GKids Acquires North American Rights to "Children of the Sea"
NEW YORK (March 20, 2019) - GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced it has acquired the North American distribution rights for the animated feature CHILDREN OF THE SEA. GKIDS will release the film theatrically in both Japanese and English language versions. The film is the latest feature from Japan's STUDIO4°C (known for Tekkonkinkreet, MFKZ, Mind Game, Animatrix, Batman: Gotham Knight, and others), and is directed by Ayumu Watanabe, with a score by award-winning composer and longtime Studio Ghibli collaborator Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro). CHILDREN OF THE SEA is adapted from the manga of the same name by author Daisuke Igarashi, which won the Excellence Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival. The all-rights deal was negotiated by Eric Beckman for GKIDS and Ayumi Inoguchi for STUDIO4°C.
"We have been super-excited about Children of the Sea since the first six-minute clip blew us away over a year ago. I am thrilled to be working once more with the incomparable STUDIO4°C and can't wait to bring this film to North American audiences. The film is nothing short of spectacular." said GKIDS founder and CEO Eric Beckman
"We have succeeded in expressing a celebration of life through the highest quality of beautifully detailed Japanese traditional hand-drawn animation. This coupled with a beautifully detailed musical score from Joe Hisaishi, one of the most appreciated musicians worldwide, we hope will bring audiences even closer to the film. After more than 5 years since the start of pre-production, it is my pleasure that this very special film will finally be released. With the help of our trusted North American partners at GKIDS, I sincerely hope that the film will greatly resonate with North American audiences." said the producer and CEO of STUDIO4°C, Eiko Tanaka.
On February 27th, TOHO released the Japanese teaser trailer and key visual, and announced a June 7th Japanese theatrical premiere date. A North American theatrical release will take place in 2019.
SYNOPSIS
When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. Ruka's dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans' fish.
About GKIDS
GKIDS is a producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored an astounding 11 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations with The Secret of Kells in 2010, A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita in 2012, Ernest & Celestine in 2014, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and Song of the Sea in 2015, Boy and the World and When Marnie Was There in 2016, My Life as a Zucchini in 2017, The Breadwinner in 2018, and Mirai in 2019. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world's most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others. GKIDS also produces the annual LA-based film festival, ANIMATION IS FILM, which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of their work to the fullest range of expression of which medium is capable. www.gkids.com
TWITTER: http://Twitter.com/gkidsfilms
INSTAGRAM: http://Instagram.com/gkidsfilms
FACEBOOK: http://Facebook.com/gkidsfilms
"We have been super-excited about Children of the Sea since the first six-minute clip blew us away over a year ago. I am thrilled to be working once more with the incomparable STUDIO4°C and can't wait to bring this film to North American audiences. The film is nothing short of spectacular." said GKIDS founder and CEO Eric Beckman
"We have succeeded in expressing a celebration of life through the highest quality of beautifully detailed Japanese traditional hand-drawn animation. This coupled with a beautifully detailed musical score from Joe Hisaishi, one of the most appreciated musicians worldwide, we hope will bring audiences even closer to the film. After more than 5 years since the start of pre-production, it is my pleasure that this very special film will finally be released. With the help of our trusted North American partners at GKIDS, I sincerely hope that the film will greatly resonate with North American audiences." said the producer and CEO of STUDIO4°C, Eiko Tanaka.
On February 27th, TOHO released the Japanese teaser trailer and key visual, and announced a June 7th Japanese theatrical premiere date. A North American theatrical release will take place in 2019.
SYNOPSIS
When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. Ruka's dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans' fish.
About GKIDS
GKIDS is a producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored an astounding 11 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations with The Secret of Kells in 2010, A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita in 2012, Ernest & Celestine in 2014, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and Song of the Sea in 2015, Boy and the World and When Marnie Was There in 2016, My Life as a Zucchini in 2017, The Breadwinner in 2018, and Mirai in 2019. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world's most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others. GKIDS also produces the annual LA-based film festival, ANIMATION IS FILM, which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of their work to the fullest range of expression of which medium is capable. www.gkids.com
TWITTER: http://Twitter.com/gkidsfilms
INSTAGRAM: http://Instagram.com/gkidsfilms
FACEBOOK: http://Facebook.com/gkidsfilms
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