Makoto Shinkai movies screening in India soon: Everything to know
What's the story
PVR Pictures announced the Makoto Shinkai Film Festival on Saturday in honor of Japanese director, illustrator, and writer Makoto Shinkai.
The PVR chains will reportedly screen five movies directed by Shinkai across the country from May 19.
PVR has collaborated with the Japanese Film Festival India, Japan Foundation, and CoMix Wave Films for this project.
Here's everything about the movies that will be screened.
1
'Weathering with You'
A 2019 animated romantic fantasy film, Weathering With You was chosen as Japan's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.
It is about a boy in Tokyo who befriends a mysterious girl who can seemingly control the weather!
The voice cast includes Brandon Engman, Lee Pace, and Mike Pollock, among others.
It holds a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2
'Suzume'
Suzume was released in November 2022 and is reportedly the fourth-highest-grossing Japanese film of all time.
IMDb describes the plot as follows, "A modern action-adventure road story where a 17-year-old girl named Suzume helps a mysterious young man close doors from the other side that are releasing disasters all over Japan."
The animated fantasy adventure film is currently being screened in select Indian theaters.
3
'5 Centimeters per Second'
5 Centimeters per Second revolves around the life of the protagonist Takaki Tono and his relationships with the girls around him.
Film critic Bamboo Dong wrote in her review that the 2007 movie had a "dreamlike quality" and also lauded the "well-timed shots of lonely landscapes."
It was awarded Best Animated Feature Film at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
4
'Children Who Chase Lost Voices'
Children Who Chase Lost Voices was released in 2011 and holds a 7.1/10 rating on IMDb.
Apart from directing it, Shinkai also penned the story.
"A coming of age story involving young love and mysterious music, coming from a crystal radio left as a memento by an absent father, that leads a young heroine deep into a hidden world," the film's synopsis reads.
5
'Your Name'
The 2016 animated romantic fantasy film Your Name tells the story of Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu, who begin to "swap bodies" despite having never met.
Moreover, it drew inspiration from the natural disasters that keep rattling Japan frequently.
As per Rotten Tomatoes' critics consensus, "As beautifully animated as it is emotionally satisfying, Your Name adds another outstanding chapter to writer-director Makoto Shinkai's filmography."