Gkids has announced the acquisition of North American rights to Mamoru Hosoda’s entire film catalog.
Hosoda’s films include “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” “Wolf Children,” “Mirai” and “Belle.”
Gkids’ President David Jesteadt said, “One of Gkids’ earliest distribution projects was the theatrical release of ‘Summer Wars,’ when Mamoru Hosoda had already cemented his position as one of the most exciting animation directors. We were honored to deepen our relationship with the release of his two latest films, ‘Mirai’ and ‘Belle,’ and are excited to now be able to showcase the full breadth of Hosoda’s ambitious storytelling across his film catalog, featuring some of the most acclaimed and successful Japanese animated films of all time.”
Hosoda’s six features have all been nominated for, and five have been awarded, the Japan Academy Prize for “Animation of the Year.” He also landed an Oscar nomination for 2018’s “Mirai...
Hosoda’s films include “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” “Wolf Children,” “Mirai” and “Belle.”
Gkids’ President David Jesteadt said, “One of Gkids’ earliest distribution projects was the theatrical release of ‘Summer Wars,’ when Mamoru Hosoda had already cemented his position as one of the most exciting animation directors. We were honored to deepen our relationship with the release of his two latest films, ‘Mirai’ and ‘Belle,’ and are excited to now be able to showcase the full breadth of Hosoda’s ambitious storytelling across his film catalog, featuring some of the most acclaimed and successful Japanese animated films of all time.”
Hosoda’s six features have all been nominated for, and five have been awarded, the Japan Academy Prize for “Animation of the Year.” He also landed an Oscar nomination for 2018’s “Mirai...
- 3/18/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Animation icon Hayao Miyazaki, at age 83, earned an Academy Award nomination for his semi-autobiographical fantasy film The Boy and the Heron in the animated feature competition.
He previously won a competitive best animated feature Oscar in 2003 for his film Spirited Away, which to date is the only category winner that was not made in the English language. He received an Academy Honorary Award in 2014, and earned additional competitive Oscar nominations for his movies The Wind Rises and Howl’s Moving Castle. With this, his fourth nomination, he is tied for the most nominations in the best animated feature category with Pixar’s Pete Docter.
The Boy and the Heron has been billed as the final movie from Miyazaki, who with this nomination is the oldest nominee in the history of the animated feature category, which was first presented in 2001.
It is producer Toshio Suzuki’s third Oscar nomination following The Red Turtle...
He previously won a competitive best animated feature Oscar in 2003 for his film Spirited Away, which to date is the only category winner that was not made in the English language. He received an Academy Honorary Award in 2014, and earned additional competitive Oscar nominations for his movies The Wind Rises and Howl’s Moving Castle. With this, his fourth nomination, he is tied for the most nominations in the best animated feature category with Pixar’s Pete Docter.
The Boy and the Heron has been billed as the final movie from Miyazaki, who with this nomination is the oldest nominee in the history of the animated feature category, which was first presented in 2001.
It is producer Toshio Suzuki’s third Oscar nomination following The Red Turtle...
- 1/23/2024
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gkids has acquired North American distribution rights to Belle, the latest animated film from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda and Japan’s Studio Chizu. A winter theatrical release is in the works for the pic, which represents a re-team of the distributor, Hosoda and Studio Chizo after 2018’s Mirai, which scored an Oscar nomination.
Hosoda, whose credits also include The Boy and the Beast, Wolf Children, Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time wrote and directed Belle. It centers on Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself until one day she enters “U,” a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature and they embark on a journey of adventures, challenges and love in...
Hosoda, whose credits also include The Boy and the Beast, Wolf Children, Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time wrote and directed Belle. It centers on Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself until one day she enters “U,” a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature and they embark on a journey of adventures, challenges and love in...
- 6/14/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
“Belle,” Hosoda Mamoru’s highly anticipated animated feature has been picked up by Gkids for release in North America.
The Studio Chizu-produced coming of age tale will release in Japan next month. Gkids says it will release ‘Belle” theatrically in both its original Japanese language and an English dubbed version this winter, and will qualify the film for 2021 awards consideration.
Nippon Television handles rights sales for the film in Asia. Paris-based sales company Charades is representing the film in other international markets.
The story follows a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters U, a virtual world of 5 billion members and where she has become Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature and embark on a journey of adventures, challenges and love, in their quest to become who they truly are.
The Studio Chizu-produced coming of age tale will release in Japan next month. Gkids says it will release ‘Belle” theatrically in both its original Japanese language and an English dubbed version this winter, and will qualify the film for 2021 awards consideration.
Nippon Television handles rights sales for the film in Asia. Paris-based sales company Charades is representing the film in other international markets.
The story follows a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters U, a virtual world of 5 billion members and where she has become Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature and embark on a journey of adventures, challenges and love, in their quest to become who they truly are.
- 6/14/2021
- by Patrick Frater and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Mamoru Hosoda’s first film, Mirai, played 2018 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
Gkids has picked up North American rights to Mamoru Hosoda’s ninth feature Belle from Japan’s Studio Chizu.
The original story tells of Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father who enters a virtual world of five billion members on the internet.
After she adopts the alter ego of Belle, a world-famous singer, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery with a mysterious creature.
Hosoda’s follow-up to 2018 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight selection Mirai is produced by Studio Chizu co-founder Yuichiro Saito.
Gkids...
Gkids has picked up North American rights to Mamoru Hosoda’s ninth feature Belle from Japan’s Studio Chizu.
The original story tells of Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father who enters a virtual world of five billion members on the internet.
After she adopts the alter ego of Belle, a world-famous singer, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery with a mysterious creature.
Hosoda’s follow-up to 2018 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight selection Mirai is produced by Studio Chizu co-founder Yuichiro Saito.
Gkids...
- 6/14/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Amid the big-budget Hollywood sequels jockeying for position, this year’s awards race has a sizable contingent of contenders from overseas, including both foreign-made films and co-productions. The pack is led by indie animation mainstay GKids, but Netflix has also entered the fray as a distribution partner and entries from China are slipping into the mix.
Pearl Studio and DreamWorks Animation’s “Abominable,” a family film set in modern-day China and featuring Chinese characters, is a major challenger. From its inception, the CG-animated Yeti adventure was a “true collaboration” between the two studios in terms of artistic leadership, according to Pearl chief creative officer Peilin Chou.
“It’s an historic co-production in the sense that we really worked side-by-side with DreamWorks in terms of creative decision-making,” she says.
From Spain, Sergio Pablos’ “Klaus” is perhaps one of the most highly anticipated contenders. The hand-drawn holiday feature, which arrives from Netflix on Nov.
Pearl Studio and DreamWorks Animation’s “Abominable,” a family film set in modern-day China and featuring Chinese characters, is a major challenger. From its inception, the CG-animated Yeti adventure was a “true collaboration” between the two studios in terms of artistic leadership, according to Pearl chief creative officer Peilin Chou.
“It’s an historic co-production in the sense that we really worked side-by-side with DreamWorks in terms of creative decision-making,” she says.
From Spain, Sergio Pablos’ “Klaus” is perhaps one of the most highly anticipated contenders. The hand-drawn holiday feature, which arrives from Netflix on Nov.
- 10/29/2019
- by Jennifer Wolfe
- Variety Film + TV
“I Lost My Body,” the curious story of a disembodied hand searching to reunite with its body, won the grand prize at the Animation is Film Festival, held Oct. 18-20 in Los Angeles. The audience prize was split between two films, Makoto Shinkai’s “Weathering With You” and “The Swallows of Kabul” by Zabou Breitman and Elea Gobbe-Mevellec.
Netflix acquired the worldwide rights to “I Lost My Body,” directed by Jérémy Clapin, after the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The French film — which bested its live-action competition to win the top prize in Critics’ Week at Cannes — screened in its original language at Animation Is Film. Netflix has also prepared an English dub featuring the voices of Dev Patel, Alia Shawkat and George Wendt, which will be available to Netflix subscribers on Nov. 29, two weeks after the French version receives its Oscar-qualifying run on Nov. 15.
“The...
Netflix acquired the worldwide rights to “I Lost My Body,” directed by Jérémy Clapin, after the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The French film — which bested its live-action competition to win the top prize in Critics’ Week at Cannes — screened in its original language at Animation Is Film. Netflix has also prepared an English dub featuring the voices of Dev Patel, Alia Shawkat and George Wendt, which will be available to Netflix subscribers on Nov. 29, two weeks after the French version receives its Oscar-qualifying run on Nov. 15.
“The...
- 10/22/2019
- by LaTesha Harris
- Variety Film + TV
Adventure has grossed $67m (Rmb 449m) in China this year.
Gkids has acquired North American rights to its first Chinese animation White Snake ahead of its international premiere in competition at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival this week.
White Snake hails from Beijing-based Light Chaser Animation and is a co-production with Warner Bros. Amp Wong and Zhao Ji directed the film, which grossed $67m (Rmb 449m) in China earlier this year.
The story is based on a well-known local tale and follows Blanca, a young woman who has lost her memory and searches for her identity with the help of Xuan,...
Gkids has acquired North American rights to its first Chinese animation White Snake ahead of its international premiere in competition at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival this week.
White Snake hails from Beijing-based Light Chaser Animation and is a co-production with Warner Bros. Amp Wong and Zhao Ji directed the film, which grossed $67m (Rmb 449m) in China earlier this year.
The story is based on a well-known local tale and follows Blanca, a young woman who has lost her memory and searches for her identity with the help of Xuan,...
- 6/10/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
To truly understand the importance of what Gkids is accomplishing, knowing the difference between hand-drawn and computer-generated animation is a factor. To appreciate the vast difference between the two takes knowing what motivates an individual animator to create an artful, visual world. Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate, or simply Gkids, focuses on sophisticated animation… the best hand-drawn international films. Since 2008, when Eric Beckman founded Gkids, the company has distributed the finest critically acclaimed indie animated films for North Americans to discover and enjoy. Specializing in little known films, the company has emerged as the respected caretaker and distributer of
GKids Keeps Hand Animation Drawing Alive in the United States...
GKids Keeps Hand Animation Drawing Alive in the United States...
- 10/25/2017
- by Judy Greenlees
- TVovermind.com
Last weekend’s inaugural Animation Is Film Festival at the Tcl Chinese 6 Theater should have a definite impact on the Oscar race, as GKids’ stirring indie, “The Breadwinner,” won both the Grand Prize and Audience Award. Another GKids contender, “The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales,” a lighthearted barnyard animal anthology (directed by “Ernest & Celestine” Oscar nominee Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert). took home The Special Jury Prize.
Directed by Nora Twomey of Cartoon Saloon (“The Secret of Kells”), and executive produced by Angelina Jolie, “The Breadwinner” follows a strong-willed young Afghan girl who poses as a boy to help her family survive under threat from the Taliban.
With new Academy rules now allowing all eligible members to vote for animated features using preferential voting, the timing couldn’t be better for “The Breadwinner” honors. The Ireland-Canada-Luxembourg co-production is now poised to secure GKids’ 10th Oscar nomination.
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions:...
Directed by Nora Twomey of Cartoon Saloon (“The Secret of Kells”), and executive produced by Angelina Jolie, “The Breadwinner” follows a strong-willed young Afghan girl who poses as a boy to help her family survive under threat from the Taliban.
With new Academy rules now allowing all eligible members to vote for animated features using preferential voting, the timing couldn’t be better for “The Breadwinner” honors. The Ireland-Canada-Luxembourg co-production is now poised to secure GKids’ 10th Oscar nomination.
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions:...
- 10/24/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
With this weekend’s launch in Hollywood of the Animation Is Film Festival at the Tcl Chinese 6 Theater, there’s an opportunity to expand industry tastes while influencing the Oscar race. “It’s for film people to find a highly curated selection of the best feature filmmaking from around the world [for that particular year] in one place,” said Aif founder Eric Beckman, the co-founder and president of GKids, which organized the festival in collaboration with the Annecy International Animation Festival, Variety, and Acifa-Hollywood.
After 20 years of success with the New York International Children’s Film Festival, Beckman thought it was time to broaden the appeal in Hollywood with an emphasis on global production and distribution.
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
Why launch a new festival?
The timing couldn’t be better: New Academy rules now allow all eligible members to vote for animated features, using preferential voting. However, it remains to...
After 20 years of success with the New York International Children’s Film Festival, Beckman thought it was time to broaden the appeal in Hollywood with an emphasis on global production and distribution.
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature
Why launch a new festival?
The timing couldn’t be better: New Academy rules now allow all eligible members to vote for animated features, using preferential voting. However, it remains to...
- 10/17/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Animation is inaugural feature from Studio Ponoc.
Gkids has acquired the North American distribution rights to Mary And The Witch’s Flower and plans a winter release.
Mary And The Witch’s Flower is based on Mary Stewart’s 1971 children’s book The Little Broomstick. The story centres on an ordinary young girl named Mary, who discovers a flower that grants magical powers for only one night. As she is whisked into an exciting new world beyond belief, she must learn to stay true to herself.
Hiromasa Yonebayashi directs the film written by Riko Sakaguchi and produced by Studio Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura.
Yonebayashi’s The Secret World Of Arrietty remains the highest-grossing Studio Ghibli title in the United States to date.
Gkids distributed previous Yonebayashi and Nishimura films When Marnie Was There and The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, both of which were nominated for an Academy Award for best animated feature.
Mike Runagall of [link...
Gkids has acquired the North American distribution rights to Mary And The Witch’s Flower and plans a winter release.
Mary And The Witch’s Flower is based on Mary Stewart’s 1971 children’s book The Little Broomstick. The story centres on an ordinary young girl named Mary, who discovers a flower that grants magical powers for only one night. As she is whisked into an exciting new world beyond belief, she must learn to stay true to herself.
Hiromasa Yonebayashi directs the film written by Riko Sakaguchi and produced by Studio Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura.
Yonebayashi’s The Secret World Of Arrietty remains the highest-grossing Studio Ghibli title in the United States to date.
Gkids distributed previous Yonebayashi and Nishimura films When Marnie Was There and The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, both of which were nominated for an Academy Award for best animated feature.
Mike Runagall of [link...
- 8/1/2017
- ScreenDaily
As part of a larger partnership to bring the best animation to the big screen, Gkids, the acclaimed distributor of multiple Academy Award®-nominated animated features, and Fathom Events are bringing “Mune: Guardian of the Moon” to U.S. movie theaters for its cinematic debut. Moviegoers will plunge into a world of wonder, magic and beauty in this fantastical animated adventure from the producers of “The Little Prince,” which hailed by critics as “Stunning! Captivating! Like a made-for-children Avatar!” (Le Monde).
“Mune: Guardian of the Moon” will be in movie theaters nationwide for one day only on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 12:55 p.m. local time. The French produced film is being released in a new English language version featuring: Rob Lowe (Sohone), Christian Slater(Leyoon), Patton Oswalt (Mox), Ed Helms (Spleen) and Jeff Dunham (Phospho). The program also includes Gkids Minifest a super-fun, super-condensed festival of the best short animation from around the world.
“Mune: Guardian of the Moon” will be in movie theaters nationwide for one day only on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 12:55 p.m. local time. The French produced film is being released in a new English language version featuring: Rob Lowe (Sohone), Christian Slater(Leyoon), Patton Oswalt (Mox), Ed Helms (Spleen) and Jeff Dunham (Phospho). The program also includes Gkids Minifest a super-fun, super-condensed festival of the best short animation from around the world.
- 7/27/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Gkids, producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, has announced that it is partnering with Studio Ghibli to handle the famed Japanese animation studio's catalog in North America. Beginning October 17, 2017, Gkids will begin reissuing new Blu-ray and DVD editions of Studio Ghibli's renowned films with six initial titles from Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki: Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away followed by Castle in the Sky and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind on October 31, 2017. The remaining titles will be reissued in the coming months in brand new Blu-ray and DVD, and are listed below.
The Studio Ghibli library, led by directors and studio co-founders Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, is one of the most coveted and critically-lauded in animation, and includes such films as the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, which was recently listed at...
The Studio Ghibli library, led by directors and studio co-founders Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, is one of the most coveted and critically-lauded in animation, and includes such films as the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, which was recently listed at...
- 7/17/2017
- by Joseph Medina
- LRMonline.com
Distributor now handles home entertainment rights as well as theatrical on Japanese studio titles.
Gkids has announced it is partnering with Studio Ghibli to distribute the Japanese animation studio’s home video catalogue in North America.
Starting on October 17, Gkids will reissue Blu-ray and DVD editions of Studio Ghibli’s films and kicks off with six titles from Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki.
The initial six Miyazaki titles are Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away (pictured), followed by Castle In The Sky and Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind on October 31.
The remaining titles, which include Hiroyuki Morita’s The Cat Returns and Tomomi Mochizuki’s Ocean Waves, will be reissued in the coming months on Blu-ray and DVD.
The home video partnership builds on the relationship between Gkids and Studio Ghibli. Gkids has handled theatrical rights for the catalogue since 2010.
Gkids released the studio’s recent...
Gkids has announced it is partnering with Studio Ghibli to distribute the Japanese animation studio’s home video catalogue in North America.
Starting on October 17, Gkids will reissue Blu-ray and DVD editions of Studio Ghibli’s films and kicks off with six titles from Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki.
The initial six Miyazaki titles are Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away (pictured), followed by Castle In The Sky and Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind on October 31.
The remaining titles, which include Hiroyuki Morita’s The Cat Returns and Tomomi Mochizuki’s Ocean Waves, will be reissued in the coming months on Blu-ray and DVD.
The home video partnership builds on the relationship between Gkids and Studio Ghibli. Gkids has handled theatrical rights for the catalogue since 2010.
Gkids released the studio’s recent...
- 7/17/2017
- ScreenDaily
Our weekly Film Festival Roundup column explores notable stories and news updates from the circuit. Check out last week’s Roundup right here.
Producer and distributor Gkids has a big idea for the animated world, best expressed in three little words: Animation Is Film. It’s both a philosophy and the name of a newly announced festival cooked by the company best known for bringing animated offerings from Studio Ghibli and other rising stars (think “My Life as a Zucchini” and “My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea”) to domestic screens. Gkids will launch the festival this October in partnership with both France’s own Annecy International Animation Film Festival and IndieWire’s sister publication, Variety.
Envisioned as an annual event, the inaugural edition of the festival will run October 20 – 22 at the Tcl Chinese 6 Theater in Hollywood (better known to most as Mann’s Chinese Theater), complete with a showcase of 20 programs that includes feature films in competition, special presentations, retrospectives and short film programs.
Animation Is Film has been designed with a very specific goal in mind, to bring a world-class animation festival to the U.S. which, unlike Europe and Asia, is severely lacking when it comes to such annual offerings. Other countries boast animation-centric festivals like Annecy, Montreal’s Stop Motion Festival, the Ottawa International Film Festival, and the Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival, but the U.S. doesn’t have such large-scale events, instead festivals often screen animated films as part of other sections. Animation Is Film hopes to fill that gap and provide a new space for larger audiences to enjoy animated films in every form.
Read More: Gkids Supercut Pays Tribute to the Indie Animated Film Distributor — Watch
But while the festival’s most obvious aim is to bring high-quality animated offerings to North America via a splashy new event, its official mission reveals that the fest is also focused on exploring other needs in the industry, including an emphasis on supporting female filmmakers and other underrepresented groups. Animation Is Film doesn’t just want to screen the best in animation to its audience, it also wants to highlight and explore up-and-coming talents, new styles of work, and push past traditional ideas of the very medium itself.
Animation Is Film is built around five core missions, including “presenting a highly selective, annual showcase of the best new works of animation from around the world,” though it will also “champion and support filmmakers who use animation to pursue unique cinematic visions and who are unconstrained by conventional notions of what animation is capable of.” And those filmmakers? Aif hopes they can represent all sorts of creators, from female filmmakers to “filmmakers from a wide range of cultural, economic, and national backgrounds.”
In an official statement, Gkids Founder and CEO Eric Beckman commented, “Creating a stateside film festival that recognizes the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form has long been a dream of Gkids. We are thrilled…[to] bring exceptional animated filmmaking from around the world to audiences.”
Beckman is joined on the festival organizing committee by Patrick Eveno, Mickaël Marin, Marcel Jean, Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Steven Gaydos, Peter Debruge, and Fumi Kithara.
Check out the rest of our weekly Film Festival Roundup on the next page.
Related storiesTakashi Miike is the Most Prolific Filmmaker in the World and He's Not About to Slow DownAmbitious South Korean Actioner 'The Villainess' Just Might Be This Year's 'Train to Busan' -- Film Festival RoundupFilm Festival Roundup: Provincetown Announces New Programming, Stony Brook Reveals Lineup and More...
Producer and distributor Gkids has a big idea for the animated world, best expressed in three little words: Animation Is Film. It’s both a philosophy and the name of a newly announced festival cooked by the company best known for bringing animated offerings from Studio Ghibli and other rising stars (think “My Life as a Zucchini” and “My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea”) to domestic screens. Gkids will launch the festival this October in partnership with both France’s own Annecy International Animation Film Festival and IndieWire’s sister publication, Variety.
Envisioned as an annual event, the inaugural edition of the festival will run October 20 – 22 at the Tcl Chinese 6 Theater in Hollywood (better known to most as Mann’s Chinese Theater), complete with a showcase of 20 programs that includes feature films in competition, special presentations, retrospectives and short film programs.
Animation Is Film has been designed with a very specific goal in mind, to bring a world-class animation festival to the U.S. which, unlike Europe and Asia, is severely lacking when it comes to such annual offerings. Other countries boast animation-centric festivals like Annecy, Montreal’s Stop Motion Festival, the Ottawa International Film Festival, and the Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival, but the U.S. doesn’t have such large-scale events, instead festivals often screen animated films as part of other sections. Animation Is Film hopes to fill that gap and provide a new space for larger audiences to enjoy animated films in every form.
Read More: Gkids Supercut Pays Tribute to the Indie Animated Film Distributor — Watch
But while the festival’s most obvious aim is to bring high-quality animated offerings to North America via a splashy new event, its official mission reveals that the fest is also focused on exploring other needs in the industry, including an emphasis on supporting female filmmakers and other underrepresented groups. Animation Is Film doesn’t just want to screen the best in animation to its audience, it also wants to highlight and explore up-and-coming talents, new styles of work, and push past traditional ideas of the very medium itself.
Animation Is Film is built around five core missions, including “presenting a highly selective, annual showcase of the best new works of animation from around the world,” though it will also “champion and support filmmakers who use animation to pursue unique cinematic visions and who are unconstrained by conventional notions of what animation is capable of.” And those filmmakers? Aif hopes they can represent all sorts of creators, from female filmmakers to “filmmakers from a wide range of cultural, economic, and national backgrounds.”
In an official statement, Gkids Founder and CEO Eric Beckman commented, “Creating a stateside film festival that recognizes the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form has long been a dream of Gkids. We are thrilled…[to] bring exceptional animated filmmaking from around the world to audiences.”
Beckman is joined on the festival organizing committee by Patrick Eveno, Mickaël Marin, Marcel Jean, Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Steven Gaydos, Peter Debruge, and Fumi Kithara.
Check out the rest of our weekly Film Festival Roundup on the next page.
Related storiesTakashi Miike is the Most Prolific Filmmaker in the World and He's Not About to Slow DownAmbitious South Korean Actioner 'The Villainess' Just Might Be This Year's 'Train to Busan' -- Film Festival RoundupFilm Festival Roundup: Provincetown Announces New Programming, Stony Brook Reveals Lineup and More...
- 6/23/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Gkids has released the first teaser trailer for the upcoming animated feature The Breadwinner from Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon and executive produced by Angelina Jolie along with Gkids’ CEO/founder Eric Beckman and president David Jesteadt. A fall release is planned.
Based on the young adult novel by Deborah Ellis, The Breadwinner tells the story of Parvana, a young girl living under the Taliban regime, who cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family after her father is imprisoned. It was helmed by Cartoon Saloon’s Nora Twomey, who was co-director of its...
Based on the young adult novel by Deborah Ellis, The Breadwinner tells the story of Parvana, a young girl living under the Taliban regime, who cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family after her father is imprisoned. It was helmed by Cartoon Saloon’s Nora Twomey, who was co-director of its...
- 5/16/2017
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There will never be another Oscar winner like “O.J.: Made in America.” Each year, a month after the Academy Awards, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences meet to debate and approve any rules changes for the next year’s Oscars. As expected, following the controversy over Espn’s five-part, eight-hour documentary feature, the Academy is cracking down on multi-part or limited “series.”
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions
As the Academy tries to distinguish itself from television’s Emmy Awards, no longer eligible for Oscars will be Netflix’s currently available “Five Came Back,” a three-part documentary about five A-list Hollywood directors filming World War II, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Scott Rudin, and Barry Diller, or Amir Bar-Lev’s Grateful Dead documentary “Long Strange Trip,” presented by Martin Scorsese, which debuted in one four-hour screening at Sundance, but will be split into six parts on Amazon.
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions
As the Academy tries to distinguish itself from television’s Emmy Awards, no longer eligible for Oscars will be Netflix’s currently available “Five Came Back,” a three-part documentary about five A-list Hollywood directors filming World War II, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Scott Rudin, and Barry Diller, or Amir Bar-Lev’s Grateful Dead documentary “Long Strange Trip,” presented by Martin Scorsese, which debuted in one four-hour screening at Sundance, but will be split into six parts on Amazon.
- 4/7/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
There will never be another Oscar winner like “O.J.: Made in America.” Each year, a month after the Academy Awards, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences meet to debate and approve any rules changes for the next year’s Oscars. As expected, following the controversy over Espn’s five-part, eight-hour documentary feature, the Academy is cracking down on multi-part or limited “series.”
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions
As the Academy tries to distinguish itself from television’s Emmy Awards, no longer eligible for Oscars will be Netflix’s currently available “Five Came Back,” a three-part documentary about five A-list Hollywood directors filming World War II, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Scott Rudin, and Barry Diller, or Amir Bar-Lev’s Grateful Dead documentary “Long Strange Trip,” presented by Martin Scorsese, which debuted in one four-hour screening at Sundance, but will be split into six parts on Amazon.
Read More: 2018 Oscar Predictions
As the Academy tries to distinguish itself from television’s Emmy Awards, no longer eligible for Oscars will be Netflix’s currently available “Five Came Back,” a three-part documentary about five A-list Hollywood directors filming World War II, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Scott Rudin, and Barry Diller, or Amir Bar-Lev’s Grateful Dead documentary “Long Strange Trip,” presented by Martin Scorsese, which debuted in one four-hour screening at Sundance, but will be split into six parts on Amazon.
- 4/7/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Indie animation distributor Gkids announced Wednesday that it has promoted David Jestaedt to president. Jestaedt has worked in various roles at Gkids since joining the company in 2007, most recently as senior vice president of distribution. Founder Eric Beckman will continue in his role as CEO. “Dave has been my partner since Gkids was a startup and we worked elbow to elbow in an 8×12 office,” said Beckman in a statement. “He has been a crucial component of the company’s success to date. As much as anything, this new title is merely an acknowledgment of the role he is already...
- 1/18/2017
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Indie animation distributor Gkids has promoted David Jesteadt to president, up from his current position as Svp Distribution. Company founder Eric Beckman, formerly president and CEO, will continue in the latter role. Jesteadt has been at Gkids since 2007 in numerous positions. The distributor has scored eight Academy Award noms for Best Animated Feature since then, including two last year with Boy In The World and When Marnie Was There. This awards season, Gkids is…...
- 1/18/2017
- Deadline
Indie distributor Gkids has upped senior vp distribution David Jesteadt to the role of president.
“Dave has been my partner since Gkids was a startup and we worked elbow to elbow in an 8'x12' office,” Gkids founder and CEO Eric Beckman said Wednesday in a statement. “He has been a crucial component of the company’s success to date. As much as anything, this new title is merely an acknowledgment of the role he is already serving — and I look forward to Dave’s continued leadership and innovative thinking as the company looks to grow in exciting new directions over the...
“Dave has been my partner since Gkids was a startup and we worked elbow to elbow in an 8'x12' office,” Gkids founder and CEO Eric Beckman said Wednesday in a statement. “He has been a crucial component of the company’s success to date. As much as anything, this new title is merely an acknowledgment of the role he is already serving — and I look forward to Dave’s continued leadership and innovative thinking as the company looks to grow in exciting new directions over the...
- 1/18/2017
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In honor of its 20th anniversary, Gkids and Fathom Events are proud to present the return of the Studio Ghibli film “Princess Mononoke” to theaters for a two night special event. It will play on January 5, on director Hayao Miyazaki’s 76th birthday, at 7 p.m. in dubbed English and on January 9 at 7 p.m. in the original Japanese with English subtitles.
Read More: ‘Spirited Away’ Returns To Theaters This December For Two-Night Event
“Twenty years after its release, ‘Princess Mononoke’ remains an undisputed animated triumph and one of the most thrilling adventures ever produced,” said Gkids’ President Eric Beckman. “Following the great success of ‘Spirited Away’ returning to theaters, we are excited to present ‘Princess Mononoke’ in a theatrical setting to fans both old and new. It’s also a fitting way to celebrate Miyazaki’s birthday as we remind ourselves of the cinematic gifts he has given audiences over the years.
Read More: ‘Spirited Away’ Returns To Theaters This December For Two-Night Event
“Twenty years after its release, ‘Princess Mononoke’ remains an undisputed animated triumph and one of the most thrilling adventures ever produced,” said Gkids’ President Eric Beckman. “Following the great success of ‘Spirited Away’ returning to theaters, we are excited to present ‘Princess Mononoke’ in a theatrical setting to fans both old and new. It’s also a fitting way to celebrate Miyazaki’s birthday as we remind ourselves of the cinematic gifts he has given audiences over the years.
- 12/5/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Gkids CEO and founder Eric Beckman and Svp Distribution David Jesteadt have come aboard to executive produce The Breadwinner, the new film from animation studio Cartoon Saloon. The two companies teamed on Oscar Animated Feature nominees The Secret Of Kells and Song Of The Sea. It marks the first time Gkids is serving in a producing and financing capacity in addition to distribution. A fall 2017 theatrical release is planned. Directed by Kells co-director Nora Twomey and…...
- 6/9/2016
- Deadline
Cartoon Saloon, the animation studio behind Oscar nominees "The Secret of Kells" and "Song of the Sea," are teaming with U.S. distributor Gkids for their third feature "The Breadwinner".
The hand-drawn 2D film follows a young Afghan girl who cuts her hair and dresses up as a boy in order to support her family after the Taliban imprison her father.
While Gkids will distribute the film, like they did the other two, they will also produce and finance the film which began production last month. Angelina Jolie Pitt, Eric Beckman and David Jesteadt will executive produce with a Fall 2017 release planned.
Source: Variety...
The hand-drawn 2D film follows a young Afghan girl who cuts her hair and dresses up as a boy in order to support her family after the Taliban imprison her father.
While Gkids will distribute the film, like they did the other two, they will also produce and finance the film which began production last month. Angelina Jolie Pitt, Eric Beckman and David Jesteadt will executive produce with a Fall 2017 release planned.
Source: Variety...
- 6/9/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Gkids, the New York-based animation distribution company that has landed eight Academy Award nominations in the last seven years, has joined Angelina Jolie Pitt as executive producers of “The Breadwinner,” an animated film about a young girl living under the Taliban in Afghanistan. The film marks the first time that the eight-year-old company, headed by Eric Beckman and David Jesteadt, has participated in the production of a film. Beckman and Jesteadt will serve as executive producers on “The Breadwinner” along with Jolie Pitt, while Nora Twomey will direct and Aircraft Pictures’ Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen, Cartoon Saloon’s Tomm Moore.
- 6/9/2016
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Plus: Gkids executives join Angelina Jolie on The Breadwinner as executive producers; and more…
Outfest top brass announced the complete line-up of 162 films from 19 countries on Thursday ahead of the July 7-17 festival.
Opening the festival is Samuel Goldwyn Films’ The Intervention, Clea Duvall’s directorial and screenwriting feature debut, while Vertical Entertainment’s Other People closes the event.
“I am proud and honoured to present a program that focuses on the most talented queer voices across all media – from film to television to the web,” said Outfest executive director Christopher Racster.
For full details click here.
Slamdance Presents will release Claire Carré’s directorial debut Embers, which closed the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival, on August 5 at the ArcLight Hollywood. The Orchard will release the film at the same time on VOD.Gkids announced that CEO and founder Eric Beckman and senior vice-president of distribution David Jesteadt will serve as executive producers alongside Angelina Jolie Pitt and others...
Outfest top brass announced the complete line-up of 162 films from 19 countries on Thursday ahead of the July 7-17 festival.
Opening the festival is Samuel Goldwyn Films’ The Intervention, Clea Duvall’s directorial and screenwriting feature debut, while Vertical Entertainment’s Other People closes the event.
“I am proud and honoured to present a program that focuses on the most talented queer voices across all media – from film to television to the web,” said Outfest executive director Christopher Racster.
For full details click here.
Slamdance Presents will release Claire Carré’s directorial debut Embers, which closed the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival, on August 5 at the ArcLight Hollywood. The Orchard will release the film at the same time on VOD.Gkids announced that CEO and founder Eric Beckman and senior vice-president of distribution David Jesteadt will serve as executive producers alongside Angelina Jolie Pitt and others...
- 6/9/2016
- by govi2016@lawnet.ucla.edu (Alec Govi)
- ScreenDaily
A call from the president of Colombia; not waking the kids; and sharing the news with a shop assistant - how Thursday morning’s good news played out.Oscars 2016‘The Revenant’ leads Oscar race with 12 nomsFull list of nominations
‘The Revenant’ leads Oscar race with 12 nominationsScott, Spielberg, Sorkin shut out
Best Picture nominees at a glance
Comment: Oscar nominations reward ambition
Galleries: Best Picture; Actors
Titles listed in alphabetical order
45 Years
Charlotte Rampling (Lead actress): “I am deeply moved and thrilled by this nomination. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing 45 Years. Having the wonderful experience of working with the great Tom Courtenay and Andrew Haigh was a truly rewarding experience and I am simply delighted to have everyone’s hard work and true collaboration honoured by our friends and peers in the Academy.”
Amy
Asif Kapadia (Documentary): “The Academy Award nomination for best documentary is an incredible honour, thank you to...
‘The Revenant’ leads Oscar race with 12 nominationsScott, Spielberg, Sorkin shut out
Best Picture nominees at a glance
Comment: Oscar nominations reward ambition
Galleries: Best Picture; Actors
Titles listed in alphabetical order
45 Years
Charlotte Rampling (Lead actress): “I am deeply moved and thrilled by this nomination. Thank you to the Academy for recognizing 45 Years. Having the wonderful experience of working with the great Tom Courtenay and Andrew Haigh was a truly rewarding experience and I am simply delighted to have everyone’s hard work and true collaboration honoured by our friends and peers in the Academy.”
Amy
Asif Kapadia (Documentary): “The Academy Award nomination for best documentary is an incredible honour, thank you to...
- 1/14/2016
- ScreenDaily
The studio will distribute Isao Takahata’s revered animation early next year following a deal with regular collaborator Studio Ghibli.
An English-language version of Only Yesterday will open for the first time in North America in early 2016, the year of its 25th anniversary.
The voice cast includes Daisy Ridley of the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Dev Patel, Ashley Eckstein and Alison Fernandez.
The film tells of a woman from Tokyo who reflects on her life. Toshio Suzuki produced the original and Geoffrey Wexler and Studio Ghibli produced the English-language version.
Takahata is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli and directed The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, which Gkids distributed last year.
Eric Beckman of Gkids brokered the all-rights deal with Wexler.
An English-language version of Only Yesterday will open for the first time in North America in early 2016, the year of its 25th anniversary.
The voice cast includes Daisy Ridley of the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Dev Patel, Ashley Eckstein and Alison Fernandez.
The film tells of a woman from Tokyo who reflects on her life. Toshio Suzuki produced the original and Geoffrey Wexler and Studio Ghibli produced the English-language version.
Takahata is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli and directed The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, which Gkids distributed last year.
Eric Beckman of Gkids brokered the all-rights deal with Wexler.
- 8/24/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The animation specialist has picked up North American rights to A Cat In Paris directors’ Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol’s latest work.
Phantom Boy will premiere on Friday at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Gkids plans a spring 2016 theatrical release.
The story follows a boy with a special ability and an injured police officer who team up to thwart a villain’s plans to plunge the city into chaos.
Daniela Elstner of Doc & Film International, Annemie Degryse of Lumière Publishing and Eric Beckman of Gkids brokered the deal.
Jacques-Remy Girerd and Annemie Degryse produced the Folimage, Lunanime, France 3 Cinéma and Rhône-Alpes Cinéma co-production.
Gkids distributed Oscar-nominated A Cat In Paris.
In other news, Paladin has acquired Us rights to Brad Coley’s northern Gothic Frank The Bastard starring Rachel Miner and plans a limited July 24 release ahead of expansion. FilmBuff handles worldwide digital rights and will start the roll-out this summer.
Phantom Boy will premiere on Friday at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and Gkids plans a spring 2016 theatrical release.
The story follows a boy with a special ability and an injured police officer who team up to thwart a villain’s plans to plunge the city into chaos.
Daniela Elstner of Doc & Film International, Annemie Degryse of Lumière Publishing and Eric Beckman of Gkids brokered the deal.
Jacques-Remy Girerd and Annemie Degryse produced the Folimage, Lunanime, France 3 Cinéma and Rhône-Alpes Cinéma co-production.
Gkids distributed Oscar-nominated A Cat In Paris.
In other news, Paladin has acquired Us rights to Brad Coley’s northern Gothic Frank The Bastard starring Rachel Miner and plans a limited July 24 release ahead of expansion. FilmBuff handles worldwide digital rights and will start the roll-out this summer.
- 6/18/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Animation features a voice performance from the late Christopher Lee.
Gkids has acquired North American rights to Extraordinary Tales, an animated film anthology of five of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known stories.
The film, which features the voices of Sir Christopher Lee (in one of his final film performances), Bela Lugosi, Julian Sands, Roger Corman, and Guillermo Del Toro, screens throughout this week at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Gkids plans a day-and-date release on October 30, in theaters and on video-on-demand platforms.
The deal was negotiated between Stephan Roelants for Melusine Productions and Eric Beckman for Gkids.
The film, directed by Raúl García, features new takes on The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar, and The Masque of the Red Death.
The animation is inspired by sources from classic Hollywood black-and-white monster films to the pulp feel of EC Comics...
Gkids has acquired North American rights to Extraordinary Tales, an animated film anthology of five of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known stories.
The film, which features the voices of Sir Christopher Lee (in one of his final film performances), Bela Lugosi, Julian Sands, Roger Corman, and Guillermo Del Toro, screens throughout this week at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Gkids plans a day-and-date release on October 30, in theaters and on video-on-demand platforms.
The deal was negotiated between Stephan Roelants for Melusine Productions and Eric Beckman for Gkids.
The film, directed by Raúl García, features new takes on The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar, and The Masque of the Red Death.
The animation is inspired by sources from classic Hollywood black-and-white monster films to the pulp feel of EC Comics...
- 6/16/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
April and the Extraordinary World will screen in competition at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival that started today and features the voice of Marion Cotillard in the lead.
Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci directed the steampunk adventure adapted from Jacques Tardi’s graphic novel about a girl’s journey through a world where scientists have been imprisoned.
Eric Beckman negotiated the deal for Gkids with Aska Yamaguchi for Studiocanal and the distributor plans an early 2016 release in French and English-language versions.
April And The Extraordinary World is a France-Canada-Belgium co-production between Je Suis Bien Content, Studiocanal, Kaibou Production Umt, Need Productions, Arte France Cinéma, Jouror Distribution, Rtbf, Proximus and Tchack.
Marc Jousset and Ekinci served as executive producers.
Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci directed the steampunk adventure adapted from Jacques Tardi’s graphic novel about a girl’s journey through a world where scientists have been imprisoned.
Eric Beckman negotiated the deal for Gkids with Aska Yamaguchi for Studiocanal and the distributor plans an early 2016 release in French and English-language versions.
April And The Extraordinary World is a France-Canada-Belgium co-production between Je Suis Bien Content, Studiocanal, Kaibou Production Umt, Need Productions, Arte France Cinéma, Jouror Distribution, Rtbf, Proximus and Tchack.
Marc Jousset and Ekinci served as executive producers.
- 6/15/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Since 2010, indie distributor Gkids has grabbed six best animated feature Oscar noms, and once again has two in the running this year with Tomm Moore's lovely Irish-themed "Song of the Sea" and the sublime "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" from Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata. The question is: Does either have a chance of scoring an upset win? Probably not this time, but Moore (who was first nominated for "The Secret of Kells" five years ago and is rapidly becoming the Miyazaki of Ireland) should win eventually. "This year was particularly excruciating just because I care so deeply about Tomm Moore and Isao Takahata and their films, and I kept going over the one nomination scenario in my head, and it was too much to deal with so I ended up thinking it was going to be all or nothing," admitted Gkids president Eric Beckman. "Tomm was our...
- 2/13/2015
- by Bill Desowitz
- Thompson on Hollywood
After debuting at Cannes and playing at the Toronto Film Festival last year, the animated feature version of one of the bestselling books of all time is coming to more big screens this summer. Distributor Gkids has acquired North American rights to Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet, the passion project of Salma Hayek.
“After seeing the incredible reaction to the movie in Cannes, Toronto and Doha, I’m very excited to be working with Gkids in bringing Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet to North American audiences,” Hayek said. “This is one of the most personal projects I have ever done and I am extremely proud of it.”
Written and directed by Lion King helmer Roger Allers, The Prophet adaptation is produced by Hayek and José Tamez’s Ventanarosa Productions along with Clark Peterson, and Ron Senkowski. Steve Hanson, François Pinault, Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Julia Lebedev, Leonid Lebedev, Naël Nasr,...
“After seeing the incredible reaction to the movie in Cannes, Toronto and Doha, I’m very excited to be working with Gkids in bringing Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet to North American audiences,” Hayek said. “This is one of the most personal projects I have ever done and I am extremely proud of it.”
Written and directed by Lion King helmer Roger Allers, The Prophet adaptation is produced by Hayek and José Tamez’s Ventanarosa Productions along with Clark Peterson, and Ron Senkowski. Steve Hanson, François Pinault, Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Julia Lebedev, Leonid Lebedev, Naël Nasr,...
- 2/5/2015
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline
Gkids acquired the North American rights for “When Marnie Was There,” a Japanese anime film written and directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi.
The youth-cinema distributors obtained the rights from Studio Ghibli in a distribution agreement announced on Wednesday and orchestrated by Eric Beckman from Gkids and Geoffrey Wexler from Studio Ghibli.
See Photos: 25 Must-See Movies at the Toronto Film Festival
Based on a British children’s novel by Joan G. Robinson, “When Marnie Was There” tells the tale of a troubled young girl Anna, who is drawn to an abandoned house where she encounters a mysterious young woman named Marnie. Yonebayashi...
The youth-cinema distributors obtained the rights from Studio Ghibli in a distribution agreement announced on Wednesday and orchestrated by Eric Beckman from Gkids and Geoffrey Wexler from Studio Ghibli.
See Photos: 25 Must-See Movies at the Toronto Film Festival
Based on a British children’s novel by Joan G. Robinson, “When Marnie Was There” tells the tale of a troubled young girl Anna, who is drawn to an abandoned house where she encounters a mysterious young woman named Marnie. Yonebayashi...
- 1/14/2015
- by Travis Reilly
- The Wrap
Gkids has signed on to be the North American distributor for Oscar-nominated Irish director Tomm Moore’s second animated feature "Song of the Sea." For this much-anticipated follow-up to 2009’s The Secret of Kells," Moore has re-teamed with composer Bruno Coulais and the Irish band Kíla. The film will feature the voices of Brendan Gleeson, David Rawle, Lisa Hannigan, Pat Shortt, and Jon Kenny. Regarding partnering once again with animation studio Cartoon Saloon and Moore, Gkids founder and president Eric Beckman said, “We are absolutely thrilled to renew our collaboration with Cartoon Saloon for Song of the Sea. Tomm brings an unprecedented level of artistry and passion to his filmmaking and he and the team at Cartoon Saloon have created something truly incredible with this film. Us audiences have a very, very special treat in store for them.” Moore continues exploring his fascination with Irish folklore with a story that...
- 2/11/2014
- by Melina Gills
- Indiewire
Daniel Radcliffe, Rashida Jones and Eric Beckman among talent to be celebrated at Wff. The 12th annual Whistler Film Festival (November 28 – December 2, 2012) celebrates the next generation of cinematic talent with an impressive lineup of star-studded guests and honorees. The Whistler Film Festival shines the spotlight on actor Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter film series, Kill Your Darlings, The F Word, Horns) on November 30th in an intimate evening conversation that will speak to the exciting career of the respected young British stage and film actor. We have watched him mature on screen in the eponymous role of Harry Potter, the most successful film series of all time, in which he starred in all eight films, and now he has a tremendous year ahead which includes three highly anticipated films and a return to London’s West End stage. The diverse films include Kill Your Darlings, which stars Radcliffe as a young Allen Ginsberg, dramatizing the previously untold story of murder that sparked the Beat Revolution; The F Word, a bright romantic comedy co-starring Zoe Kazan; and Horns, a thriller based on Joe Hill’s supernatural novel, about a man who, while undergoing personal turmoil, experiences a horrific transformation, currently filming in Vancouver. Rashida Jones will be honored with the Whistler Film Festival’s Trailblazer Award for Acting & Scriptwriting for her versatility in both comedic and dramatic roles and her growing presence in Hollywood as a screenwriter, which have quickly established herself as one of the industry's bright stars. The honor will be presented on November 29th at a special evening In Conversation event moderated by Variety’s Executive Editor Steven Gaydos and followed by the Whistler premiere of Celeste and Jesse Forever. Co-writer and Actor Will McCormack will join the discussion and screening. Eric Beckman, Founder and CEO of Gkids, is the recipient of the Whistler Film Festival’s Trailblazer in Animation Award, which will be presented on December 1st at the screening of The Painting. Gkids is an innovative distribution company responsible for distributing the most alternative and intelligent non-studio animated fare from around the world, with an amazing track record in selecting award winning and Oscar nominated animated fare from outside the studio system. The Whistler Film Festival is proud to host Variety’S 10 Screenwriters To Watch presented by Amazon Studios and Variety. This year’s slate of screenwriters include: Kate Dippold (The Heat); Patrick Aison (Wunderkind); Reid Carolin (Magic Mike); Scott Rothman / Rajiv Joseph (Draft Day); Ted Melfi (St Vincent De Van Nuys); Derek Connolly (Safety Not Guaranteed); Bill Dubuque (The Judge); Chris Terrio (Argo); Kelly Marcel (50 Shades of Grey); and Ken Scott (Starbuck). Attending screenwriters will share their personal stories and challenges related to succeeding in today’s film industry at an afternoon discussion on December 1st hosted by Variety’s Executive Editor Steven Gaydos. Variety will also present the screenwriters with an award at Wff’s Awards Brunch on Sunday, December 2nd. "This year's honorees represent the best of the next generation of cinematic storytellers, both in front of and behind the cameras,” says Whistler Film Festival’s Director of Programming Paul Gratton. “It all starts, of course, with the script, and so we are delighted to host Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch. In this context, the fine writing of Rashida Jones and Will McCormack will be celebrated with a special presentation of their acclaimed indie romantic comedy Celeste and Jesse Forever. Daniel Radcliffe needs no introduction as we have watched him grow up on screen through the Harry Potter series. But as he proved with the classic horror hit The Woman in Black, he is a talent that we will be watching for years to come. Finally, our Trailblazer in Animation award honor to Eric Beckman of Gkids and our presentation of their four Oscar qualifying films for Best Animated Feature, acknowledge his championing of quality animation from around the world. We are honored to recognize these talents not only as innovators, but as a much needed breath of fresh air to a franchise-driven film industry." This year’s Borsos jury is made up of Producer Martin Katz, acclaimed Actor/Director Helen Shaver and actors Rachelle Lefevre (Omerta, Barney’s Version) and Liane Balaban (One Week). This accomplished team will present the $15,000 Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature, the second largest cash prize for a Canadian film in the country after Tiff, as well as a new award for Best Performance in a Borsos Competition Film. On the Documentary jury are the Sundance Institute’s Bird Runningwater, actress Sarain Boylan (Bon Cop, Bad Cop, Rookie Blue), and Brian D. Johnson, Movie Critic for Maclean’s magazine. The Festival film lineup and Summit industry schedule are available online. The Festival’s online box office is open for industry registration and festival passes. Ticket packages and individual film and event tickets are also are available online (until December 2nd). The Festival Box Office is now open for phone sales (1-877-838-film) and opens for walk-in sales on November 22nd. Accommodation packages are also available. For information, go to whistlerfilmfestival.com. The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Bell Media, Variety, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, American Airlines, Sorel, Kokanee, Zoom Audio Visual Networks, Christie Digital, Glacier Media Group, Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.
- 11/24/2012
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Gkids has taken North American rights from Japan's Toho Co. Ltd. to distribute "Grave of the Fireflies," the 1988 feature from Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata. The critically-beloved film is told in flashbacks from the perspective of two children as it follows the devastation of Japan during the end of WWII. It is considered to be one of the greatest works to come out of Studio Ghibli, along with "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away." "Grave of the Fireflies" was originally released as a double feature with "My Neighbor Totoro," despite its heavy subject matter. Gkids plans to release the film in 2013 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. It will also play as part of their touring Studio Ghibli Retrospective. Gkids' Eric Beckman states, “This deal finally reunites a great Isao Takahata masterwork with the rest of the Studio Ghibli films. It is a profoundly moving film and an essential part of the.
- 11/20/2012
- by Sophia Savage
- Thompson on Hollywood
Gndhddtw ‘The Secret World of Arrietty.’
Disney is putting its weight behind the coming animated film, “The Secret World of Arrietty,” a Studio Ghibli feature that is based on Mary Norton’s beloved children’s book, “The Borrowers.”
“Arrietty” became a box-office hit when it was released in Japan in 2010, and Disney hopes audiences in North America will be receptive to this film because of its familiar storyline and strong cast. Disney teams with Studio Ghibli on its theatrical releases in North America,...
Disney is putting its weight behind the coming animated film, “The Secret World of Arrietty,” a Studio Ghibli feature that is based on Mary Norton’s beloved children’s book, “The Borrowers.”
“Arrietty” became a box-office hit when it was released in Japan in 2010, and Disney hopes audiences in North America will be receptive to this film because of its familiar storyline and strong cast. Disney teams with Studio Ghibli on its theatrical releases in North America,...
- 2/6/2012
- by Barbara Chai
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Update: According Eric Beckman of the distributor GKids, the company plans a qualifying run for the film "A Cat in Paris," which would add one more film to the list of qualifiers and make it even likelier to reach five nominees. For only the third time in the category's 10-year history, Oscar's Best Animated Feature race may have a full slate of five nominees. And if it does, it could thank a Czechoslovokian film that crept in via the Best Foreign-Language film category. A representative for the Czech Republic's entry, "Alois Nebel," told...
- 10/13/2011
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
“The Secret of Kells” by director Tomm Moore has received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Feature. All other nominees in the category were major studio releases from Fox, Disney/Pixar and Universal.
A viral, word-of-mouth Oscar® campaign eschewed all paid advertising and capitalized on audience passion to create a groundswell of support for “The Secret of Kells”. The nomination is a major accomplishment in a year with so many well-regarded commercial animated releases.
“The Secret of Kells” is also the only independently distributed film nominated for the animation industry Annie Awards Best Animated Feature and is winner of the Audience Award at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival.
Indie film distributor Gkids President, Eric Beckman said,
“The grassroots support for The Secret of Kells has been phenomenal and continues to grow as audiences discover this amazing film. Everyone who has seen the movie has fallen in love. It...
A viral, word-of-mouth Oscar® campaign eschewed all paid advertising and capitalized on audience passion to create a groundswell of support for “The Secret of Kells”. The nomination is a major accomplishment in a year with so many well-regarded commercial animated releases.
“The Secret of Kells” is also the only independently distributed film nominated for the animation industry Annie Awards Best Animated Feature and is winner of the Audience Award at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Festival.
Indie film distributor Gkids President, Eric Beckman said,
“The grassroots support for The Secret of Kells has been phenomenal and continues to grow as audiences discover this amazing film. Everyone who has seen the movie has fallen in love. It...
- 2/6/2010
- by Allan Ford
- Filmofilia
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