GKIDS Licenses Pompo The Cinephile for Theatrical Release

The indie anime success Pompo the Cinephile is coming to North American theaters next year.

American film distributor GKIDS Films has announced its acquisition of the recently released and critically lauded anime film Pompo the Cinephile. The debut film of new animation studio CLAP, Pompo the Cinephile premiered in Japan on June 4, and grossed roughly $1.8 million during its theatrical run. The movie was selected to air during Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival. While there is no definite international release date as of yet, GKIDS confirmed the film will become available in North American theaters with both the original Japanese audio with subtitles and a new English dub sometime in 2022.

Pompo the Cinephile is the first major project and debut feature from the newly formed animation studio CLAP, which previously only produced an anime movie commemorating the 10th anniversary of HoneyWorks' LIPxLIP virtual idol unit. Action anime director Takayuki Hirao, the director behind many of anime studio Ufotable's works, including GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack, God Eater, Magical Sisters Yoyo & Nene and Garden of Sinners: Paradox Spiral, directed Pompo the Cinephile, while Shingo Adachi (Sword Art Online, Working!!) created its character designs. Takafumi Nishima (Accel World, E's Otherwise) and Miu Miyamoto (Deji Meets Girl, Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!) served as the film's art directors.

Since its founding in 2008, GKIDS has been localizing international animated films for North American audiences and recently distributed Makoto Shinkai's hit Weathering With You in the region. Most famously, GKIDS licensed the home media and theatrical rights to the majority of the Studio Ghibli film library and also acquired the Blu-ray, theatrical and digital license to the original Neon Genesis Evangelion series, including the film The End of Evangelion.

Based on the 2-volume manga by Shogo Sugitani, GKIDS describes Pompo the Cinephile as "rollicking ode to the power of movies and the joys and heartbreak of the creative process." The movie tells the story of Joelle Davidovich Pomponette or "Pompo," a talented film producer in "Nyallywood" with a gift for bringing out the best in her actors. Despite her natural talent, Pompo has been relegated to producing B-movies and erotic films for years. One day, she informs movie buff and reluctant production assistant Gene that he will direct her latest script, a drama about an artistic genius. Things get complicated when the legendary but difficult actor Martin Braddock and a newcomer actress looking for her breakout role join the production. As the project becomes increasingly more chaotic, first-time director Gene's creative vision gets put to the ultimate test.

Source: Twitter