Animation Is Film Festival Line Up Announcement Plus Poster

Animation Is Film Festival1ANIMATION IS FILM (AIF) announces the 6th edition of its highly anticipated 2023 slate of theatrical presentations, special events, and shorts showcases taking place over five days, October 18-22, in Hollywood. AIF’s Opening Night on Wednesday, October 18 launches with a GKIDS presentation of Studio Ghibli’s THE BOY AND THE HERON, the latest film from legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX. This marks the first time the festival will host a premiere in IMAX at this Hollywood landmark. Closing Night also celebrates the Los Angeles Premiere of Aardman’s CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET presented by Netflix followed by a Q&A with Oscar nominated Director Sam Fell and Executive Producer and Oscar nominated Director of the beloved first film, Chicken Run (2000), Peter Lord.

This year, AIF continues its mission to champion animation as a cinematic artform, while recognizing and acknowledging the importance of curating successful and critically-acclaimed films from around the world. As part of the feature film line-up, two prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival Prize Winners, Neon’s film ROBOT DREAMS (Spain, France) and GKIDS’ CHICKEN FOR LINDA! (France / Italy) will make their West Coast and US debuts, respectively. PHOENIX: REMINISCENCE OF FLOWER (Japan) will make its theatrical North American Premiere, and Dreamworks Animation will host a special presentation of its latest film, TROLLS BAND TOGETHER. Other highlights are the North American Premiere of Sony Pictures Animation/Sony Pictures Imageworks’ THE SPIDER WITHIN: A SPIDER-VERSE STORY, a new Spider-Verse short film, and a special theatrical presentation of the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ narrative short, ONCE UPON A STUDIO, featuring iconic voices from Disney Animation’s past, including Dwayne Johnson, Paige O’Hara, Jodi Benson, and Josh Gad.

“‘Animation Is Film’ is not just the name of our festival, it is its mission. New films from Studio Ghibli and Aardman are seismic cinematic events, and a reason for movie lovers of any medium to rejoice. Joining these titles is a collection of some of the most audacious, genre-defying, and critically acclaimed films of the year. We are so proud to present them in Los Angeles,” said Matt Kaszanek, Executive Director of AIF.
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“Herd”: Trailer Debut And Release Date Of Action-Driven Horror Film

Herd Action Horror FilmThe horror action film from Dark Sky Films is set to be in theaters and on digital and VOD October 13th, with special screening and panel at New York Comic Con October 12th.

“Herd” is directed by Steven Pierce and written by. James Allerdyce & Steven Pierce. The film stars Ellen Adair (The Sinner, Homeland), Mitzi Akaha (Modern Love Tokyo), Jeremy Holm (House of Cards, Mr. Robot), Amanda Fuller (Starry Eyes, Last Man Standing), Dana Snyder (Aqua Teen Hunger Force), Brandon James Ellis (Iron Fist), Jeremy Lawson (TV’s Walker, TV’s The Real O’Neals), Corbin Bernsen (L.A. Law, Major League, The Dentist) and Timothy V. Murphy (Sons of Anarchy, Criminal Minds)

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

When Jamie Miller and her wife, Alex Kanai, try to save their failing marriage by going on a canoe trip in rural Missouri, they find themselves stranded after an accident. Alex breaks her leg during a canoe flip and they must slowly make their way to the nearest small town for help. Upon arriving they find it has been overrun by virus-infected “Heps” and extreme right wing local militias who are battling them.

The leader of one of the groups, “Big John Gruber”, shuttles them to safety at his bunker where they are welcomed by a seemingly friendly group of locals, but after witnessing personal and gruesome horrors, the women know they must escape.

Jamie and Alex now find themselves on the run, caught between the group that saved them, a competing militia, and the growing infected Hep threat.

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