London East Asia Film Festival Screens Tezuka's 'Cleopatra', 'Millennium Actress' and More

From October 19-29 London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) will be screening a selection of the cream of the crop in cinema from East Asia. As well as a wide selection of films appealing to world cinema fans, a trio of anime films will be getting rare screenings at this year's event, as part of a line-up celebrating 100 years of Japanese animation.

Osamu Tezuka's Cleopatra will be screened on Sunday, October 22. The 1970 film was 'God of Manga' and Astro Boy creator Tezuka's attempt to move into adults-only animation, with an erotic fictionalised portrayal of Egypt's most famous Queen (with added sci-fi elements). It was released unsuccessfully in the US at the time (as Cleopatra: Queen Of Sex) where it was marketed as the first true X-rated animation. The film will be getting its UK premiere at LEAFF, before other limited screenings followed by a Blu-Ray release in early 2018 from Third Window Films. It will screen in a restored 2K print.

Also screening will be Millenium Actress, the 2001 film from the late great Satoshi Kon on Wednesday 25. Masaaki Yuasa's Mind Game will get a free screening on Thursday 26 followed by the talk The Centenary Of Japanese Animation featuring anime expert Helen McCarthy and Nag Vladermersky (founder of London International Animation Festival) and moderator Jasper Sharp.

For full details and tickets visit the festival website.