GKIDS

GKIDS
Privately Held
Industry Film Distribution
Animation
Founded 2008
Founder Eric Beckman
Headquarters New York City, United States
Products Motion pictures
Website GKIDSfilms.com

GKIDS (Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate) is an American film distributor based in New York with a focus on "sophisticated, indie" animation.[1] GKIDS uses a "bespoke" distribution method to release critically acclaimed,[2] hand-drawn,[3] international[1] films—such as the works of renowned Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki[4]—to North American audiences.

The company has gained prominence since 2010 by garnering a series of Academy Award nominations for little-known, "underdog" films,[5] beating out big-budget American films such as The Lego Movie and The Peanuts Movie.[6]

History

GKIDS was founded in 2008 by Eric Beckman, who previously co-founded and ran the New York International Children's Film Festival with his partner, Emily Shapiro.[7][8] Their first general release was Azur & Asmar, a French film dubbed in English for British and Irish audiences.

My Neighbor Totoro is in the Studio Ghibli collection, distributed by GKIDS.

The company attained national recognition with the 2010 release of The Secret of Kells,[9] the debut film by Irish animator Tomm Moore, which received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards.[10] This surprise nomination was followed by two more Best Animated Feature nominations at the 84th Academy Awards, Spanish-language Chico and Rita and French-language A Cat in Paris.[11] Both nominations were considered highly surprising by film insiders,[12][13] beating out such notables as The Adventures of Tintin and Cars 2—the first eligible Pixar film not to be nominated since the category's founding.[14] This marked the first time that an independent distributor had two films in the Best Animated Feature category in the same year,[15] a decision which Puss in Boots director Chris Miller said indicated the Academy's "respect for diversity."[16]

In September 2011, GKIDS announced the acquisition of the North American theatrical distribution rights to the Studio Ghibli library, that were previously held by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.[17] Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, however, retained the home media distribution rights.[17] GKIDS has since also managed the North American distribution of two new Studio Ghibli films, From Up on Poppy Hill in 2013[18] and The Tale of Princess Kaguya in 2014.[19]

GKIDS received three more Oscar nominations in 2014 and 2015 with Ernest & Celestine,[20] Song of the Sea, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.[21] These latter two films beat out The Lego Movie, widely considered to be the frontrunner for the award.[22][23][24] GKIDS has since released four new films in 2015, of which When Marnie Was There, Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet and Boy & the World were in the running for Best Animated Feature at the 88th Academy Awards but lost out to Pixar's Inside Out.[25]

Style and reception

While films distributed by GKIDS span a wide range of nationalities, languages, and animation styles, the distributor focuses almost exclusively on "handmade, mostly auteur-driven animated movies" created by individual animators working with small teams.[26] Founder Eric Beckman has described their films as counter-programming to the predominance of "expensive-to-produce, expensive-to-distribute" animated films, primarily made using CGI, embodied by Kung Fu Panda 2 or Puss in Boots.[26] To this end, the company relies heavily on critical reception and accolades to attract audiences, rather than big-budget marketing campaigns. Beckman has said of the Academy Awards, "The Oscars are the great equalizer. You don't have to spend millions to reach millions, you look to a smaller group of people who know and like film [...] But you've got to start with something super."[27]

As a result of this focus on artful, stylistically distinct animation, GKIDS has been widely hailed by critics and animation insiders as a welcome complement to the standard Hollywood fare. Various sources have referred to GKIDS as "the saints of independent animation,"[28] "one of the most notable independent distribution companies in the US,"[29] and "the country's best distributor [for] traditional hand-drawn animation."[3] Industry magazine Film Journal International said of the company's track record, "The reason GKIDS films keep getting nominated despite the company's low (relative to Disney, DreamWorks, et. al.) profile is that, simply put, their films tend to be really good."[30]

Sita Sings the Blues was one of the best-reviewed films of 2009.

Two films in GKIDS's collection have a perfect 100% fresh rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, The Tale of Princess Kaguya with 80 positive reviews[31] and Sita Sings the Blues with 32 positive reviews.[32] This latter film, combining stylistic elements of Rajput painting, shadow puppets, vector graphic animation, and Squigglevision, was selected by Chicago Sun-Times reviewer Roger Ebert for his annual Ebertfest, calling it "one of the year's best films":[33]

I was enchanted. I was swept away. I was smiling from one end of the film to the other. It is astonishingly original. It brings together four entirely separate elements and combines them into a great whimsical chord. [...] To get any film made is a miracle. To conceive of a film like this is a greater miracle.
— Roger Ebert, Roger Ebert's Journal[34]

Films distributed by GKIDS

US title Original title US release Rotten Tomatoes score
Tahaan[35] Tahaan September 5, 2008 No reviews
Azur & Asmar Azur et Asmar October 17, 2008 (New York)
November 27, 2008		 80%[36]
Sita Sings the Blues Sita Sings the Blues December 25, 2009 (New York)[37][38] 100%[32]
Secret of Kells, TheThe Secret of Kells Secret of Kells, TheThe Secret of Kells March 5, 2010 (New York)
March 19, 2010[39] 		91%[32]
West of Pluto À l'ouest de Pluton March 26, 2010[40] No reviews
Summer Wars Samā Wōzu December 3, 2010[41] 76%[42]
Eleanor's Secret Kérity : La Maison des contes January 21, 2011[37] No reviews
Mia and the Migoo Mia et le Migou March 25, 2011 (New York)
April 22, 2011[43]		 38%[44]
Studio Ghibli Collection, TheThe Studio Ghibli Collection
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Castle in the Sky
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Only Yesterday
Porco Rosso
Ocean Waves
Pom Poko
Whisper of the Heart
Princess Mononoke
My Neighbors the Yamadas
Spirited Away
The Cat Returns
 Studio Ghibli Collection, TheThe Studio Ghibli Collection
Kaze no tani no Naushika
Tenkū no shiro Rapyuta
Tonari no Totoro
Majo no takkyūbin
Omohide poroporo
Kurenai no buta
Umi ga kikoeru
Heisei tanuki gassen Pon poko
Mimi o sumaseba
Mononoke-hime
Hōhokekyo: Tonari no Yamada-kun
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi
Neko no ongaeshi
 December 16, 2011[45]

87%[46]
95%[47]
93%[48]
96%[49]
100%[50]
94%[51]
No reviews
78%[52]
91%[53]
92%[54]
75%[55]
97%[56]
89%[57]

Chico & Rita Chico & Rita February 10, 2012 (New York)
February 17, 2012[58]		 86%[59]
Cat in Paris, AA Cat in Paris Une vie de chat June 1, 2012[60] 82%[61]
Tales of the Night Contes de la nuit, LesLes Contes de la nuit September 26, 2012[62] 78%[63]
The Rabbi's Cat Le Chat du rabbin December 7, 2012 (New York)[64]
January 4, 2013[65]		 94%[66]
Approved for Adoption Couleur de peau: miel February 8, 2013 (New York) No reviews
Wrinkles Arrugas February 8, 2013[67] 96%[68]
Letter to Momo, AA Letter to Momo Momo e no Tegami February 10, 2013[69] 79%[70]
Ernest & Celestine[71] Ernest et Célestine February 27, 2013 97%[72]
From Up on Poppy Hill Kokuriko-zaka kara March 15, 2013[73] 83%[74]
Painting, TheThe Painting Tableau, LeLe Tableau May 10, 2013[75] 82%[76]
Grave of the Fireflies Hotaru no Haka November 9, 2013[77] 97%[78]
Patema Inverted Sakasama no Patema August 29, 2014 79%[79]
Nocturna Nocturna, la nuit magique September 4, 2014 No reviews
Welcome to the Space Show Uchū Show e Yōkoso October 14, 2014 No reviews
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya Kaguya-hime no Monogatari October 17, 2014 100%[31]
Song of the Sea[80] Song of the Sea December 19, 2014 99%[81]
When Marnie Was There Omoide no Marnie May 22, 2015 90%[82]
Zarafa[83] Zarafa July 3, 2015 76%[84]
Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet August 7, 2015 70%[85]
Boy & the World[86] O Menino e o Mundo December 11, 2015 94%[87]
April and the Extraordinary World[88] Avril et le monde truqué March 25, 2016 98%[89]
Miss Hokusai[90] Sarusuberi October 14, 2016
Phantom Boy[91] Phantom Boy November 5, 2016
The Breadwinner[92] The Breadwinner Summer 2017
My Life as a Courgette[93] Ma vie de Courgette 2017
Mune[94] Mune, le gardien de la lune Early 2017

The company also tours selections of short and feature films screened at NYICFF across the country. In mid-2009 the live-action features Tahaan and West of Pluto (À l'ouest de Pluton) were licensed for potential general releases but plans for both were dropped by late 2011 in favour of a focus on animation.[95]

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Year Nominee/work Award Result Ref.
2009 The Secret of Kells Best Animated Feature Nominated [96]
2011 A Cat in Paris Nominated [97]
Chico and Rita Nominated
2013 Ernest & Celestine Nominated [98]
2014 Song of the Sea Nominated [99]
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya Nominated
2015 Boy & the World Nominated [100]
When Marnie Was There Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 Rebecca Keegan (2012-11-14). "GKIDS' winning pitch as the go-to market for foreign animated films - latimes". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  2. ↑ Terry Flores (2015-02-12). "Gkids on a Roll With Six Oscar-Nommed Animated Films in Five Years". Variety. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  3. 1 2 "Watch: the power and beauty of hand-drawn animation, in less than 2 minutes". Vox. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  4. ↑ "GKIDS Picks Up Studio Ghibli's 'Only Yesterday' | Animation World Network". Awn.com. 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  5. ↑ "Bond Strategy and Influence". Bondinfluence.com. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  6. ↑ Carolyn Giardina (2015-01-15). "Oscars: Indie Distributor GKIDS Pushes Into Animated Feature Race With Two Noms". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  7. ↑ "About us". GKIDS.tv. GKIDS. February 2008. Archived from the original on February 4, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2012. GKIDS is the producer of the fabulous New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF), […] Since its inception in 1997, […] This year's festival runs from February 29 to March 16 in multiple theaters around New York City.
  8. ↑
  9. ↑
  10. ↑ "2010 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2010-03-07. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  11. ↑ "2012 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  12. ↑ "The 2012 Oscar Nominations Weird Us Out". CraveOnline.com. 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  13. ↑ "Why Oscar Snubbed Pixar, 'Tintin,' 'Arthur Christmas' for Best Cartoon". Hollywood Reporter. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  14. ↑ Yamato, Jen (2012-02-16). "John Carter Producer: Pixar Backlash to Blame for Cars 2 Oscar Snub?". Movieline.com. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  15. ↑ Kilday, Gregg. "Independent Distributor GKIDS Makes Its Mark With Two Oscar Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Animation feature nominees are unexpected | Life". Qconline.com. 2012-01-28. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  17. 1 2 Marechal, AJ (September 7, 2011). "GKids to release Miyazaki toons in U.S.". Variety. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  18. ↑ Lesnick, Silas (2012-06-06). "Studio Ghibli's From Up On Poppy Hill Heads to the US in 2013". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  19. ↑ Douglas, Edward (2014-03-19). "GKIDS to Distribute Studio Ghibli's Princess Kaguya". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  20. ↑ "Ernest & Celestine · Film Review The Oscar-nominated Ernest & Celestine is a hand-drawn animated delight · Movie Review · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  21. ↑ Vincent, Alice. "Oscars 2015: nominations in full". Telegraph. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  22. ↑ Peter Debruge (2015-01-15). "Oscar Nomination Snub for Lego Movie: 5 Reasons Why". Variety. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  23. ↑ "Oscar-nominated animators weigh in on 'Lego Movie' snub". New York Daily News. 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  24. ↑ Ben Child. "Lego Movie snub signals animation Oscar is growing old before its time | Film". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  25. ↑ "6 animated films that could draw Oscar attention, including madcap 'Minions' and poetic 'The Prophet'". LA Times. 2015-12-10. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  26. 1 2 "Independent Distributor GKIDS Makes Its Mark With Two Oscar Nominations". Hollywood Reporter. 2012-02-13. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  27. ↑ Cheney, Alexandra (2012-02-13). "GKIDS Animation Studio Hopes to Win an Oscar". WSJ. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  28. ↑ Brew, Cartoon (2014-06-20). "An Exclusive Character Design Gallery from 'Boy and the World,' Opening Today in LA and NYC". Cartoonbrew.com. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  29. ↑ "GKIDS Screening Animation Retrospective Including 'My Neighbor Totoro' and 'Ernest and Celestine'". Rotoscopers.com. 2014-07-10. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  30. ↑ "A Whole New 'World': Brazilian director Alê Abreu brings his inner child out for one of the year's best animated films | Film Journal International". Filmjournal.com. 2015-12-11. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  31. 1 2
  32. 1 2 3
  33. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Sita Sings the Blues Movie Review (2009)". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  34. ↑ Ebert, Roger (2008-12-23). "Having a wonderful time, wish you could hear | Roger Ebert's Journal". Roger Ebert. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  35. ↑ "Tour". Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  36. ↑
  37. 1 2 No general release but made available for individual bookings.
  38. ↑ "Animated Features 5". Cartoonresearch.com. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  39. ↑ Shinnick, Kevin G. (February 13, 2010). "The Secret of Kells". Animated Discussions Forum. Yuku. Retrieved November 23, 2012. The Secret of Kells […] will open theatrically at New York’s IFC Center on March 5, […] followed by a previously-announced opening in Boston on March 19 […]
  40. ↑ "West of Pluto - About". Facebook. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  41. ↑ "Summer Wars in Tempe, Minneapolis, Portland, Greensboro (updated) – News". Anime News Network. Anime News Network. December 2, 2010. Retrieved November 23, 2012. Dec 3–8
  42. ↑
  43. ↑
  44. ↑
  45. ↑ "Castles in the Sky: Miyazaki, Takahata & the Masters of Studio Ghibli". IFC Center. AMC Networks. 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2012. Friday, December 16 – Thursday, January 12, 2012 […] Don’t miss your chance to see some of the greatest films of all time on new 35mm prints, including such favorites as My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky, and Spirited Away, as well as rare films like Only Yesterday and Ocean Waves. Most films will be presented in both subtitled and English dubbed versions.
  46. ↑
  47. ↑
  48. ↑
  49. ↑
  50. ↑
  51. ↑
  52. ↑
  53. ↑
  54. ↑
  55. ↑
  56. ↑
  57. ↑
  58. ↑ "Buy tickets!". Chico & Rita – Official USA. Facebook. 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
  59. ↑
  60. ↑ "About". A Cat in Paris. Facebook. 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  61. ↑
  62. ↑ "Find a theater". Tales of the Night. Facebook. 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  63. ↑
  64. ↑ "The Rabbi's Cat". IFC Center. AMC Networks. Retrieved January 15, 2013. Friday, December 7 – Thursday, December 13, 2012
  65. ↑ "Theaters & Openings". The Rabbi's Cat. Facebook. Retrieved January 15, 2013. Opens January 4th 2013
  66. ↑
  67. ↑ "Has there been a US…". Wrinkles the film (official US page). Facebook. August 15, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  68. ↑
  69. ↑ "GKIDS Films". Twitter. November 12, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012. It will be released properly in summer 2013
  70. ↑
  71. ↑ Arrant, Chris (2012-08-27). "GKIDS To Distribute "Ernest and Celestine"". Cartoonbrew.com. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  72. ↑
  73. ↑ "GKIDS Films". Twitter. November 18, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2012. […] it will open again 3/15 in NY/LA, expand to more cities right after.
  74. ↑
  75. ↑ "Cover photos". GKIDS. Facebook. May 3, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2012. In select theaters May 10
  76. ↑
  77. ↑ Savage, Sophia (November 20, 2012). "GKIDS to release Studio Ghibli's Takahata masterpiece Grave of the Fireflies". Thompson on Hollywood. SnagFilms. Retrieved November 23, 2012. GKIDS plans to release the film in 2013 to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
  78. ↑
  79. ↑
  80. ↑ Beck, Jerry (August 25, 2014). "GKIDS sets Dec. 19th for "Song Of The Sea" Engagements in New York and Toronto". Animation Scoop. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  81. ↑
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  83. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (June 3, 2012). "GKIDS plays with Gallic toons". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  84. ↑
  85. ↑
  86. ↑ Beck, Jerry. "GKIDS Acquires North American Rights For Brazil's "Boy and His World"". Animation Scoop. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  87. ↑
  88. ↑ Amidi, Amid. "'April and the Extraordinary World' Gets An English Trailer". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  89. ↑
  90. ↑ "GKids Licenses Miss Hokusai Film". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  91. ↑ "Annecy: Gkids Buys 'Phantom Boy' for North America". June 18, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  92. ↑ "GKIDS Boards Angelina Jolie Pitt's Animated Feature 'The Breadwinner'". The Hollywood Reporter. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  93. ↑ "Gkids Picks 'My Life As A Zucchini', Switzerland's Oscar Entry". August 31, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  94. ↑ "GKids Buys North American Rights to 'Mune: Guardian of the Moon'". November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  95. ↑ "GKIDS Films". GKIDS. Archived from the original on October 11, 2009.
  96. ↑ "2010". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  97. ↑ "2012". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  98. ↑ "2014". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  99. ↑ "2015". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  100. ↑ "2016". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 10, 2016.

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