feelings of loneliness, bravery, and empathy, offering young audiences a reassuring message wrapped in a playful gothic world.
The screen project itself has been a long time in the making. Treehouse Republic first met Cartobaleno many years ago at MIPCOM, where an early connection sparked a shared interest in finding the right opportunity to collaborate. Over time, both companies explored different possibilities and maintained a dialogue, waiting for a project that truly resonated creatively and strategically with both teams.
That moment arrived when Cartobaleno introduced Treehouse Republic to Mortina. From the outset, we were drawn to the character, the tone, and the richness of the world. Its warmth, humour, and distinctive gothic charm immediately stood out. Following a standout pitch at Cartoon Forum, the strength and potential of the project became undeniable, and Treehouse Republic officially joined the production. After years of mutual respect and creative alignment, the collaboration felt like a natural and exciting next step.
Working with RAI and our European partners has been a consistently positive experience, and collaborating with Cartobaleno has been particularly rewarding. While we come from different production backgrounds, with distinct workflows and methodologies, we quickly discovered that we shared the same core ambition, to deliver the best possible version of Mortina.
That shared goal encouraged flexibility on all sides, with Treehouse Republic adapting parts of our pipeline to align with Cartobaleno’s processes, and vice versa. The result has been a genuine collaborative partnership built on trust, openness, and shared creative intent.
The involvement of Studio 100 as a major distributor has added another exciting dimension to the project. Their experience, scale, and ambitious global vision have been hugely energising for the entire team. Knowing that Mortina is supported by such a strong international strategy reinforces the belief that it has the potential to connect with audiences far beyond her original home.
