"Belle" sets Hosoda BO's new North American record at $ 3 million

Beautiful by Mamoru Hosoda made over $ 3 million according to movie box office reports after its second week in theaters. Released by GKIDS, the critically acclaimed film was released in theaters and on IMAX screens, both in its original Japanese language, and in an all-new English dubbed version on January 14, with IMAX exclusive premieres in select markets starting January 12.

Beautiful is now the highest-grossing film by Oscar-nominated director Hosoda to be released in North America. This milestone follows the film's claim about the director's largest North American opening, overtaking Mirai.

Fine, un of 26 animated films eligible for the Oscars (nominations announced February 8), last month received five Annie Award nominations, including Best Animated Feature - Independent, as well as Screenplay and Direction by Hosoda.

Show times and tickets for the English subtitled and dubbed screenings are available at www.bellefilm.com.

Synopsis: From celebrated Oscar-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, creators of Mirai, Wolf Children, Summer Warand more, comes a fantastic and heartfelt story of growing up in the age of social media.

Suzu is a shy high school student who lives in a rural village. For years she was just a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a huge virtual world, she escapes into her online character of hers as Belle, a wonderful and beloved singer around the world. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature being chased by vigilantes. As their hunt intensifies, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to discover the identity of this mysterious "beast" and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.

Beautiful made its critically acclaimed world debut at the Cannes Film Festival and its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival. The film was also presented in competition at the London Film Festival, Fantastic Fest and the Animation Is Film festival in Los Angeles (special jury prize). The film received awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Chicago Film Critics Association, San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle, Austin Film Critics Association, Detroit Film Critics Society, Florida Film Critics Circle, Online Association of Female Film Critics and by Greater Western New York Association of Film Critics.