GKIDS Brings 'Funan' To The US This Spring
Funan is set in Cambodia in 1975, under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. It follows a young woman named Chou as her and her husband are separated from their 4-year-old daughter during a forced exile. Chou is determined to reunite her family- even if it means risking everything.
"Denis has created a truly remarkable and personal film," said GKIDS President David Jesteadt,- the film is based on Do's own family history. "Funan is the perfect example of animation's ability to tell all kinds of stories, for all kinds of audiences. I can't wait to share this special film with as many people as possible."
The actual release date will be announced nearer the time, but you can register for updates via the film's website. Funan will screen next later this month at the Animation First festival in New York.
Check out the international trailer (sorry, no subtitles) and official synopsis below.
Cambodia, April 1975. Chou is a young woman whose everyday world is suddenly upended by the arrival of the Khmer Rouge regime. During the chaos of the forced exile from their home, Chou and her husband are separated from their 4-year-old son, who has been sent to an unknown location. As she navigates her new reality, working in the fields day and night under the careful watch of soldiers, and surviving the small indignities and harrowing realities of the increasingly grim work camps, Chou remains steadfast in her determination to reunite her family - even if it means risking everything. Winner of the top prizes at the Annecy Animation Festival and the Animation is Film Festival, Funan is a searing and remarkable debut from filmmaker Denis Do, who uses his own family history as inspiration for a thrilling story of love, loss and enduring hope in the most trying of times. Featuring the voices of Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) and Louis Garrel (The Dreamers).
