New Feature from GOYA Award-Winning Director Alberto Vásquez Official Selection as Fantastic Fest, ANNECY and BFI London Film Festivals to be Released Theatrically in Early 2023
GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for UNICORN WARS, the latest genre-bending animated feature for adults from Goya and Annecy Cristal-winning director Alberto Vázquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children), before the horror-comedy film’s upcoming US premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX. The film was also featured in competition at the 2022 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and was just announced for the upcoming 2022 BFI London Film Festival.
GKIDS will release UNICORN WARS theatrically in early 2023, following a domestic release this fall. International sales are represented by Charades. GKIDS and Charades previously pacted on local distribution rights for past Academy Award nominee Mirai and hit film Belle, among others. The new deal marks the next collaboration between GKIDS and Alberto Vázquez, following GKIDS’ local distribution of the Goya Award-winning feature Birdboy: The Forgotten Children and short film Decorado.
“There is nobody on Earth who could make a film like Unicorn Wars except Alberto Vázquez,” said GKIDS’ President David Jesteadt. “We are proud to partner again with this exceptional filmmaker on his richly layered and darkly funny new film about cute characters doing horrific things. It continues to haunt me.”
Synopsis
It’s “Bambi meets Apocalypse Now” in this provocative and strangely beautiful horror comedy from acclaimed filmmaker and illustrator Alberto Vazquez (Birdboy: The Forgotten Children), who uses its outrageous candy-colored premise to explore religious zealotry, the tortured legacies of military fascism, and the depths of the soul.
For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will complete the prophecy and usher in a new era. Aggressive, confident teddy bear Bluet and his sensitive, withdrawn brother Tubby could not be more different. As the rigors and humiliation of teddy bear bootcamp turn to the psychedelic horrors of a combat tour in the Magic Forest, their complicated history and increasingly strained relationship will come to determine the fate of the entire war.
Director/Writer: Alberto Vázquez
Executive Producers: Chelo Loureiro, Iván Miñambres, Nicolas Schmerkin
Production Assistants: Ana Fernández, Diana Cano
Music: Joe Beristain
Animation Director: Khris Cembe
Art Director: Alberto Vásquez
Backgrounds Supervisor: Leire Acha
Lighting Supervisor: Martín Romero
Compositing Supervisor: Joseba Hernández
Heads of Production: Laura Aguado, Fiona Cohen
Production manager (SP): Iván Miñambres
Production manager (FR): Shanti Bourse, Emilie Chaulet
2D Animation Supervisor (SP): Pamela Poltronieri
2D Animation Supervisor (FR): Elsa Boyer, Chloé Roux
3D Animation Supervisor: Léo Silly-Pelissier
Ink & Paint Supervision: Arkaitz del Río
Editing: Iñigo Gómez, Estanis Bañuelos
Sound Supervisor: Iñaki Alonso
Additional Music: Victor García