This year's Yubari Film Festival has a bumper crop of animated films! We pick up the highlights from this year's screenings!

Information on notable animation films from the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2018, which will be held in Yubari, Hokkaido from March 15 to 19, 2018, has arrived.

Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival" is famous for screening a variety of genres from major Western and Japanese blockbusters to films directed by young creators of the next generation. Last year, "Princess Hirune: The Unknown Watashi no Monogatari" directed by Kenji Kamiyama, which opened the festival, and the animation field also attracted a great deal of attention.

This year, Mr. Kyouhei Ishiguro, director of popular films such as "April is Your Lie" and "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphens," was selected as a juror for the "International Short Film Competition" section!　In addition, the "Animation Planning Competition" has been newly established, and "animated films" have been gaining momentum.

Here we introduce some of the animation films of note from this year's lineup.

Movie Fairies: Phil and Mu" / Yubari Choice Section
A new star director and a "frame animation" director. 　 Collaboration with a rising star director in "time-lapse animation".

The clay animation "Phil and Moo, the Movie Fairies," in which Takumi Saito acts as a voice actor and was involved in planning, drafting the story and writing the script under his real name "Takumi Saito". He has produced a variety of stop-motion animation using puppets, and his 2011 film "The Wandering Heart" won various awards both in Japan and abroad. Toshiko Hata, who has continued to work energetically since then and is attracting attention as one of the rising star animation directors, directed this film.

Phil, a film fairy, lives alone in an abandoned building. Her expression is somewhat lonely. Suddenly, a projector appears in front of Phil, and old film footage is projected with the sound of the clattering film roll. Phil is lured into the screen by Moe, a seed of cinema that suddenly appears. Phil and Moe's cinematic journey begins. Director Hata, who is also in love with the world, says, "I love the way the world looks." The cute and high quality world view created by director Hata is sure to be a remarkable stop-motion animation film following "KOBO.

Don't Cry" / International Short Film Competition
AI is in power?　An animated film set in an unexpected situation!


This is the latest work by Tomoya Takashima, the director of "KAGEWANI," which drew a great response for its unique "picture-story animation" images. KAGEWANI," which depicted a panic horror story in which UMAs called "strange beasts" attacked people, drew attention for its innovative development, and his latest work is fascinating for its novel setting in an age where AI is in power.

Human beings under the control of androids are restricted from giving birth. A couple sets out for a port to entrust their child to the "Humanity Division," a resistance group, but their pursuers are close at hand.... This film is the result of the creators' desire to "express in dystopian science fiction what I felt when I was raising my child. What lies ahead in the battle between mankind and "AI"? We hope that the world view of this work, presented by a "next-generation animation director," will be burned into your eyes.

Ilion and Caricia" / Yubari Choice Category
The first 3DCG animation by a collaboration between the animation director of "AKIRA" and the "Shiro-gumi"! 　 First 3DCG animation!


This is the first 3DCG animation work by director Takashi Nakamura, who is known for his work on the short animation "寫眞館" and the animated feature film "AKIRA". One day, Calisia and Ilion, two close siblings, are taken away by their father in an attempt to capture a unicorn. 10 years later, Ilion has grown up to be a strong warrior, and with the unicorn horn sword given to him by the king, he sets out for the Hanging Garden where the unicorns live...

Director Nakamura, who captivates viewers with his intricate and delicate expressions, and the "Shiro-gumi" team, which has led various films such as "Always: Sunset on Third Street" and "Stand by Me: Doraemon" to success, have teamed up to produce this film. Why don't you come to "Yubari" to enjoy the best fantasy film?

Event Information
Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival 2018
Dates: March 15 - 19, 2018
Official website: #