Join us for a screening followed by a Q&A with acclaimed director/writer Mamoru Hosoda (The Boy & The Beast, Wolf Children, Summer Wars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time). MIRAI is a 2019 Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature and 2019 Annie Award nominee for Best Animated Independent Feature, as well as for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production. Hosoda will be accompanied by Stephanie Sheh (Co-Voice Director, English Language Script Writer) and Crispin Freeman (Voice Actor of English Dub).
Moderated by Michael Sinterniklaas, Voice Director, Voice Actor
Estimated duration of program: 11:00am - 1:55pm
SYNOPSIS
When four-year old Kun meets his new baby sister, his world is turned upside down. Named Mirai (meaning "future"), the baby quickly wins the hearts of Kun's entire family. As his mother returns to work, and his father struggles to run the household, Kun becomes increasingly jealous of baby Mirai... until one day he storms off into the garden, where he encounters strange guests from the past and future - including his sister Mirai, as a teenager. Together, Kun and teenage Mirai go on a journey through time and space, uncovering their family's incredible story. But why did Mirai come from the future?
Mirai is a sumptuous, magical and emotionally soaring adventure about the ties that bring families together and make us who we are.
PANALIST BIOS
Mamoru Hosoda - Director, Writer
Hosoda was born in 1967 in Toyama. After graduating from Kanazawa College of Art, he joined Toei Doga studio (now Toei Animation Co, Ltd.) and began his career as an animator. In 1999, he directed his first 20 min. short film, Digimon Adventure, which was released in theatres. In 2000, he directed a forty-minute sequel, Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!!!, and attracted critical attention thanks to his novel, cutting-edge style. He also introduced what would become recurring themes in his filmography. He became independent shortly afterwards and directed The Girl Who Leapt Through Time in 2006 (an adaptation of the well-known novella by Yasutaka Tsutsui). The film was met with great enthusiasm and its success exceeded all expectations, remaining on Japanese screens for one year. It was then released in numerous countries, including France, where audiences discovered Hosoda's work on the big screen. In 2009, he directed his first original work: Summer Wars. The aesthetics of the film are reminiscent of those found in Digimon. In 2011, with Yuichiro Saito (the producer who has accompanied him throughout his career), he created his own animation studio, Studio Chizu, and spearheaded a new movement in theatrical animations.
The studio's first production, Wolf Children (2012), followed by The Boy & The Beast (2015), cemented Hosoda's popularity in Japan and abroad, particularly in France.
Stephanie Sheh - Co-Voice Director, Voice Actor
Sheh is a SAG-AFTRA actor, script adaptor, casting director and ADR recordist whose credits include work with GKIDS, Funimation and Production I.G.
Crispin Freeman - Voice Actor, ADR Director, Writer
Freeman has provided voiceovers in numerous English language versions of Japanese anime, cartoons and video games. In anime, some of his prominent roles include Zegadis Graywords in Slayer, Alucard in Hellsing, Kyon in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Kirei Kotomine in Fate/Zero.
Michael Sinterniklaas - Voice Director, Voice Actor
Sinterniklaas is a SAG-AFTRA actor, ADR recordist, mixer and President of NYAV Post, which specializes in voiceover work for companies GKIDS, Funimation and Production I.G.
