Fumi Kitahara, the animation publicist who guided award-winning campaigns for DreamWorks, Aardman, Laika, Netflix, Disney and independent studios during her distinguished 30-plus years in the industry, has died. She was 56.
Kitahara died Monday in Los Angeles of complications related to her long battle with a rare blood cancer, a spokesperson for Walt Disney Animation announced.
Among the many acclaimed animated features she helped to publicize are the first three Shrek films, Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, How to Train Your Dragon, Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, Over the Moon and The Sea Beast.
She also oversaw the awards campaigns for numerous Oscar-winning shorts, including such recent titles as The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse and War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko.
Born on March 2, 1968, Kitahara graduated from California State University Northridge with a degree in business marketing. She started out in 1992 at The Walt Disney Studios in the office of publicist Howard Green, and they would work together on such animation features as The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Toy Story; the documentary Frank and Ollie; and a variety of live-action titles.
In 1996, Kitahara joined the fledgling DreamWorks SKG, where she started her own department and went on to serve as the company’s head of animation publicity for the next 11 years. From the first animated feature at DreamWorks, The Prince of Egypt, through her departure in 2007, she played a major role in marketing and publicizing all of the studios’ releases.
Under her leadership, the studio launched campaigns for the Academy Award winners Shrek and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Fumi for over three decades, from our Disney/Pixar days through DreamWorks and Locksmith projects … her positive energy and effort in making connections and supporting independent filmmakers within our industry are irreplaceable,” veteran producer Bonnie Arnold said in a statement. “She was known and beloved by all and will be sorely missed by our community,”
In 2007, Kitahara left DreamWorks to open her own boutique firm, the pr kitchen. As a consultant, she contributed to the publicity and awards campaigns for Guillermo Del Toro’s Oscar-winning Pinocchio as well as such nominated films as Coraline, How to Train Your Dragon, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Shaun the Sheep Movie, Kubo and the Two Strings, Mirai, Missing Link, Klaus, I Lost My Body, Over the Moon, Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon, The Mitchells vs. the Machines and The Sea Beast.
“We at Aardman are so very deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague Fumi,” said Nick Park, executive director at Aardman Studios. “It’s hard to put into words just how much she will be missed; her years of unrelenting enthusiasm, invaluable support and her eternally generous spirit and friendship will always live on for us. A bright and very precious light has surely gone out in the animation world today.”
Additionally, she helped to publicize such Oscar-winning shorts as Netflix’s If Anything Happens I Love You and The Windshield Wiper and Apple TV+’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse and War Is Over!
She also lent her expertise to campaigns for such other animated shorts as French Roast, The Gruffalo, A Morning Stroll, Adam and Dog, Room on the Broom, Possessions, Pearl, Robin Robin and Revolting Rhymes.
Kitahara’s other career highlights include a 4-year stint as entertainment publicist with Google Spotlight Stories, where she worked on strategy, launch and awards campaigns for such titles as the Emmy-winning Pearl and Sail and the acclaimed Glen Keane-helmed Duet.
“Fumi was a life force of joy,” Keane said. “From her early days working in Disney publicity with Howard Green and throughout the years, she has remained a constant source of encouragement for every artist and filmmaker who has ever been blessed to have her come alongside and help present their work to the world. Beyond any award or recognition that Fumi’s considerable talent helped shine a light upon, the greatest prize was simply to count Fumi Kitahara as a dear friend.”
She also worked with Baobab Studios on such notable titles as Baba Yaga and Namoo and on such documentary titles as Walt & El Grupo, Waking Sleeping Beauty, Tyrus and the Oscar-nominated short Joanna.
Kitahara served as the PR chair for Women in Animation for more than 10 years and was also a member of the public relations branch of the Film Academy.
“WIA would not be where we are today without her extraordinary and relentless work,” said Jinko Gotoh, vp of WIA and a fellow Academy colleague. “She was the ultimate connector to the media as well as the ideal Annecy ambassador for our World Summit.”
In honor of Kitahara, WIA is establishing the Fumi Kitahara Membership and Scholarship Fund “to recognize the impact Fumi has had on the members of WIA she lifted up through her hard work over the years,” said WIA president Marge Dean. “This fund will support future generations in our industry as we sustain the incredible legacy of kindness and generosity that Fumi gave to all of us.”
Survivors include her husband, Simon Otto, a veteran director (That Christmas), head of character animation (the How to Train Your Dragon films) and animator; their son, Max; her mother, Teruko; sister Hiroko; and brother Keiichi. Plans for a celebration of life are in the works.