"Hugo the Hippo" was the first international release of a PannoniaFilm production; prior to this, they had also made Hungary's first animated feature "János Vitéz" in 1973. The film (which was produced over a two-year period) received funding from the Faberge company via its Brut productions label.
The movie's U.S. distributor, 20th Century Fox, acquired "Hugo along with two other Brut films starring actor Elliott Gould: Whiffs and I Will, I Will... for Now.