'The Anime Film Festival' Comes To London This September

Streaming has really helped the international popularity of Japanese animation to reach new heights over the past few years. However, when it comes to movies, there's still nothing quite like getting to see it on the big screen. A new event has been announced that allows UK anime fans to do just that- in the glamorous setting of London's West End.

The first iteration of The Anime Film Festival will take place at Picture House Central in Picadilly Circus on September 7. The one-day festival will feature a number of modern anime classics screened in Japanese with English subtitles.

The line-up is Mamoru Hosoda's Mirai, Penguin Highway, Makoto Shinkai's Your Name and Redline. Tickets are available for individual films or as a full festival pass or early double and late double.

It's a very strong selection, that will give audiences a chance to catch up on some recent favourites and a cult classic- while Penguin Highway is screening ahead of its official UK release (which is still yet to be dated).

The event has been organised by Reuben Ramanah, a long-time anime fan who spent two years teaching English in Japan.

"I wanted to put on this festival to celebrate all that anime has to offer, and give it the platform it deserve," Ramanah says. "I have been captivated with Japanese culture ever since seeing Akira as a teenager, and I would love to give as many people as possible the chance to enjoy these amazing films on the big screen. Anime is a unique art form that has been hugely influential to western film, and it does what all good films should; tell captivating stories which take you to another place, and keep you mesmerised and glued to the screen"

"The films chosen for this first Anime Film Festival are a mix of recent classics and genre-defining films that I know all audiences will enjoy but some may not have come across. There are countless, incredible anime that have never been shown in UK cinemas so I hope the Festival will make new anime fans and demonstrate the variety within this fascinating artform."

For more information or tickets check out the festival website now.