Mirai - the first Japanese animation to receive a world premiere at Cannes Film Festival

Date: 2018 April 18 20:09

Posted by Joe

The good folks from Anime Distributors Anime Limited have sent us details about Mamoru Hosoda's latest film Mirai which will receive it's World Premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival in May as part of Directors' Fortnight. Significantly this is the first Japanese animation to ever to receive a world premiere on the Croisette.

The film will receive a UK cinema release later in 2018 via Anime Limited and their cinema partners National Amusements.

We've covered Anime Limited's acquisition of Mirai before.

Full Story

Press release as follows:

Mirai - the first Japanese animation to receive a world premiere at Cannes Film Festival

Wednesday 18th April 2018, London

Following the official Festival du Cannes announcement, Anime Ltd. is pleased to confirm that Mirai will receive its World Premiere at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and screen as part of the prestigious Director's Fortnight (Quinzaine) sidebar in May. Mirai will be the first Japanese animation ever to receive a world premiere on the Croisette.

Mirai is created, written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda (The Boy and the Beast, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars) and comes from Hosoda's own production company Studio Chizu and will be released by Toho in Japan. The UK release is set for later in 2018 from Anime Ltd. and National Amusements.

Synopsis

The birth of a sibling is a joyous time for many, but not for Kun. Four years old and spoiled rotten, he sees baby sister Mirai as competition for his parents' love. Amidst the luscious leaves of a mysterious garden, a magical encounter with his little sister from the future will send the siblings on an intimate journey through time and space, to confront the boy's uncertain feelings and prepare him to be the big brother he needs to be.

Following the announcement, Anime Ltd. president Andrew Partridge commented:

"Working on Mamoru Hosoda's Mirai is a dream come true for the whole team here at Anime Limited in the UK and France. To see it come to Cannes and be the first ever world premiere of an anime there, as well as only the second ever anime in Director's Fortnight, is a huge honour and a great starting point for people to see the film. We can't wait to see what people think of it!"