A rare honor has been bestowed with the news that international co-pro Ghost Cat Anzu has been selected to screen in the Directors Fortnight program. Produced by Shin-Ei Animation (Japan) and Miyu Productions (France), the film was recently picked up by GKIDS for North American distribution this year.
Animation artist Yoko Kuno (Land of the Lustrous), who directs the fantasy-adventure with live-action helmer Nobuhiro Yamashita (Linda Linda Linda), shared a handwritten message to Twitter (complete with Anzu doodles), saying she was happy to share “the wonderful news” with everyone who worked on “this very handmade” film. Kuno added thanks to Yamashita and producer Keiichi Kondo, offering: “Please let me treat you to a big piece of meat in Cannes!”
🐾‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥🐾
カンヌ国際映画祭
「監督週間」選出
監督コメント
🐾‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥∵‥‥🐾#久野遥子 監督より
コメントが到着！📝#化け猫あんずちゃん#GhostCatAnzu pic.twitter.com/yIpT4aL8lI— 映画『化け猫あんずちゃん』公式🐾 (@ghostcat_anzu) April 16, 2024
Based on the manga created by Takashi Imashiro, Ghost Cat Anzu centers on Karin, an 11-year-old girl abandoned by her father at her monk grandfather’s house in small Japanese countryside town. Her grandfather asks Anzu, his jovial and helpful (although rather capricious) ghost cat, to look after her. The meeting of their strong characters causes sparks, at least at the beginning…
The film was shot entirely in live action prior to being rotoscoped in 2D animation. The cast both performed for the footage and voiced the animated characters, led by Mirai Moriyama (Inu-oh, Shin Kamen Rider) as Anzu and Noa Goto (Saitama Host Club, Sister) as Karin.
Directors Fortnight is a non-competitive sidebar independent from but sanctioned by the Cannes Film Festival. The selection spans all lengths and genres, guided in its selection purely by “a filmmaker’s attendance to mise en scene, and their unique mode of artistic expression.”
[H/T Catsuka]
