GKIDS and Fathom Events Continue Partnership into 2022 with the Release of Fan Favorite Anime Feature on April 27 and 28
NEW YORK (February 23, 2022) – GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of multiple Academy Award nominated animated features, announced today it will bring POMPO THE CINEPHILE, the stylish and hilarious ode to filmmaking, to cinemas nationwide this April. Continuing their partnership with Fathom Events, fan preview events for POMPO THE CINEPHILE will play in cinemas nationwide on Wednesday, April 27th (Japanese language) and Thursday, April 28th (English language dubbed). In addition to the full feature, audiences will view a special introduction from director Takayuki Hirao, exclusive to the Fathom Events screenings. Fan preview events will be followed by a limited theatrical release in select markets nationwide by GKIDS starting April 29th.
With POMPO THE CINEPHILE acclaimed director Takayuki Hirao (“God Eater,” The Garden of Sinners), known for his dynamic, maximalist animation sequences, returns to the director’s chair with production from the all-new studio CLAP. An official selection and nominee for the Satoshi Kon Award for Best Animated Feature at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival, POMPO THE CINEPHILE was domestically released on June 4, 2021, and swiftly became an indie hit. Fueled by the excitement from the film’s domestic release, a crowdfunding campaign to create a 35mm print of the feature achieved its fundraising goals of ¥10,000,000 (approx. $91,000 USD) in just eleven days.
Tickets will be on sale March 25th at FathomEvents.com, PompoMovie.com and participating theater box offices. The ticket on-sale date may vary based on local cinemas, so please check back often. (Theaters and participants are subject to change).
SYNOPSIS
Pompo is a talented and gutsy producer in “Nyallywood,” the movie-making capital of the world. Although she’s known for B-movies, one day Pompo tells her movie-loving but apprehensive assistant Gene that he will direct her next script: a delicate drama about an aging and tormented creative genius, starring the legendary and Brando-esque actor Martin Braddock, and a young actress seeking her first break. But when the production heads towards chaos, can Gene rise to Pompo’s challenge, and succeed as a first-time director?
Pompo the Cinephile is a rollicking, exuberant ode to the power of the movies, and the joys and heartbreak of the creative process, as a new director and his team devote their lives to the pursuit of a “masterpiece.”
About GKIDS
GKIDS is the producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored an astounding 12 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, Mirai in 2019, and Wolfwalkers in 2021. 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; as well as the critically acclaimed television series, Neon Genesis Evangelion. GKIDS also hosts ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF), an annual LA-based film festival which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form, and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of the medium to its fullest range of artistic expressions. AIF returns to Hollywood this fall, October 22-24. www.gkids.com
About AVEX
Avex is a Japanese entertainment conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1988, the company covers a variety of business areas, including anime, live-action productions, video games, and live music events. Avex Pictures is the producer and distributor of both anime and live-action productions, with notable titles including Yuri on Ice, Zombie Land Saga, and Fruits Basket. The company additionally manages a popular J-Pop roster, including talents Ayumi Hamasaki, and internet sensation PikoTaro. https://avex-pictures.co.jp/
About Fathom Events
Fathom is a recognized leader in the entertainment industry as one of the top distributors of content to movie theaters in North America. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal Cinemas, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L), Fathom operates the largest cinema distribution network, delivering a wide variety of programming and experiences to cinema audiences in all of the top U.S. markets and to more than 45 countries. For more information, visit www.FathomEvents.com.
