If you are a fan of anime, you might be interested in the G20 Film Festival, which is screening Suzume, a popular anime film by Makoto Shinkai, in New Delhi on August 12, 2023.
Suzume is a fantasy adventure film that follows 17-year-old Suzume Iwato and a young stranger named Souta Munakata, who team up to prevent a series of disasters across Japan by sealing doors from the other side that are releasing a colossal, supernatural worm that causes earthquakes. The film features the voices of Nanoka Hara and Hokuto Matsumura, and the music by Radwimps and Kazuma Jinnouchi.
Suzume is one of the most successful anime films of recent times, having grossed over $324 million worldwide. It has also received critical acclaim from various sources, such as IMDb (7.7/10), Rotten Tomatoes (91%), and Metacritic (77/100). The film has won several awards, such as the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, the Tokyo Anime Award for Best Feature Film, and the Mainichi Film Award for Best Animated Film.
The G20 Film Festival is a unique event that celebrates the diversity and excellence of cinema from the 20 major economies of the world. The festival, which is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the G20 members and the India International Centre (IIC), aims to foster cultural exchange and dialogue among the participating countries. The festival runs from August 16 to September 3, 2023, and features a selection of award-winning films that reflect the themes and issues of each nation.
The screening of Suzume in New Delhi is free to attend and reservations are open on [the India Habitat Centre’s website]. The screening will take place on August 12 at 7:00 p.m. IST at the India Habitat Centre, The Stein Auditorium, New Delhi. The screening will be attended by several dignitaries, including the Japanese Ambassador to India, Mr. Satoshi Suzuki, and the Director General of IIC, Mr. K.N. Shrivastava.
Suzume has already been released in Indian theaters in Hindi and in Japanese with English subtitles on April 21 and has earned over ₹10 crore (approximately US$1.2 million) at the Indian box office as of May 26. The film is now the highest-earning Japanese film in the country, surpassing Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
PVR Inox hosted early preview screenings of the film in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, and Bangalore on April 9. It hosted a second round of early fan screenings for the film in Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, and Kolkata on April 16. The film also screened in over 100 locations as part of the Makoto Shinkai Film Festival.
The company also hosted a meet and greet with Makoto Shinkai in Mumbai preceding the film’s premiere. Shinkai also attended the premiere event itself and participated in a Q&A session with attendees on April 20.
Denki Amashima, the artist of the manga adaptation of the film, spoke in a “Manga Talk Session” at Rachna Sansad College of Applied Art & Craft.
Suzume is a film that showcases Shinkai’s signature style of combining stunning visuals, captivating music, and heartfelt stories. It is a film that appeals to both anime fans and general audiences alike. It is a film that you don’t want to miss.
Have you watched Suzume or any other films by Makoto Shinkai? What did you think of them? Let us know in the comments below!