GKIDS

**GKIDS** is an American film distributor based in New York with, according to the Los Angeles Times, a focus on "sophisticated, indie" animation. GKIDS uses a bespoke distribution method to release critically acclaimed, hand-drawn, international films—such as the works of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki—to North American audiences. Although the name is said to be an acronym for "Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate," the company is commonly referred to only as GKIDS (stylized in all-caps), and is legally registered as such in New York state.

## History and Milestones

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. Their first general release was *Azur & Asmar*, a French film dubbed in English for British and Irish audiences.

The company attained national recognition with the 2010 release of *The Secret of Kells*, the debut film by Irish animator Tomm Moore, which received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards. 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*. Both nominations were considered highly surprising by film insiders, 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. This marked the first time that an independent distributor had two films in the Best Animated Feature category in the same year, a decision which *Puss in Boots* director Chris Miller said indicated the Academy's "respect for diversity."

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. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, however, retained the home media distribution rights in Taiwan and Japan. GKIDS has since also managed the North American distribution of three new Studio Ghibli films, *From Up on Poppy Hill* in 2013*, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya* in 2014, and *When Marnie Was There* in 2015 as well as the first-time North American releases of *Only Yesterday* and *Ocean Waves* in 2016. On July 17, 2017, it was announced that the North American home media rights to the Ghibli library (with the exception of *Grave of the Fireflies* and *The Wind Rises*) had transitioned from Disney to GKIDS (*The Wind Rises* being reissued on September 22, 2020), with the distributor announcing plans to begin re-issuing the films beginning in October. Unlike most of GKIDS' material on home media, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment or Cinedigm isn't distributing the Ghibli re-releases, Shout! Factory is instead handling the distribution. Since then, Shout! Factory have gone on to distribute other GKIDS releases alongside Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Founder Eric Beckman received the Mifa & *Variety* Animation Personality of the Year Award at Annecy in June 2017.

In 2020, partnering with TMS Entertainment, GKIDS will be handling the American and Canadian release of *Lupin III: The First*, a 3DCG film adaptation of Monkey Punch's (Kazuhiko Kato) *Lupin the Third* franchise.

In October 2020, GKIDS announced their license to the *Neon Genesis Evangelion* TV series, as well as the films, *Death (True)²* and *The End of Evangelion* for a release in 2021. This marks the first Blu-ray release of the anime in North America.

## References

1. ↑ About us. *GKIDS.tv*. GKIDS (February 2008). “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.”
2. ↑ Archived copy.
3. ↑ Archived copy.
4. ↑ 2010 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (March 7, 2010).
5. ↑ 2012 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (February 26, 2012).
6. ↑ The 2012 Oscar Nominations Weird Us Out (January 24, 2012).
7. ↑ "Why Oscar Snubbed Pixar, 'Tintin,' 'Arthur Christmas' for Best Cartoon" (February 7, 2012).<span class="Z3988" title="ctx\_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft\_val\_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.type=newspaperArticle&rft.subject=News&rft.title=Why+Oscar+Snubbed+Pixar%2C+%27Tintin%2C%27+%27Arthur+Christmas%27+for+Best+Cartoon&rft.identifier=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fnews%2Foscars-cartoon-snub-tintin-arthur-christmas-pixar-287831<
8. ↑ Yamato, Jen (February 16, 2012). John Carter Producer: Pixar Backlash to Blame for Cars 2 Oscar Snub?.
9. ↑ Kilday, Gregg. "Independent Distributor GKIDS Makes Its Mark With Two Oscar Nominations", *The Hollywood Reporter*.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx\_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft\_val\_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.type=newspaperArticle&rft.subject=News&rft.aufirst=Gregg&rft.aulast=Kilday&rft.title=Independent+Distributor+GKIDS+Makes+Its+Mark+With+Two+Oscar+Nominations&rft.identifier=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fnews%2Foscars-animation-gkids-chico-rita-cat-paris-290165&rft.source=The+Hollywood+Reporter<
10. ↑ Animation feature nominees are unexpected | Life (January 28, 2012).
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Marechal, AJ (September 7, 2011). GKids to release Miyazaki toons in U.S.. *Variety*.
12. ↑ Douglas, Edward (March 19, 2014). GKIDS to Distribute Studio Ghibli's Princess Kaguya.
13. ↑ Lesnick, Silas (June 6, 2012). Studio Ghibli's From Up On Poppy Hill Heads to the US in 2013.
14. ↑ "GKIDS Will Release Ghibli's 'When Marnie Was There' in U.S. Theaters" (January 14, 2015).<span class="Z3988" title="ctx\_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft\_val\_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.type=newspaperArticle&rft.subject=News&rft.title=GKIDS+Will+Release+Ghibli%27s+%27When+Marnie+Was+There%27+in+U.S.+Theaters&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cartoonbrew.com%2Ffeature-film%2Fgkids-will-release-ghiblis-when-marnie-was-there-in-u-s-theaters-107883.html<
15. ↑ The Wind Rises.
16. ↑ Carolyn Giardina (July 17, 2017). Gkids, Studio Ghibli Ink Home Entertainment Deal. *The Hollywood Reporter*.
17. ↑ Clement, Nick (June 8, 2017). "GKids' Founder Eric Beckman Champions Independent Voices in Animation", *Variety*.<span class="Z3988" title="ctx\_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft\_val\_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.type=newspaperArticle&rft.subject=News&rft.aufirst=Nick&rft.aulast=Clement&rft.title=GKids%27+Founder+Eric+Beckman+Champions+Independent+Voices+in+Animation&rft.identifier=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2017%2Ffilm%2Fspotlight%2Feric-beckman-gkids-the-breadwinner-secret-of-kells-annecy-1202456408%2F&rft.source=Variety<
18. ↑ GKIDS Will Release 'Lupin The 3rd: The First' In North America This Year (en-US) (March 27, 2020).
19. ↑ GKIDS Licenses Evangelion TV Series & Death (True)², End of Evangelion Films for Blu-ray, Digital Download. Anime News Network (October 3, 2020).

## External links

* GKIDS on wikipedia
* GKIDS on imdb