Short answers, pulled from the story.
GKIDS is said to be an acronym for Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate. The company is based in New York City and focuses on distributing international animated films and television series to North American audiences.
GKIDS was founded by Eric Beckman in 2008. Beckman had previously co-founded and run the New York International Children's Film Festival before starting GKIDS.
The Boy and the Heron became the first GKIDS theatrical release to win Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, with the win occurring in March 2024. GKIDS had received multiple nominations in the category dating back to The Secret of Kells at the 82nd Academy Awards.
GKIDS announced the acquisition of North American theatrical distribution rights to the Studio Ghibli library in September 2011, taking over from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. On the 17th of July 2017, GKIDS announced it had also acquired the home video rights to the entire Ghibli catalog, with the exception of Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises, which were resolved separately.
Studio Ghibli Fest is an annual yearlong event featuring limited theatrical screenings of Studio Ghibli films at select AMC, Cinemark, Regal, and other venues. GKIDS has partnered with Fathom Events to host the event since 2017, with the only year without a Ghibli Fest being 2020.
Japanese entertainment company Toho announced its intent to acquire GKIDS on the 15th of October 2024. The deal was completed in 2025, with GKIDS officially becoming a subsidiary of Toho International, Toho's Los Angeles-based arm.