Shinkai’s Suzume to Play in Competition at Berlin Festival

Suzume is headed to Berlin.

Makoto Shinkai’s film, released in Japan last year, will play in the competition lineup at the Berlin International Film Festival, which kicks off in late February.

It’ll be the first anime film to be in competition in Berlin since Spirited Away in 2002. The film won the Golden Bear that year.

The winner will be announced February 26.

Jiji quotes the following statement from Shinkai about the film:

“The story is rooted in the huge event that happened in Japan 12 years ago. I was given the opportunity to see for myself how the outside world views our creation.”

Suzume has done very well in its native Japan, where it is currently the 10th-highest-grossing film of all time. It hits theaters in the US April 14.

Here’s an official description of the film from Crunchyroll:

On the other side of the door, was time in its entirety—

Suzume is a coming-of-age story for the 17-year-old protagonist, Suzume, set in various disaster-stricken locations across Japan, where she must close the doors causing devastation.

Suzume’s journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu (located in southwestern Japan) when she encounters a young man who tells her, “I’m looking for a door.” What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing upright in the midst of ruins as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly drawn by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob… Doors begin to open one after another all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster.

—The stars, then sunset, and the morning sky.

Within that realm, it was as though all time had melted together in the sky…

Never-before-seen scenery, encounters and farewells… A myriad of challenges await her on her journey. Despite all the obstacles in her way, Suzume’s adventure shines a ray of hope upon our own struggles against the toughest roads of anxiety and constraints that make up everyday life. This story of closing doors that connect our past to the present and future will leave a lasting impression upon all of our hearts.

Drawn in by these mysterious doors, Suzume’s journey is about to begin.

Source: Japan Times