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NY Int'l Children's Film Festival to Screen Pompo: The Cinéphile, Poupelle of Chimney Town Anime Films
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The staff of the New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) announced on Tuesday that it will screen the anime film of Shogo Sugitani's Pompo: The Cinéphile (Eiga Daisuki Pompo-san) manga and Studio 4°C's anime film of Akihiro Nishino's Poupelle of Chimney Town (Entotsu-chō no Poupelle) picture book during the festival.
The festival will be held in person from March 4-19. The festival will screen the English dubs for both films, including the world premiere of the English dub of Pompo: The Cinéphile.
GKIDS will begin screening Pompo: The Cinéphile in Japanese with English subtitles and an English dub in North America in 2022.
The film was slated to open in 2020 in Japan, but was delayed to a March 19, 2021 opening due to "various circumstances," and then delayed again to a June 4 opening due to the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
NYICFF describes the film:
If you're reading this, chances are you like movies. You'll feel right at home with Pompo, the talented and gutsy producer whose love of cinema is unflinching and unapologetic. One day, Pompo turns her uncanny eye for talent to her movie-loving but apprehensive assistant Gene, selecting him to make his directorial debut with her latest script. But Gene has his work cut out for him with a young starlet looking for her first big break and a legendary, aging, Brando-like superstar in front of the camera. It's not an action movie, but Pompo's breakneck pace combined with the high stakes of creative fulfillment pack in as much excitement as standard superhero fare. Add to that a slew of insider movie references and countless winks and nods to the filmmaking process, this hilarious and heartful dramedy has what it takes to fulfill even your wildest celluloid dreams.
Takayuki Hirao (The Garden of Sinners movie 5, God Eater) directed the film at CLAP. Shingo Adachi (Sword Art Online, Wagnaria!!) designed the characters. Ryoichiro Matsuo (In This Corner of the World) served as producer. Vocaloid producer Iori Kanzaki composed three vocal songs for the film. Virtual singer Kaf performed one insert song "Tatoeba" (For Example), and DUSTCELL vocalist EMA performed the film's other insert song "Hangyakusha no Bokura" (We the Rebels). In addition, Seiko Niizuma performed the film's opening number "Dance on Fire." Rookie female singer CIEL performed the film's theme song "Mado wo Akete" (Open a Window).
Eleven Arts began screening Poupelle of Chimney Town across North America on January 7, and it describes the film:
Poupelle of Chimney Town is the story of young Lubicchi living among the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town, yearning to see the “stars” —to know the truth —his father always told him about. One Halloween night he meets Poupelle, a man made of garbage, and together they look to the sky as their adventure begins. Spectacularly beautiful, filled with inspiring performances and splendid music and sound effects, and produced at Tokyo's famed Studio 4ºC, Poupelle of Chimney Town brings laughter, tears and joy.
The film opened in Japan in December 2020 and ranked at #4 and earned 322,998,700 (about US$3.13 million) in its opening weekend.
Yusuke Hirota (CGI director for Berserk films, Harmony) directed the film, with Nishino serving as production supervisor, original creator, and writer. Atsuko Fukushima (Genius Party, Robot Carnival) designed the characters.
Source: Press release
