GKIDS Releasing ‘Mutafukaz’ as ‘MFKZ’ in North America on October 11

New English version of Guillaume “Run” Renard and Shoujirou Nishimi’s edgy animated sci-fi feature gets domestic theatrical run.

NEW YORK -- GKIDS, one of the leading producers and distributors of animation for adult and family audiences, announced that it has acquired the North American distribution rights to MFKZ, released under the name Mutafukaz in international territories, from France's Ankama and Japan's Studio 4°C. The deal for the film was negotiated by Eric Beckman of GKIDS and Hengameh Panahi of Celluloid Dreams. Co-directed by Guillaume "Run" Renard and Shoujirou Nishimi, GKIDS will release the film theatrically on October 11th, 2018 including a new English-language version.

"We have known the team at GKIDS for some time, and we are thrilled that MFKZ marks our first partnership. We look forward to supporting the team in bringing the film to North American audiences," said Frederic Puech, MFKZ associate producer at Ankama.

Genre-mashup MFKZ is the love-child of French comic artist Guillaume "Run" Renard and ultra-hip Japanese animation house Studio 4°C, creators of Tekkonkinkreet, Genius Party and Mind Game. The Tekkonkinkreet dream team of Shoujirou Nishimi and art director Shinji Kimura reunite to bring to life a dark but stunningly animated sci-fi vision that mixes anime, film noir, lucha libre, and gang culture in an orgy of first-person shooter mayhem. The film centers on young Angelino and his skull-and-flame pal Vinny, who live in a seedy tenement in an LA-inspired dystopian metropolis -- a burnt-out, gang and cockroach-ridden neo-urban hell that makes Blade Runner's LA seem like The Brady Bunch. Following a scooter accident Angelino starts experiencing migraines and strange hallucinations, as well as fits of rage-inspired superpowers, as he slowly awakens to the truth of his origins: he is half human and half Macho, a supernatural alien race that is bent on taking over the planet.

The work of Guillaume Renard, aka “Run,” falls within a modern approach blending stylized drawings, pulp references and strong urban culture. His first animated short, Operation Blackhead (selected at Sundance, 2003) was a precursor to the MFKZ universe. In 2006, Ankama Editions published the first volume of MFKZ and in 2008 Run created Label 619, a literary collection of comics and artbooks with urban-inspired designs and vintage pop culture references. 

Director Shoujiro Nishimi is known for his realistic productions and spectacular action scenes. His use of original characters with distinctive proportions immediately attracts his viewers' attention, and his unique, delicate universe is the culmination of his artistic brilliance. He worked as director of animation on Tekkonkinkreet, which was awarded Best Animated Film at the Japanese Academy.

Source: GKIDS