Travel to Japan with Anifilm

The main theme of the upcoming edition of Anifilm is Japan. You can look forward to an extensive programme aiming to introduce various forms of Japanese animation. To help us explore the vast imaginative world of Japanese animation, we have invited curator Nobuaki Doi – film critic, renowned producer and the director of the renewed Hiroshima International Animation Festival.
His novel approach accentuates foreign influences which played a significant part in forming Japanese animation. What role was played by European avant-garde, Jiří Trnka and Jan Švankmajer? We will find out thanks to examples made by classics (e.g. Yôji Kuri, Osamu Tezuka) as well as contemporary animators (Atsushi Wada, Yoriko Mizushiri and others). We are honoured that we can explore this theme in collaboration with many truly distinguished guests. One of them is the legendary animator Kōji Yamamura who, in addition to his films (both for grown-ups and for children), will introduce his drawings at an exhibition prepared by Anifilm in collaboration with the Liberec Regional Gallery.
In addition to Kōji Yamamura, other renowned Japanese authors will personally present their films and hold masterclasses at Anifilm: Sarina Nihei, whose trademark style was inspired by Estonian animation; and Mirai Mizue, master of colourful and mesmerising abstract animation. Central European motifs can also be traced in the work of Kaoru Furuko who is preparing her own presentation for Anifilm.
The programme will be composed of short films forming many interesting blocks. Focus on Japan, the homeland of Hayao Miyazaki, wouldn’t be complete without some iconic feature films such as his Howl’s Moving Castle. But you can also look forward to new films and less-known treasures and curiosities such as the restored version of erotic anime Belladonna of Sadness.
Last but not least, Anifilm will focus on Japan in many of its non-film programmes so you will have a chance to literally taste this superpower of animation.