Gkids Acquires ‘Sirocco And The Kingdom Of Winds’, Annecy Award Winner From French Director Benoît Chieux

Valerie Complex
·2 min read

Gkids said Tuesday that it has acquired North American distribution rights to the French psychedelic fantasy Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds. 

Directed by Benoît Chieux, the film is a singular vision many years in the making. It had its world premiere as the opening-night feature of the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Next up, it will have its New York premiere as the centerpiece film of the FIAF Animation First Film Festival on January 26.

More from Deadline

Kingdom of Winds is the first animated feature solely directed by Chieux, who previously co-directed 2013’s Aunt Hilda! The two-time César Award nominee (Midnight’s Garden, Tigers Tied Up in One Rope) also served as the screenwriter for 2008’s European Film Award-winning Mia and the Migoo, which was one of the earliest titles distributed by Gkids.

Gkids will release Kingdom of Winds theatrically later this year following a domestic release in France that began December 13. International sales are represented by Kinology, which brokered the deal with Gkids.

The film follows sisters Juliette and Carmen, who quite literally get lost inside their favorite book, Sirocco and The Kingdom of the Winds. Now transformed into humanoid cats, the sisters are quickly separated in this new fantastical land, which features flying divas, technicolor dragons, and other mind-melting creations including the mysterious blue-haired wizard Sirocco, who can control the winds. While Juliette and Carmen have to figure out how to reunite and escape back into the real world, they find it harder than they imagined to leave their new magical world and curious friends.

“We are so pleased to be able to partner on Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds, said Gkids president David Jesteadt. “This is a film we have been anticipating for years, ever since we saw the very first images. But in addition to absolutely unforgettable visual design and animation, Sirocco is a timeless fairy tale that we are sure will enchant American audiences.”

“We’re thrilled and honored to be teaming up again with Gkids on this little gem that Sirocco is, also a tribute to many animation masterpieces starting with Hayao Miyazaki’s work which Gkids has done magnificently well in releasing his last masterpiece The Boy and the Heron,” said Kinology CEO Grégoire Melin.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.