FILM
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SCOTLAND LOVES ANIME Annual festival of Japanese animation and fi lm returns
Characterised by its infusion of vivid colours, imaginative storylines and vibrant graphics, anime is a distinctive part of Japanese popular culture and an icon of its modern artistry. For Andrew Partridge, director of local festival Scotland Loves Anime, it’s the variety and breadth of the genre that makes it so special. ‘By and large,’ he says, ‘there are more animated works in Japan aimed at adults than in the west. The content you get is rather different to how animation is perceived internationally too. So one of the key reasons people respond to it, I think, is that it is so different (and cool).’
Offering enthusiasts an d newcomers the opportunity to see top anime i lms on the big screen, Scotland Loves Anime is responsible for bringing pre-eminent Japanese animation
to Glasgow and Edinburgh annually. This year’s festival boasts another terrii c lineup. Partridge’s top picks are A Silent Voice (pictured), Belladonna of Sadness and Your Name. ‘If we’re going to label any i lm as being “on the level of Ghibli” in 2016, Your Name is it,’ he says. ‘This screening is well ahead of its November main theatrical [release] too.’ Anime fans at the festival will get to enjoy
premieres, special guests and an education day. ‘There is helpfully an introduction before every i lm from Dr Jonathan Clements, co-author of The Anime Encyclopedia,’ adds Partridge. ‘It may not help beyond a pub quiz in the future, but you should walk out with some new knowledge from every i lm.’ (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Glasgow Film Theatre, Sun 9–Tue 11 Oct; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Wed 12–Tue 18 Oct.
54 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016