AFN airing world premiere of award-winning animated film

The American Forces Network (AFN) is premiering “Celebrate the World – The Hey Wordy! Movie,” an award-winning animated family film before anyone else in the world this weekend. The film is a 2017 Parents’ Choice Recommended Award Winner with high marks for educating, while it entertains and delights children and their families through fully-orchestrated original songs and magical adventures. The title track of the film, “Celebrate the World,” is an up-tempo pop song performed by Vanessa Bryan who is currently on a world tour with Idina Menzel (“Frozen” and “Glee”).

The movie brings children into the world of Professor Dabblebee Dun, a quirky, fun-loving wizard and inventor, who lives in an animated flying house high above the clouds. Together with his animated friends, Dabblebee and his pal Wordy - a young dictionary - travel around the globe seeking adventures as they learn about different cultures and gather new words in a variety of languages.

“Celebrate the World - The Hey Wordy Movie” premieres Sept. 3 at 4 p.m. during the network’s Together Time, on AFN|family. The movie inspires children to celebrate difference and each other, and parents are encouraged to share this experience with their young kids. The movie will air on AFN before it is broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) stations across the United States.

“It’s a fun, upbeat and exciting movie,” says the film’s producer and star David Burke. “It’s perfect for children living in military families who are scared of moving from country to country. It turns fear and trepidation into excitement and anticipation of the new adventure lying in front of them living in a new country.”

For the past few years, AFN|family has aired short-form “Hey Wordy!” programming and music videos, which have been embraced by military families worldwide. This is the first full-length movie in the “Hey Wordy!” franchise with plans to launch the half-hour series next year.

“We are so excited to host the premiere of “Celebrate the World - The Hey Wordy! Movie” for all our military and DoD civilian families around the world,” says AFN|family programmer Myia Alston. “Kids and their families can sing along to the infectious music while learning words from other languages.”

Following the premiere of the movie, the AFN|family audience will be the first to get a sneak peek at an episode from the upcoming series. As an added bonus, David Burke will host the Together Time programming block on Sept. 3 on AFN|family. Show breaks will feature the “Hey Wordy” gang as they promote the movie premiere with a mix of funny kids-centric antics.

“Celebrate the World – The Hey Wordy! Movie” is a THK Media production, executive produced by Howard Kazanjian (“Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark”), directed and produced by Mendel Tropper (“My Sister’s Keeper”), and produced by David Burke and David Harvey. The film stars David Burke and Jenn Reese as the voice of Wordy.