The BFI today announce full details of a hotly anticipated two-month season dedicated to ANIME, running at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX from 28 March – 31 May. Originally planned for summer 2020 as part of the BFI's major survey of Japanese cinema BFI JAPAN, the season arrives, at long last, to entertain and delight anime fans and novices alike.
The programme will include:
- · A broad mixture of classic films such as AKIRA (Katsuhiro Ôtomo, 1988), GHOST IN THE SHELL (Mamoru Oshii, 1995), BELLADONNA OF SADNESS (Eiichi Yamamoto, 1973), COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE (Shin'ichirô Watanabe, 2001) and TEKKONKINKREET (Michael Arias, 2006), as well as an early shorts programme spotlighting work from 1917-1946
- · Previews of new releases including the thrillingly original INU-OH (Masaaki Yuasa, 2021), high-octane urban fairy tale BUBBLE (Tetsurô Araki, 2022) and the powerful and thought-provoking short SUMMER GHOST (2021) followed by a Q&A with director loundraw
- · Much-loved recent work by major auteurs Mamoru Hosoda (WOLF CHILDREN, BELLE), Makoto Shinkai (YOUR NAME) and the late great Satoshi Kon (MILLENNIUM ACTRESS, PAPRIKA)
- · A spotlight on emerging female talent Naoko Yamada (A SILENT VOICE, LIZ AND THE BLUE BIRD) and Mari Okada (MAQUIA: WHEN THE PROMISED FLOWER BLOOMS)
- · Screenings of Studio Ghibli favourites with free workshops for children, as well as early pre-Ghibli work from Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata
- · Special events including a discussion with experts about the films in the season and a day of Japanese gaming, presented by mayamada GamePad
Programmed by BFI Lead Programmer Justin Johnson with co-programming from writer and academic Hanako Miyata, this varied season of more than 40 features covers a wide variety of genres, telling contemporary, fantastical or other-worldly stories, many of which are uniquely Japanese. The season offers audiences a chance to explore anime classics alongside work by contemporary auteurs and a small but increasingly important group of women working in anime who are helping bring the form into the 21st century.
Tickets for screenings in April are on sale now. Tickets for screenings in May go on sale to BFI Patrons and Champions on 4 April, BFI Members on 5 April and to the general public on 7 April. For more info visit the BFI Official Website.
Here is the full Programme:
ANIME PREVIEWS – Previews of hotly anticipated new anime releases
Preview: Inu-oh – Japan 2021. Dir Masaaki Yuasa.
Preview: Bubble – Japan 2022. Dir Tetsurô Araki.
Preview: Summer Ghost + Q&A with director laundraw – Japan 2021. Dir laundraw.
EVENTS AND DISCUSSIONS – Special events and discussions as part of our Anime season
Exploring Anime: Panel Discussion
GamePad Event
THE HISTORY OF ANIME – Key films in the development of the art form, in terms of quality and international recognition
Early Days of Anime Shorts Programme 1917-1946 + intro (to be confirmed)
Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors – Japan 1945. Dir Mitsuyo Seo.
Kimba the White Lion – Japan 1965.
Belladonna of Sadness + intro by Helen McCarthy, founder of Anime UK (later Anime FX) – Japan 1973. Dir Eiichi Yamamoto.
Astroboy – Japan 1980.
EMERGING FEMALE VOICES – Thought provoking, beautifully characterised work that's taking the form in a different direction
Liz and the Blue Bird – Japan 2018. Dir Naoko Yamada.
A Silent Voice + intro by Dr Rayna Denison (Professor in Film and Digital Arts, University of Bristol) – Japan 2016. Dir Naoko Yamada.
The Anthem of the Heart – Japan 2015. Dir Tatsuyuki Nagai.
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms – Japan 2018. Dir Mari Okado.
ANIME CLASSICS – Films that have survived the test of time, and a few recent titles considered by many to be classics of the form
Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise – Japan 1987. Dir Hiroyuki Yamada.
Akira – Japan 1988. Dir Katsuhiro Ôtomo.
Patlabor: The Movie – Japan 1989. Dir Mamoru Oshii.
Patlabor 2: The Movie – Japan 1993. Dir Mamoru Oshii.
Ghost in the Shell – Japan 1995. Dir Mamoru Oshii.
Memories – Japan 1995. Dirs Kôji Morimoto, Tensai Okamura, Katsuhiro Ôtomo.
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie – Japan 2001. Dir Shinichiro Watanabe.
Steamboy – Japan 2004. Dir Katsuhiro Ôtomo.
Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa – Japan 2005. Dir Seiji Mizushima.
Tekkonkinkreet – Japan 2006. Dir Michael Arias.
The Case of Hana & Alice – Japan 2015. Dir Shunji Iwai.
CONTEMPORARY ANIME AUTEURS A trio of brilliant directors – Sotoshi Kon, Makoto Shinkai and Mamoru Hosoda – who have raised the bar for contemporary anime
Perfect Blue – Japan 1997. Dir Satoshi Kon.
Millennium Actress – Japan 2001. Dir Satoshi Kon.
Tokyo Godfathers – Japan 2003. Dir Satoshi Kon.
Paprika – Japan 2006. Dir Satoshi Kon.
The Place Promised in our Early Days – Japan 2004. Dirs Makoto Shinkai, Yoshio Suzuki.
5 Centimeters per Second – Japan 2007. Dir Makoto Shinkai.
+ The Garden of Words – Japan 2013. Dir Makoto Shinkai.
Your Name – Japan 2016. Dir Makoto Shinkai.
Weathering With You – Japan 2019. Dir Makoto Shinkai.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time – Japan 2006. Dir Mamoru Hosoda.
Summer Wars – Japan 2009. Dir Mamoru Hosoda.
Wolf Children – Japan 2012. Dir Mamoru Hosoda.
Belle – Japan 2021. Dir Mamoru Hosoda.
STUDIO GHIBLI – A few classic Ghibli films to revisit on the big screen as well as screenings of some earlier work by Takahata and Miyazaki
The Little Norse Prince (aka The Great Adventures of Horus, Prince of the Sun) – Japan 1968. Dir Isao Takahata.
Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro – Japan 1979. Dir Hayao Miyazaki.
Castle in the Sky – Japan 1986. Dir Hayao Miyazaki.
Funday Workshop: Castle In The Sky – This drop-in workshop is free to ticket holders of the film on 8 May
My Neighbour Totoro – Japan 1988. Dir Hayao Miyazaki.
Funday Workshop: My Neighbour Totoro – Free to ticket holders of the film on 24 April
Grave of the Fireflies + intro by Alex Dudok de Wit, author of BFI Film Classics: Grave of the Fireflies – Japan 1988. Dir Isao Takahata.
Princess Mononoke – Japan 1997. Dir Hayao Miyazaki.
Spirited Away = Japan 2001. Dir Hayao Miyazaki.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya – Japan 2013. Dir Isao Takahata.
When Marnie Was There – Japan 2014. Dir Hiromasa Yonebayashi.
