As of today, June 5, 2025 GKIDS announced that it had obtained all North American rights to Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (Amélie et la Métaphysique des tubes), recently premiered as an official selection at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Special Screenings section. Rodney Uhler of GKIDS and Jason Bressand of Goodfellas Animation were responsible for negotiating this exciting deal.
The upcoming film marks the feature directorial debut of Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, artists who previously collaborated on Calamity and are credited for I Lost My Body and Long Way North, respectively. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is set to make its next appearance at the 2025 Annecy Festival as another official selection, followed by a North American theatrical release at a later date this year.
The story’s animated adaptation is based on its novel counterpart from Amélie Nothomb. Directors Mailys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han have brought their experience in animation to develop an original style for the film that brings the story’s humanistic themes to life.
Little Amélie or The Character of Rain follows Amélie, for whom the world is a complex yet untroubled mystery—until she tastes chocolate for the first time, unlocking her endless curiosity. At the same time, Amélie bonds closely with Nishio-san, her family’s housekeeper, while discovering the marvels of nature and uncovering the hidden truths of her family’s lifestyle living in post-war Japan as foreigners.
“The emotional intelligence and visual creativity of Little Amélie or the Character of Rain stunned us,” GKIDS’ Director of Acquisitions and Development, Rodney Uhler, stated. “The film is an engrossing story of how a young person grapples with the confusing reality of the world she’s brought into, but her discoveries will resonate with audiences of every age. The film feels like a beautiful gift from Vallade, Han and their team, and we cannot wait for audiences to discover its magic.”
Currently making its rounds in multiple film festivals and competitions, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain has been produced by Nidia Santiago, Edwina Liard, Claire La Combe and Henri Magalon, with Liane-Cho Han and Maïlys Vallade additionally serving as screenwriters alongside Aude Py, with art direction by Eddine Noël and editing by Ludovic Versace. The cast features Loïse Charpentier, Victoria Grobois, Laetitia Coryn, Yumi Fujimori, Marc Arnaud, and Emmylou Homs.
