Director Tomm Moore is delighted with the move, as he tells IFTN, “I’m glad that GKIDS are involved because they’re a boutique company, they’re a very international company which suits us best.” The film’s Academy award-qualifying limited release will run from the 4 - 10 of December in the AMC Movie Theatre in Burbank, Los Angeles.

“It’s a long shot,” says Moore in the wake of the Oscar submission. “This year there are some excellent animated films,” adds the director. “We really are up against stiff competition, and they’ve widened the category to five animated films instead of just three so I think that just shows you how much talent is out there.” The other 19 submitted projects in the animation category include 'Coraline', 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs', 'Disney's A Christmas Carol', 'Ponyo', '9' and 'Up'.

‘The Secret of Kells’ has already enjoyed a huge amount of festival success having previously won the prize for Best Feature film at the 13th Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival (SICAF), the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the 33rd Annecy Animation Festival in France and it became the first ever animated feature to win the Edinburgh Film Festival’s Standard Life Audience Award. Furthermore Tomm Moore was named Director of the Year and Cartoon Saloon, along with Les Armateurs and Vivi Film, being named Producer of the Year at this year’s Cartoon Movie Tributes.

‘The Secret of Kells’ is also one of three animations nominated for a European Film Award in the Animation category for which the director feels honoured: “It’s great, really lovely recognition. To be one of only three animated films nominated is brilliant – especially when you consider the amount of high quality animations that came out this year.”