Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle Wins at The 74th Locarno Film Festival

“Belle is the film that I’ve always dreamt to create,” claimed Mamoru Hosoda, “In this one, I explore romance, action, and suspense as well as deeper themes such as life and death.”

Even though anime is compared to cartoons and constantly criticized, moments like these really highlight the complexity and maturity of the industry. 

Belle, the latest animated film from Oscar-nominated Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda, has won the inaugural Locarno Kids Award. 

The new prize handed out at the 74th Locarno Film Festival to honor “someone capable of bringing cinema to young viewers” marked the filmmaker’s first 20 years of his successful career.

Its poignant but modern spin on Beauty And The Beast can be credited for Belle’s success. Suzu, a shy girl, hides behind a digital avatar in a hyper-real virtual realm, and we watch this young woman (literally) find her voice by being someone she isn’t. 

While mourning the loss of her mother, the intricate film — touching on social media addiction and teenage anxiety — could touch younger viewers and their families. 

Being one of Japan’s most acclaimed directors, with masterpieces like Digimon: the Movie (2000), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), Wolf Children (2012), and Mirari (2018), ​​it’s no surprise that Belle was a hit on the charts. 

After its July 16th Japan release, Belle instantly topped the box office charts and earned more than $8 million on some 600,000 admissions over its first weekend. 

To celebrate the director’s Cannes-standing-ovation-worthy anime film, Locarno will be holding a public screening of Belle on the Piazza Grande for its official Swiss premiere on August 3rd.

Locarno will also celebrate the Japanese director with screenings of Wolf Children (2021) and The Boy and the Beast (2015) as part of its Locarno Kids Screening sidebar targeting younger viewers.

Not one but three of Mamoru Hosoda’s films will be screened by Locarno, making him one of the most successful Japanese animation directors there is. 

Well, “giving credit where credit is due” has finally lived up to its words. 

About Belle

Belle: The Princess of Dragons and Freckles is an upcoming original anime film by Mamoru Hosoda. Studio Chizu is animating it.

The film’s plot follows Suzu, a 17-year-old girl who had lost her mother at an early age. She enters a virtual world name “U” as an avatar, Belle.

Belle’s singing attracts worldwide attention, and she meets a mysterious dragon-shaped creature.

It is a coming of age film with themes of familial love and friendship that knows no barriers.

Source: Locarno Film Festival’s Official Site 

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