News

Miss Hokusai Anime Film Earns US$222,670 in U.S.

Distribution company GKIDS' screening of Production I.G's Miss Hokusai film has earned a total of US$222,670 as of Thursday. The film had earned US$176,008 in North America as of October 30.

GKIDS expanded screenings in October, and the GKIDS' website includes a list of 122 theaters in the United States and Canada. The film earned US$25,042 in its initial screening at the Angelika Film Center in New York and the Landmark Nuart in Los Angeles during the October 14-16 weekend.

Annecy-winning director Keiichi Hara (Summer Days with Coo, Colorful) directed the Miss Hokusai film based on Hinako Sugiura's acclaimed historical manga Sarusuberi. The film originally premiered in Japan in May 2015.

Miss Hokusai previously won: the Jury Award in the Official Feature Film Competition at the 39th Annecy International Film Festival in June 2015; the Sequences Award for best Asian feature film, the Satoshi Kon Award for best animated feature film, and the Gold Audience Award for best animated feature film at the 19th annual Fantasia International Film Festival in August 2015; the Best Animated Feature Film award at the 48th annual Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in October 2015; Best Animated Feature Award at the Asian Pacific Screen Awards in November 2015; and Best Animation Film Award at the Mainichi Film Awards in January.

In addition, Rock band X Japan's We Are X documentary film has earned US$34,694 in the United States as of November 10. The film opened at the NuArt Theatre in Los Angeles on October 21. The film had earned US$18,264 as of October 30. The documentary screened at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in New York last Friday, November 4, and other screenings in the United States followed. Band leader YOSHIKI attended some screenings.

Stephen Kijak (Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, Stones In Exile) directed the film, and John Battsek (Searching For Sugarman, The Imposter) served as the producer. Mako Kamitsuna (The World Made Straight, Blackhat) and John Maringouin (Big River Man, Running Stumbled) edited the documentary.

The documentary chronicles the band's 35-year career, and it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Documentary Competition on January 23. The film won Sundance Film Festival Awards' Special Jury Award for Best Editing.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news tip.