NY Int'l Children's Film Fest to Host Director Hosoda

posted on 2010-02-15 16:26 EST

Mamoru Hosoda to appear at Summer Wars' opening night screening, Q&A

---

The New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) has confirmed that it will host a personal appearance of director Mamoru Hosoda at the festival's opening night screening of his Summer Wars film on February 26. In addition to the American premiere of the film, Hosoda will appear at a question-and-answer session after the screening.

The light-hearted "action entertainment" story of Summer Wars revolves around a modern-day family on a midsummer adventure. The project reunites many of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time's staffers, including scriptwriter Satoko Okudera (Angel, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Miyori no Mori) and character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, FLCL). The film opened in Japan on August 1, 2009.

Besides Hosoda, director Tomm Moore (the Oscar-nominated The Secret of Kells) and stop-motion auteur Jiří Barta (In the Attic) will also appear at the festival to discuss their respective works. In addition to Summer Wars, NYICFF will also host the American theatrical premieres of three other anime films: Sunao Katabuchi and MADHOUSE's Mai Mai Miracle (Mai Mai Shinko to Sennen no Mahō), Shinsuke Sato and Production I.G's Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror (Hottarake no Shima - Haruka to Mahō no Kagami), and Yasuhiro Yoshiura and Studio Rikka's film compilation of their Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan) net anime series.