News

Philadelphia Int'l Children's Film Fest to Screen Wolf Children, Welcome to the Space Show

New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) and the Philadelphia Film Society announced on Wednesday that they will screen the Wolf Children and Welcome to THE SPACE SHOW films at the first annual Philadelphia Int'l Children's Film Festival.

Wolf Children's story covers 13 years and begins with a 19-year-old college student named Hana (Colleen Clinkenbeard) who encounters and falls in "fairy tale-like" love with a "wolf man." After marrying the wolf man, Hana gives birth and raises two wolf children — an older sister named Yuki (Jad Saxton) who was born on a snowy day, and a younger brother named Ame (Micah Solusod) who was born on a rainy day. When the wolf man suddenly dies, Hana decides to move to a rural town far removed from the city.

The film won the Animation of the Year award at this year's Tokyo Anime Awards, won the animation category in the 26th Annual Japan Academy Prizes in March, and won the Animation Film Award at the 67th Annual Mainichi Film Awards in February. Additionally, the film won an Audience Award at this year's New York International Children's Film Festival. Funimation will release the film on Blu-ray and DVD on November 26. The festival will screen the film on November 16 at 3:00 p.m.

The 2010 anime feature film Welcome to THE SPACE SHOW is a science-fiction family film that begins during the summer vacation of fifth grader Natsuki Ōyama, who just moved into the countryside. She and four of her schoolmates embark on an space-spanning adventure that takes them beyond the fields they call home. Koji Masunari (Read or Die) directed the film at A-1 Pictures. The festival will screen the film on November 16 at 6:30 p.m. and on November 17 at 5:30 p.m.

The festival is also screening Yōsuke Kihara's 2010 puppet short film "Twist and Shout."

The Philadelphia Int'l Children's Film Festival will be held from November 15-17 at the PFS Theater at the Roxy.