EST N8 Picks Up Korean-Animated Film Pilgrims for Worldwide Sales
EST N8, an American entertainment company, announced on October 8 it has acquired worldwide sales rights to Pilgrims, a Korean science-fiction animated feature that screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and won a technical award at the 2025 Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF). The company launched international sales at the Asian Contents & Film Market at the Busan International Film Festival, which was held from October 10 to 13.
The film is adapted from a short story in Choyeop Kim's bestselling collection If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light, which has sold 400,000 copies. It follows Sophie, a resident of an idyllic community where emotional suffering has been eliminated and everyone must spend a year on Earth upon turning 18. When Sophie begins remembering Daisy, a friend who disappeared on Earth, she discovers troubling truths about her village and questions whether a life without pain is worth living without love.
Pilgrims marks the feature directorial debut of Pyoungkang Heo, who spent nearly 20 years working in the Japanese animation industry. His credits include the Netflix series Japan Sinks: 2020 as series director and the film Night is Short, Walk On Girl as unit director. The voice cast includes Hyang-gi Kim, Ji-hu Park, and Joo-young Lee.
EST N8 said Pilgrims is the company's first animated feature. The company was formed through the combination of EST Studios and N8 and focuses on financing, sales, and distribution of Asian films worldwide.
Source: Variety (Naman Ramachandran)
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