GKIDS Acquires Anca Damian’s ‘Marona’s Fantastic Tale’ – Annecy

Just one day after announcing it has picked up North American rights for the Chinese feature White Snake, GKIDS has added yet another Annecy title to its crowded slate of upcoming animated films. The American distributor has now acquired Marona’s Fantastic Tale, the new film from Romanian director Anca Damian.

Damian co-wrote the 2.7 million EUR film with her son, Anghel Damian. The synopsis:

Marona is a mixed-breed Labrador whose life leaves deep traces among the humans she encounters. After an accident, she reflects on all the homes and different experiences she’s had. As Marona’s memory journeys into the past, her unfailing empathy and love brings lightness and innocence into each of her owners’ lives, in this beautiful and deeply emotional story of an average dog and her extraordinary life.

One of Damian’s previous animated features, Crulic: The Path to Beyond, won Annecy’s Cristal Prize for Best Feature in 2012. Marona’s Fantastic Tale premieres in competition at this year’s festival today. The Romanian/French/Belgian co-pro was produced by Aparte Films, Sacrebleu Productions, and Minds Meet.

Rights for the film are being handled worldwide by Charades, who recently sold its critically acclaimed feature I Lost My Body to Netflix following its premiere at the Cannes Critics’ Week. GKIDS’ CEO Eric Beckman and Charades’ Carole Baraton negotiated the North American all-rights deal.

Of the new acquisition, GKIDS president David Jesteadt said: “We have been excited about this film since we saw the first images several years ago. The film combines a unique and wildly inventive visual style with a universal story that goes straight to the heart for anyone who has been lucky enough to spend time with a dog.”

Baraton, Charades’ co-founder, added: “The Charades team is very proud that GKIDS fell under the spell of this very special movie.We are sure they will provide the exposure it deserves in the U.S. market. After partnering on Mirai last year, we are super excited to embark again on this new adventure with them.”

GKIDS has not announced a release date or any further details about the release plan for this title.

GKIDS’ upcoming theatrical releases include Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles, Children of the Sea, Another Day of Life, White Snake, and Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You. Denis Do’s Funan is currently playing in New York and opens in Los Angeles this Friday, June 14.