Fumi Kitahara, Longtime Animation Publicity Executive for DreamWorks, Aardman and More, Dies at 56

variety.com:

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Fumi Kitahara, a respected publicity executive who guided award-winning campaigns for studios including DreamWorks, Aardman, Laika, Netflix and Disney, died Monday of complications related to a rare blood cancer.

She was 56. Among the features Kitahara helped 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 oversaw awards campaigns for Oscar-winning shorts such as “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse,” and “War is Over!

Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko.” Kitahara graduated from Cal State Northridge and started her career in 1992 at Walt Disney Studios in the office of Howard Green, working with him on features including “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Toy Story,” and “Frank and Ollie,” in addition to a variety of live-action titles.

She joined DreamWorks SKG in 1996 and served as Head of Animation Publicity for the next 11 years, starting with “The Prince of Egypt” and launching campaigns for Oscar-winners including “Shrek” and “Wallace & Gromi: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.”Veteran producer Bonnie Arnold said in a statement, “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.