Joining the small grouping of animated features that will be released in the month of August (Shaun the Sheep Movie, Underdogs, and El Americano) is Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. The film is currently set for a limited August 7 release by its US distributor GKIDS (before it embarks on a nationwide theatrical expansion), but the lucky few who live in France (or will travel there) will get to see it early.
Cartoon Brew recently reported that Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet will screen later today at this year’s Annecy International Animated Film Festival on opening night.
The film will see Gibran’s prose poems adapted into a number of distinct animated styles by nine different animation directors (Tomm Moore and Bill Plympton among them). The entire production is led by The Lion King‘s Roger Allers, who also wrote the film and directs the framing sequences that contextualize the different segments.
This film is also described as a “passion project” for actress Salma Hayek, who produced the film and leads a top-notch voice cast that consists of Liam Neeson, John Krasinski, Alfred Molina, Quvenzhane Wallis, and Frank Langella.
GKIDS also released an official US trailer for the film, which showcases the work of the various animators in motion (along with the voice work of the cast):
GKIDS also released an accompanying poster, which seen here:
The original book is very philosophical in nature and, with the talent involved here, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet is perfect for this type of animation festival, where art-house pieces mix in with screening and footage of big-budget features from major studios.
Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet will hit select theaters in LA and New York.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet?
Edited by: Hannah Wilkes
