‘WE ARE X’: Rights For Acclaimed Music Documentary Acquired By Magnolia Home Entertainment

DT: NOVEMBER 23, 2016

FR: LIBBY COFFEY/MSO PR

Magnolia Home Entertainment Acquires Rights
To Acclaimed Documentary

‘WE ARE X‘

Magnolia Home Entertainment announced today that they have acquired home entertainment rights (physical and digital) to Stephen Kijak’s WE ARE X. From the production team behind the Academy Award^©winning Searching for Sugar Man, WE ARE X is a transcendent and beautifully shot rock ‘n’ roll story about the Japanese band X JAPAN, one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Celebrated as “a fascinating and assured documentary” (The New York Times) that “tells the greatest rock ‘n’ roll story America has never heard” (Pitchfork), WE ARE X is directed by acclaimed documentarian Stephen Kijak (Stones In Exile, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man). The critically acclaimed music documentary premiered theatrically starting October 21 via Drafthouse Films and is continuing to expand in theaters in over 40 markets nationwide.

Under the enigmatic direction of YOSHIKI, composer, classically-trained pianist, drummer/percussionist, and the creative force behind the group, X Japan has sold over 30 million singles and albums combined, captivating such a wide range of admirers such as Sir George Martin, Gene Simmons, Marilyn Manson, Stan Lee, and the Japanese Emperor, while pioneering a spectacle-driven style of visual rock called Visual Kei, a one-of-a-kind cultural phenomenon. WE ARE X is an astonishingly intimate portrait of a deeply haunted–but truly unstoppable–virtuoso and the music that has enthralled legions of the world’s most devoted fans.

“‘WE ARE X’ is an extraordinary and exhilarating documentary about the cultural phenomenon Yoshiki and his best-selling band X Japan,” said Randy Wells, Head of Magnolia Home Entertainment. “Stephen Kijak’s film is a true celebration of Yoshiki’s enduring legacy.”

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the reception to the film thus far,” said Kijak. “I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Magnolia, who I have admired for so long, to continue to spread Yoshiki’s inspiring message of salvation through art and the incredible story of X Japan to the masses.”

“We are delighted to be in the hands of such an experienced and successful distributor,” said Producer John Battsek. “We are excited to partner with Magnolia to continue to tell the unbelievable story of Yoshiki and X Japan. Magnolia really is the perfect home for WE ARE X.”

WE ARE X will arrive on Digital EST February 21, 2017 and on Blu-ray™, DVD and VOD March 7, 2017. Territories include U.S, Bermuda and Bahamas.

‘WE ARE X’

Running Time: 95 Minutes

Rated: R (For Language)

MSO Releases + Assets:

About Magnolia Home Entertainment:

Magnolia Home Entertainment is the home video distribution division of Magnolia Pictures, which are part of the Wagner/Cuban Companies: a vertically-integrated group of media properties co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban that also includes the Landmark Theatres chain, HDNet Films and 2929 Productions, alongside high-definition cable networks HDNet Movies and AXS TV. Launched in November 2005, the company releases a diversified slate of films both under Magnolia Home Entertainment and its genre-focused label, Magnet. Previous releases include the Academy Award® winning documentary Man On Wire, Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia, Academy Award nominated documentary Food, Inc., Swedish Oscar selection and Golden Globe® nominee Force Majeure, acclaimed documentary Life Itself, Susanne Bier’s Serena starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, and music documentary Marley. For more information visit www.magpictures.com.

About X JAPAN:

X Japan is the most successful rock band in Japanese history, and that is not a statement made lightly. The band has sold more than 30 million albums; singles and videos combined, sold out Japan’s 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome 18 times – so far – and have played to tens of thousands of fans outside of Japan. In the band’s early days their look and sound sparked a global interest in entertainment, especially with the Japanese cultural rock phenomenon, “Visual-Kei,” a movement X Japan pioneered that spread globally. X Japan formed in 1982 (calling themselves X) by Yoshiki and Toshi while they were still teenagers. Over the next 13 years, the band released five studio albums–Vanishing Vision (1988), Blue Blood (1989), Jealousy (1991), Art of Life (1993) and Dahlia (1996), as well as six live albums, ten best hits albums and 20 DVD releases. X Japan was the first Japanese band to achieve mainstream success while signed to an independent label. The band was so popular they became a cultural phenomenon.
In the fall of 1997, at the height of their success, the band broke up. Four months later, Hide, X Japan’s original lead guitarist, was found dead in his Tokyo apartment. At his funeral, more than 50,000 fans came to mourn his passing. In early 2007 Yoshiki and Toshi resumed communication and later that year X Japan officially reformed. The band launched its reunion in 2008 with 3 nights at the Tokyo Dome. 2 years later, X Japan filmed a music video on the rooftop of Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre with a throng of some 8,000 U.S. fans taking part in the shoot on Hollywood Blvd. But it was on August 8, 2010 that X Japan performed in front of a mainstream American crowd for the first time at Lollapalooza. Immediately following the festival, X Japan played the biggest concert in its history, selling out two consecutive shows at Japan’s Nissan Stadium, filling 140,000 seats. The band’s first North American tour wrapped with a monumental New York date selling out The Roseland Ballroom on Oct. 11, 2010.
In June 2011, X Japan kicked off a European Tour at London’s Shepherd’s Bush (selling -out the venue in 30 minutes). The tour continued to Paris and Utrecht wrapping in Berlin before the band traveled back to Japan to play the famed Summer Sonic Festival. That same year the world tour took them to South America where they sold out shows playing to massive crowds in Santiago, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Lima and Mexico City. X Japan then returned to Asia playing arena shows in Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok. In 2012 X Japan was the first Japanese band to take home the prize for “Best International Band” at the Golden Gods Awards held in the U.S. In 2014 X Japan headlined a colossal show at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden in the U.S. Now, in 2016, X Japan is gearing up for the biggest event in the band’s history. The current line-up of X Japan is Yoshiki/drums, piano; Toshi/vocals; Pata/guitars; Heath/bass; and Sugizo/guitars,violin. X Japan recently announced the release of the band’s 1st new studio album in 20 years, which will be available in worldwide release in 2017.

For YOSHIKI, X JAPAN, WE ARE X and all music, media inquiries, contact:

818-380-0400 x224

For MAGNOLIA HOME ENTERTAINMENT inquiries,contact:
Briana Rojas

B/HI

(310) 694-3103

[email protected]

Tim Pruitt
Magnolia Home Entertainment
(310) 312-2383
[email protected]