“ Beguiling anime.” Variety “ An enchanting delight.” Screen Daily From Sunao Katabuchi, the director of Princess Arete and Mai Mai Miracle Based on the award-winning manga Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni by Fumiyo Kouno Torn Apart By War. Following its Australian premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival Brought Together and with the support of the Japanese By Love. Film Festival comes this year’s animated masterpiece. In This Corner of the World (Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni) tells a heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by Japanese people in spite of a violent, war-torn climate. The charming and cheerful character of Suzu highlights the noble spirit of the Japanese which truly makes this film an uplifting coming-of-age story and a timeless classic with universal appeal for a modern audience. The award-winning story follows a young girl named Suzu Urano, a talented natural artist who, in 1944, moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima where she marries Shūsaku Hōjō – a young clerk who works at the local naval base. Living with his family, Suzu becomes essential to the running of the household and creatively prepares meals during the tough wartime conditions while also carrying out daily housework. In 1945, intense bombings by the US military finally reach Kure with devastating effect to the townsfolk and their way of life. Suzu’s life is changed irrevocably, but through perseverance and courage, she manages to continue to live life to the fullest. This beautiful yet tragic tale shows that even in the face of adversity and loss, people can come together and rebuild their lives. A Message “In admiration of creatures that fly, there was a time when I wanted to portray From Director figures dancing freely in the sky. But then Sunao Katabuchi I realised the loneliness of floating in isolation above the clouds, and I came to want my films to instead portray figures of people who live upon the Earth. Suzu is such a person. And this Suzu is beloved of everyone who has read the original manga. Suzu is someone who continues her daily life even in a world at war. People may misunderstand the idea of ‘a wartime story’ or ‘a film featuring air raids’ as ‘something like the educational films we were shown in primary school,’ but that is not the case. Pushing the boundaries of expression in manga, Fumiyo Kōno’s original In This Corner of the World manga is a masterpiece into which she poured her heart and soul. My intention is to show the loveable quality that makes Suzu irresistible, the plight that befalls her “in this corner of the world” and the precious time she spends there, and to portray this to the best of my ability on the movie screen. I’ll do my best.” “Oscar-worthy animation.” FilmInk Kiki’s Delivery Service Famous Dog Lassie Born in 1960, Sunao Katabuchi majored in animation at Nihon About University College of Art’s Cinema Department. After meeting Hayao Miyazaki, who was giving a guest lecture at the university, Sunao Katabuchi Katabuchi began working as a scriptwriter on Miyazaki’s films while still a student. He served as assistant director on 1989’s Kiki’s Delivery Service, and made his directorial debut with the 1996 TV series Famous Dog Lassie. He then directed the 2001 STUDIO 4°C feature Princess Arete. On BLACK LAGOON (2006), Katabuchi worked as director and also handled series configuration and scriptwriting. In 2009, Katabuchi directed Mai Mai Miracle, an acclaimed animated film about a girl who lives in 1950s Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture; the film was based on careful research of the time period, and its tale of everyday heroine Shinko was infused with tales from a thousand years ago, leaving the audience charmed and fascinated. Princess Arete Mai Mai Miracle In This Corner of the World For screening enquiries Dov Kornits Phone: 0411 559 519 email: [email protected] Available with English subtitles or dubbed version. VIEW TRAILER .