The agreement establishes future partnerships in the distribution of cinematic works between the two companies.
Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, has signed a cooperation agreement with Koch Media, a film distribution company, to distribute Saudi-Japanese anime The Journey in Germany and five other European countries namely Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.
The signing took place digitally in the presence of representatives from both companies in Riyadh and Berlin.
Koch Media is scheduled to begin distributing and showing the much-anticipated film to European audiences, providing viewers with the opportunity to learn about the culture of the Arabian Peninsula and its rich and inspiring stories.
Speaking about the deal, Dr Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, said: “After the resounding success of the movie The Journey, which was shown in nine countries in the Arab world and in Japan, and was positively received by critics and audiences, we are pleased to announce the signing of a cooperation agreement with Koch Media Company. This agreement facilitates the premiere of The Journey in the European continent, where the film will be shown in six countries. Our partnership with the prestigious Koch Media Company ensures that our Saudi culture is represented as we benefit from their vast experience in distributing artworks. We will continue in our mission to create inspirational content for all audiences and our heroes in the future, let us reveal our Saudi creativity to the world.”
Stefan Kapelari, Managing Director of Koch Media GmbH and Koch Films GmbH in Planegg in Germany and Koch Media SRL in Milano/Italy, added: “Koch Media always seeks to attract original and high-quality content. From this point, we are happy to release The Journey as the first anime from the Arab market, as we view it as a high-quality movie in terms of drawing, animation, and story. We hope that this partnership will be the beginning of a long-term relationship with Manga Productions in the creative content industry.”
The Journey is the first Saudi film to present a movie experience in 4DX technology.
Directed by Shizuno Kobon, the film tells an epic tale about the ancient civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East, and establishes a historical fantasy for future generations.
Manga Productions, a subsidiary under HRH Mohammed bin Salman’s Charitable Foundation (MiSK Foundation) produces animation projects and video games aimed at conveying the Saudi message globally through professional works that include distinguished creative content. The company also provides training opportunities for Saudi talents in partnership with Toei Animation studios in Japan, intending to transfer knowledge and localise the creative industry in the Kingdom.
