Cartoon Saloon Short ‘Éiru’ Heads to NorAm Theaters with ‘Little Amélie’ Release

Producer-distributor GKIDS announced today that Éiru, the new animated short film from Academy Award-nominated studio Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers) will play ahead of North American theatrical screenings of the upcoming feature Little Amélie or the Character of Rain.

Written and Directed by Cartoon Saloon veteran Giovanna Ferrari and produced by Academy Award-nominee Nora Twomey (The Breadwinner), with art direction by Áine Mc Guinness, Éiru has played film festivals worldwide, and took home numerous prizes including the Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation (Best Short Film – Silver) at Fantasia International Film Festival. GKIDS previously theatrically distributed Cartoon Saloon’s Academy Award-nominated features The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, The Breadwinner and Wolfwalkers.

The film’s voice cast features Coco Teehan Roche, Michael McGrath, Richie Cody, Niamh Moyles, Susie Lamb, Lydia Deegan, Lucy Philpott, David Bergin and Paul Young.

Synopsis: Éiru is the smallest child of an Iron-Age clan. All she wants is to be a mighty warrior who is taken seriously by her kinfolk. But when the village’s well mysteriously dries up, only she is small enough to descend into the belly of the earth to investigate and bring the water of life back to her people. Éiru is the story of a child in search of a challenge, and a goddess in search of a champion.

The feature directorial debut of Maïlys Vallade (The Lighthouse Keeper; layout and storyboard artist on I Lost My Body and Calamity) and Liane-Cho Han (animation director on Calamity and Long Way North) Little Amélie or the Character of Rain made its World Premiere in the 2025 Cannes Film Festival as an official selection in the Special Screenings section. The film went on to screen in Competition at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it took home the Audience Award. The film held its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, before additionally screening as an Official Selection in the Perlak Section at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best European Film, and as an Official Selection at BFI London Film Festival.

Synopsis: The world is a perplexing, peaceful mystery to Amélie until a miraculous encounter with chocolate ignites her wild sense of curiosity. As she develops a deep attachment to her family’s housekeeper, Nishio-san, Amélie discovers the wonders of nature as well as the emotional truths hidden beneath the surface of her family’s idyllic life as foreigners in post-war Japan.

Adapted from the autobiographical novel by Amélie Nothomb and brought to life in the completely original animated style of directors Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain tells a tender, poignant and visually stunning story about the healing power of human connection.

Prior to their theatrical release, both Little Amélie or the Character of Rain and Éiru will screen at Los Angeles’ Animation Is Film Festival, and the SCAD Savannah International Film Festival. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain comes to theaters nationwide starting November 7. Prior to its nationwide expansion, the title will open in New York and other select cities starting October 31.

Éiru will play prior to the feature for all theatrical screenings in the United States and Canada.