GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of multiple Academy Award nominated animated features, announced yesterday that it will bring Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko to theaters nationwide this June.
It is the latest feature from lauded Studio 4°C (Children of the Sea, Tekkonkinkreet, Mind Game, MFKZ) and esteemed director Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea). With this release, GKIDS continues their partnership with Fathom Events and will hold fan preview events for Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, which starts playing in cinemas nationwide on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
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Fan preview events will be followed by a limited theatrical release by GKIDS starting June 3, 2022. In addition to the full feature, audiences will see an introduction to the film by Director Ayumu Watanabe and Creative Producer Sanma Akashiya exclusive to the Fathom Events screenings.
WHAT IS FORTUNE FAVORS LADY NIKUKO ABOUT?
Planned and produced by Japanese comedy legend Sanma Akashiya, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko follows the lives of loud and boisterous single mother Nikuko and her reserved daughter Kikuko, whose otherwise quiet life in a small seaside village is frequently disrupted by her mother’s comedic antics.
The release marks the next collaboration between the GKIDS and STUDIO 4°C, following GKIDS’ local distribution of previous STUDIO 4°C works Children of the Sea (from Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko’s director Ayumu Watanabe), MFKZ, Mind Game, Genius Party, and Genius Party Beyond.
Tickets will be available beginning April 29th at FathomEvents.com, NikukoMovie.com and participating theater box offices. The ticket on-sale date may vary based on local cinemas, so please check back often. (Theaters and participants are subject to change).
From acclaimed director Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea) and STUDIO4°C (Tekkonkinkreet, Mind Game) comes a heartwarming and moving comedy-drama with touches of magical realism. Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko is about an unconventional family and the bonds that they share in their sleepy seaside town. Brash single mother Nikuko is well-known for her bold spirit, much to the embarrassment of Kikuko, her pensive yet imaginative daughter.
In contrast to her mother, Kikuko wants nothing more than to fit in as she navigates the everyday social dramas of middle school. Life in the harbor is peaceful until a shocking revelation from the past threatens to uproot the pair’s tender relationship.
It’s hard enough trying to fit in, especially in middle school when you are going through your own personal changes and navigating self-discovery. When I think about these characters, I feel like I am the perfect marriage of both Kikuko and Nikuko’s characters. My entire life I was always the odd one out; taken advantage of, made fun of, talked about, etc, when all I wanted was to fit in. Now, I’ve come to realize just how important it is to be yourself unapologetically, no matter how weird or bold it may seem. I’m eager to see if this film goes in that direction as well.
Growing up, I knew someone in my life who shows great similarity to Nikuko. Her sons were often embarrassed in public when their mother would interact with others, when all it came down to was the fact that their mother just had a strong passion for EVERYTHING! With every social interaction she had, her convivial manner was unmatched. Boisterous at times, but infectious nonetheless.
Now, if you’re a child it is understandably awkward when your mother is that way and you aren’t because, well, you’re a moody teenager. After watching the trailer for this film, I couldn’t believe how similar the two are!
I feel as though STUDIO4°C doesn’t get talked about enough despite its impressive list of films, music videos, and OVAs. Their art style is pretty consistent but this movie particularly reminds me of the works of Studio Ghibli. Some of the scenes shown in the Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko trailer show subtle references to Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbor Totoro and fans were very quick to notice it as well.
One stark concept I’m excited about in this is the inclusion of different body shapes. It isn’t too often that we get to see this in animated films so fans are understandably excited. Another thing I’m very excited about is how genuine and relatable the film is looking to be. I can’t wait to get lost in the beauty of the vibrant colors, the gripping animation, and to enjoy the cute funny faces the characters show.
About GKIDS
GKIDS is the producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored an astounding 12 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations with The Secret of Kells in 2010, A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita in 2012, Ernest & Celestine in 2014, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and Song of the Sea in 2015, Boy and the World and When Marnie Was There in 2016, My Life as a Zucchini in 2017, The Breadwinner in 2018, Mirai in 2019, and Wolfwalkers in 2021.
GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others; as well as the critically acclaimed television series, Neon Genesis Evangelion. GKIDS also hosts ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF), an annual LA-based film festival which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form, and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of the medium to its fullest range of artistic expressions. AIF returns to Hollywood this fall, October 22-24. www.gkids.com
About Fathom Events
Fathom is a recognized leader in the entertainment industry as one of the top distributors of content to movie theaters in North America. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L), Fathom operates the largest cinema distribution network, delivering a wide variety of programming and experiences to cinema audiences in all of the top U.S. markets and to more than 45 countries. For more information, visit www.FathomEvents.com.
What are you most excited about from this trailer? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter @theilluminderdi, and be sure to grab your tickets at the end of April for the limited theatrical release of Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko starting June 3, 2022.
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Source: Fathom Events
