GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced that it is has acquired the North American distribution rights to Mary and The Witch’s Flower, the inaugural feature from Studio Ponoc. The film is directed by Academy Award-nominee Hiromasa Yonebayashi (The Secret World of Arrietty, When Marnie Was There) and is produced by Studio Ponoc founder and two-time Academy Award-nominee Yoshiaki Nishimura (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya).

em>Mary and The Witch’s Flower will be released in theaters this winter. The deal was negotiated by Mike Runagall for Altitude Film Sales, and Eric Beckman for GKIDS.

Mary and The Witch’s Flower is based on Mary Stewart’s 1971 children’s book, “The Little Broomstick,” and features a script by Riko Sakaguchi and Hiromasa Yonebayashi. The story centers on an ordinary young girl named Mary, who discovers a flower that grants magical powers, but only for one night. As she is whisked into an exciting new world beyond belief, she must learn to stay true to herself.