GKIDS, celebrating its 15th anniversary as a distributor of artist-driven animation from around the world, announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for the highly anticipated French feature Mars Express. The debut film from Jérémie Perin was an official selection at this year’s Cannes and Annecy film festivals, and has its US […]
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TRAILER: Illumniation’s “Migratnion”
October 14th, 2023 
Jerry Beck This holiday season, Illumination, creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration. From a screenplay by Mike White, the Emmy winning […]
Julia Morizawa’s animated short “Dragonfly” at the LA Femme International Film Festival
October 9th, 2023 Jerry Beck Julia Morizawa’s captivating animated short film DRAGONFLY is a finalist in the Animation Short Competition at the LA Femme International Film Festival and will screen in the Animation Block at 10AM, Sunday October 22nd at the Regal Cinema at LA Live. Top Japanese animation creator and festival alumni Minako Fujiyoshi (MEGALOBOX, NOMAD) is head of […]
Sony Pictures Classics Acquires Hugh Welchman’s “The Peasants”
October 3rd, 2023 Jerry Beck Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all rights in North America, Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia/New Zealand to Academy Award nominee DK Welchman and Academy Award winner Hugh Welchman’s The Peasants, which Poland has submitted as their official entry for the Best International Feature category for this year’s Academy Awards®. […]
Chris Sanders to write/direct “The Wild Robots” for DreamWorks Animation
September 28th, 2023 Jerry Beck Dreamworks announced today the commencement of The Wild Robots – marking the return of Chris Sanders to DreamWorks Animation where he directed and wrote How to Train Your Dragon with Dean DeBlois and The Croods with Kirk DeMicco. Sanders also wrote and directed Lilo & Stitch with DeBlois. Producer Jeff Hermann most recently produced The Boss Baby: Family Business, co-produced Kung Fu Panda 3 and […]
“Animation IS Film” Festival returns To The Chinese Theatre October 18th with Ghibli and Aardman
September 22nd, 2023 Jerry Beck ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF) announces the 6th edition of its highly anticipated 2023 slate of theatrical presentations, special events, and shorts showcases taking place over five days, October 18-22, in Hollywood. AIF’s Opening Night on Wednesday, October 18 launches with a GKIDS presentation of Studio Ghibli’s THE BOY AND THE HERON, the latest film from […]
Ofir Lobel’s Debut Graphic Novel and Companion Animated Series “101 Reasons Why”
September 19th, 2023 Jerry Beck Amidst the perfect storm of fan-con and festival season, Los Angeles-based Neko Productions drops a buzzworthy flood of entertainment business growth updates. Cresting the wave is the studio’s debut, original kid-lit graphic novel series entitled 101 Reasons Why. The broadly humorous tome, created by writer/director/comedian Ofir Lobel (Keshet/Netflix’s BLACKSPACE; Keshet’s TRUST NO ONE and A […]
“The Twits” Coming to Netflix in 2025
September 18th, 2023 Jerry Beck Netflix will release the animated film The Twits, written and directed by Academy Award nominee Phil Johnston (Ralph Breaks the Internet), in 2025. The Twits marks the first screen adaptation based on the Roald Dahl book of the same name. Roald Dahl’s book has been translated into 41 languages and sold 16 million copies worldwide […]
Call For Entries: 51st Annual Annie Awards
September 11th, 2023 Jerry Beck ASIFA-Hollywood announced its Call for Entries today for the 51st Annie Awards set for Saturday, February 17, 2024 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Honoring excellence in the field of animation, the 51st Annie Awards cover 37 categories including Animated Feature, Animated Feature-Independent, TV/Media Production, Sponsored Production, Short Subject, and Student Films, along with Achievement and Honorary awards. […]
“Make Mine Music” To Be Included In The 100-Film “Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection”
September 10th, 2023 Jerry Beck The Walt Disney Company announced today the release of the Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection, featuring 100 animated films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Pixar, packaged together in a beautiful hardbound, self-standing three-volume set that unfolds into your own storybook. As part of Disney’s 100th anniversary celebration, a limited number of sets will […]
FIRST LOOK: Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron”
September 7th, 2023 Jerry Beck GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of award-winning animation from around the globe, announced today it will bring The Boy and the Heron, the highly anticipated new film from legendary, Academy Award-winning Hayao Miyazaki, to cinemas nationwide on December 8, 2023. The latest feature from Japan’s celebrated animation house, Studio Ghibli, begins special preview engagements […]
TEASER: Aardman’s “Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget”
September 5th, 2023 Jerry Beck The cat – or should we say chicken – is finally out of the bag. Sure to ruffle feathers once more is the return of Melisha Tweedy, better known as Mrs. Tweedy and Ginger’s arch nemesis in the stop-motion animated sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Catch a first glimpse of Mrs. Tweedy, voiced […]
TRAILER: Netflix “Leo”
August 23rd, 2023 Jerry Beck Actor and comedian Adam Sandler (Hotel Transylvania) delivers signature laughs in this coming-of-age animated musical comedy about the last year of elementary school – as seen through the eyes of a class pet. Jaded 74-year-old lizard Leo (Sandler) has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle (Bill Burr). When […]
Animation Educators Forum To Support Six Faculty Projects
August 21st, 2023 Jerry Beck ASIFA-Hollywood’s Animation Educators Forum (AEF) is proud to announce the six recipients of this year’s AEF Faculty Grants program. This year’s recipients were selected from a pool of creative, talented artists and filmmakers from across the United States. Applications for this year’s grants were received from educators from Australia, Canada, the West Indies, Wales and […]
Animation Educators Forum Announces 2023-24 Student Scholarship Recipients
August 11th, 2023 Jerry Beck ASIFA-Hollywood’s Animation Educators Forum (AEF) is proud to announce its scholarship recipients for academic year 2023-24. A record breaking 96 applications were received, with 11 students selected, both graduates and undergraduates, from eight states and three countries. The total scholarship funds ($44,000) will be distributed evenly, will be used to cover costs for necessary software […]
