Festivals: TIFF Screen Yuasa's' Inu-Oh', Scotland Loves Anime Line-Up Revealed
In-person film festivals and conventions are gradually returning in 2021 as vaccine rollouts and lifted restrictions begin to make them possible again. Some, like Cannes and Venice festivals, have gone ahead as full festivals with strict protocols, while others have been organised as hybrid events, allowing the more cautious or vulnerable would-be-attendee to access digital events.
The world-famous Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one such hybrid event and it has recently revealed its full schedule. TIFF's animation component is modest this year but includes two animated features sure to attract a lot of attention. We previously reported that Charlotte, Eric Warin and Tahir Rana's animated biography of Charlotte Salomon, described as " an enigmatic young German Jewish painter who created a sprawling masterpiece in the face of both private turmoil and sweeping global cataclysm." Featuring the voices of Kiera Knightly and Marion Cotillard, the film will be getting in-person screenings at the Princess Of Wales Theatre and the TIFF Bell Lightbox, as well as digital screenings.
Newly announced is Inu-Oh, the eagerly anticipated new film from Masaaki Yuasa, getting its North American premiere at the festival. The film follows the life of a legendary figure from Japanese history known as Inu-Oh, translating as 'King Dog'. He was a dramatic performer in the 14th century, at a time when the folk theatre of Sarugaku (“monkey music”) transitioned into the tradition of Noh. Screening courtesy of GKIDS, the film will be given both in-person and digital screenings.
Via the festival, we've also got to see some new images from the film, which you can take a look at below.
Across the pond, the UK's largest anime festival Scotland Loves Anime is to return as a fully traditional event in its usual venues in Glasgow and Edinburgh this October. This year's UK and/or European premieres are Studio 4°C's Fortune Favours Lady Nikuko, CLAP's Pompo The Cinephile, Over The Sky, Shirobako: The Movie, JC Staff and Funimation co-produced Sing A Bit Of Harmony, Looking For Magical Doremi, and Knights Of Sidonia: Love Woven In The Stars. Meanwhile, Production IG's Deer King follows up its screenings at Annecy and Fantasia with a SLA screening.
Lupin III The First, Violet Evergarden: Eternity And The Auto-Memory Doll and On-Gaku: Our Sound, recently receiving limited UK cinema releases from Anime Limited get encore presentations. Final outings Digimon Adventure: Last Adventure Kizuna, Fate/Stay Night Heavens Feel III: Spring Song also screen, as does the apocalyptic The End of Evangelion, getting a rare cinema screening,
Following SLA tradition will also feature a Mystery Screening: 'a massive new hit', to be revealed on September 8, and one other film is still 'to be confirmed'. Tickets are now on sale for both cities, and you can also pick up a Season Pass for the whole festival.
