GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced that it is has acquired the theatrical distribution rights to Perfect Blue, the legendary first film from the late auteur director Satoshi Kon. GKIDS and Fathom Events will continue their extended partnership and bring the feature to U.S. cinemas nationwide in a brand-new digital transfer for a special two-night event on September 6th and 10th. In addition to the full feature, attendees will view exclusive bonus content to be announced closer to the event date.
GKIDS and Fathom Events will present Perfect Blue in approximately 500 select U.S. movie theaters on Thursday, September 6th in its original Japanese language with English subtitles, and Monday, September 10th in the English language dub, at 7:00 p.m. local time for both shows. A complete list of U.S. theater locations will be available on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
"Satoshi Kon was an incredibly visionary and remarkable filmmaking talent,” said GKIDS President Dave Jesteadt. “His shocking debut feature remains incredibly relevant, with its bold view of how technology and media can mold and distort our own perceptions of ourselves, and we are pleased to offer a new opportunity for audiences to discover his work.”
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with GKIDS, and to bring another of Japan’s best animated features to the U.S.,” Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt said. “This ongoing partnership provides an extraordinary opportunity for anime fans to experience these films on big screens nationwide.”
Perfect Blue, celebrating its 20th anniversary, is the debut feature from the legendary director Satoshi Kon (Paprika) that continues to have a profound impact on animators and Hollywood directors. The groundbreaking film has been praised as being ahead of its time with themes still incredibly relevant today. Perfect Blue has been hailed as one of the best animated features of all time, and Kon went on write and direct a number of acclaimed projects including Paprika, Millennium Actress, and the television series “Paranoia Agent.”
In the film, rising pop star Mima has quit singing to pursue a career as an actress and model, but her fans aren't ready to see her go. Encouraged by her managers, Mima takes on a recurring role on a popular TV show, when suddenly her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima's reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia. As her stalker closes in, in person and online, the threat he poses is more real than even Mima knows, in this iconic psychological thriller that has frequently been hailed as one of the most important animated films of all time.
Tickets to Perfect Blue are now on sale at www.FathomEvents.com or www.PerfectBlueMovie.com and at participating box offices.
