Image: Suzume no Tojimari Production Committee
AMBot | 01/24/2023 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
Fans of Makoto Shinkai's works have reason to rejoice: The latest film by the acclaimed anime director, Suzume, will celebrate its world premiere at this year's Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). Suzume, which will be screened from February 16 to 26, is the first anime film in two decades to be featured in the Berlinale competition. Shinkai will attend the event alongside actress Nanoka Hara and producer Genki Kawamura.
"Suzume is fundamentally based on the great disaster that struck Japan twelve years ago," Shinkai said in a statement. "I am curious to see how the film will resonate with international audiences: What makes sense, what doesn’t, and what commonalities exist between cultures?"
The story of Suzume is as follows: The journey of 17-year-old Suzume begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who says to her, 'I am looking for a door.' What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing amidst ruins, as if protected from any disaster. Seemingly drawn to its power, Suzume reaches for the knob. Doors begin to open all across Japan, and anyone near them is struck by destruction. Souta is known as the 'Door Closer,' traveling throughout Japan to shut these doors. As the door opens, the mysterious white cat nicknamed 'AristoCat' appears before them. 'I love Suzume, but you [Souta] are in the way,' with these words, Souta transforms into Suzume’s cherished childhood chair.
Souta chases the cat as a three-legged chair, and Suzume panickedly sprints after Souta. Eventually, they travel together from Kyushu to Shikoku, Kansai, and Tokyo to close the doors. Along their journey, Suzume meets many people who help her as she helps them. Yet, at the end of their journey, a long-forgotten truth awaits them.
Guided by these mysterious doors, Suzume’s journey begins.
The film’s main cast includes Nanoka Hara as Suzume Iwato, Hokuto Matsumura as Souta Munakata, Eri Fukatsu as Tamaki Iwato, Shota Sometani as Minoru Okabe, Kana Hanazawa as Tsubame Iwato, Sairi Ito as Rumi Ninomiya, Kotone Hanase as Chika Amabe, and Matsumoto Koshiro IX/Hakuo Matsumoto as Hitsujiro Munakata.
"Suzume is fundamentally based on the great disaster that struck Japan twelve years ago," Shinkai said in a statement. "I am curious to see how the film will resonate with international audiences: What makes sense, what doesn’t, and what commonalities exist between cultures?"
The story of Suzume is as follows: The journey of 17-year-old Suzume begins in a quiet town in Kyushu when she encounters a young man who says to her, 'I am looking for a door.' What Suzume finds is a single weathered door standing amidst ruins, as if protected from any disaster. Seemingly drawn to its power, Suzume reaches for the knob. Doors begin to open all across Japan, and anyone near them is struck by destruction. Souta is known as the 'Door Closer,' traveling throughout Japan to shut these doors. As the door opens, the mysterious white cat nicknamed 'AristoCat' appears before them. 'I love Suzume, but you [Souta] are in the way,' with these words, Souta transforms into Suzume’s cherished childhood chair.
Souta chases the cat as a three-legged chair, and Suzume panickedly sprints after Souta. Eventually, they travel together from Kyushu to Shikoku, Kansai, and Tokyo to close the doors. Along their journey, Suzume meets many people who help her as she helps them. Yet, at the end of their journey, a long-forgotten truth awaits them.
Guided by these mysterious doors, Suzume’s journey begins.
The film’s main cast includes Nanoka Hara as Suzume Iwato, Hokuto Matsumura as Souta Munakata, Eri Fukatsu as Tamaki Iwato, Shota Sometani as Minoru Okabe, Kana Hanazawa as Tsubame Iwato, Sairi Ito as Rumi Ninomiya, Kotone Hanase as Chika Amabe, and Matsumoto Koshiro IX/Hakuo Matsumoto as Hitsujiro Munakata.
This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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