The Film
The new Miyazaki. That’s a description I’ve heard applied to Mamoru Hosoda over and over, and it’s never sat well with me. Notwithstanding that Hosoda has expressed critical feelings about Miyazaki’s depiction of women, or my own apathy about Miyazaki’s films, Hosoda isn’t the new anybody, nor does he need to be. He’s the first Mamoru Hosoda, and across his six solo features, he’s established a strong authorial voice and, for my money, stands out as one of the best and most exciting filmmakers working today, and not just in animation.
Belle, like Hosoda’s previous films, takes a gigantic sci-fi concept and boils it down to a tiny personal story. The setting is contemporary, but the internet seems to be dominated by an app called U, a social network which, through body sharing technology (think a less gross take...
The new Miyazaki. That’s a description I’ve heard applied to Mamoru Hosoda over and over, and it’s never sat well with me. Notwithstanding that Hosoda has expressed critical feelings about Miyazaki’s depiction of women, or my own apathy about Miyazaki’s films, Hosoda isn’t the new anybody, nor does he need to be. He’s the first Mamoru Hosoda, and across his six solo features, he’s established a strong authorial voice and, for my money, stands out as one of the best and most exciting filmmakers working today, and not just in animation.
Belle, like Hosoda’s previous films, takes a gigantic sci-fi concept and boils it down to a tiny personal story. The setting is contemporary, but the internet seems to be dominated by an app called U, a social network which, through body sharing technology (think a less gross take...
- 7/13/2022
- by Sam Inglis
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Under Childhood is a column on children’s cinema—movies about and for kids.Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle is an anime musical that reimagines the story of Beauty and the Beast as two teenagers whose paths cross on a virtual reality platform, where both appear as their respective online personas—one a pink-haired pop star with a stirring voice, the other a wolf-like monster covered in bruises. Surreptitious meetings between the two provide some respite from their somber physical reality. But a slew of online and offline threats circumvent the chance for a deeper bond to develop. The desire for a multidimensional friendship sets the film into motion. The release of Belle arrives in the middle of a rather historic moment in which many screen-mediated childhood experiences are not only more ubiquitous but also mandatory, even state-mandated. For many children, the pandemic has made being online a requirement for participation in public and private spheres,...
- 1/25/2022
- MUBI
Chace Crawford (The Boys), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) and newcomer Kylie McNeill will lead the English-language voice cast for Mamoru Hosoda’s Gkids awards contender Belle, which is scheduled for release alongside the original Japanese-language version in U.S. theaters (including select Imax screens) on January 14, with exclusive Imax previews in select markets beginning January 12.
Others lending their voices to the new dub include Paul Castro Jr., David Chen, Jessica Dicicco, Brandon Engman, Martha Harms, Jessica Gee George, Barbara Goodson, Bentley Griffin, Andrew Kishino, Wendee Lee, Ben Lepley, Noelle McGrath, Julie Nathanson, Aaron Phillips, Ellyn Stern, Frank Todaro, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Cristina Vee Valenzuela, Tom Bromhead, John Bentley, Tiana Camacho, SungWon Cho, Courtney Chu, Larissa Gallagher, Heather Gonzalez, Xanthe Huynh, Anjali Kunapaneni, LilyPichu, Kyle McCarley, Julie Nathanson, Zeno Robinson, Stephanie Sheh, Michael Sinterniklaas, Rachel Slotky and Laura Stahl.
Hosoda’s’s...
Others lending their voices to the new dub include Paul Castro Jr., David Chen, Jessica Dicicco, Brandon Engman, Martha Harms, Jessica Gee George, Barbara Goodson, Bentley Griffin, Andrew Kishino, Wendee Lee, Ben Lepley, Noelle McGrath, Julie Nathanson, Aaron Phillips, Ellyn Stern, Frank Todaro, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Cristina Vee Valenzuela, Tom Bromhead, John Bentley, Tiana Camacho, SungWon Cho, Courtney Chu, Larissa Gallagher, Heather Gonzalez, Xanthe Huynh, Anjali Kunapaneni, LilyPichu, Kyle McCarley, Julie Nathanson, Zeno Robinson, Stephanie Sheh, Michael Sinterniklaas, Rachel Slotky and Laura Stahl.
Hosoda’s’s...
- 12/9/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
When director Mamoru Hosoda selected Eric Wong to design the virtual world in his movie Belle, Wong was still working a full-time job at an architectural practice. But he wasn’t going to let that get in the way of working with one of his favorite directors.
In Belle, Suzu (Kaho Nakamura), a shy high school student, becomes a global superstar when she sings in the fantastical virtual world of “U.” When a mysterious “beast” disrupts one of her shows, Suzu goes on a journey to discover who he is and save him from a gang of vigilantes.
The world of “U,” designed by Wong, is an industrial city with a twilight sky ever-present in the background. Wong used his experience as an architect to create the city as a tessellating metropolis of skyscrapers to contrast the magical surrealism of the characters.
Deadline: What was your inspiration for the architecture?...
In Belle, Suzu (Kaho Nakamura), a shy high school student, becomes a global superstar when she sings in the fantastical virtual world of “U.” When a mysterious “beast” disrupts one of her shows, Suzu goes on a journey to discover who he is and save him from a gang of vigilantes.
The world of “U,” designed by Wong, is an industrial city with a twilight sky ever-present in the background. Wong used his experience as an architect to create the city as a tessellating metropolis of skyscrapers to contrast the magical surrealism of the characters.
Deadline: What was your inspiration for the architecture?...
- 12/8/2021
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Gkids anounced today that Oscar nominated director Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu’s newest film Belle is set to debut in American cinemas on January 14, 2022.
Belle tells a fantastical, heartfelt story about the experience of growing up in the age of social media. Its protagonist, Suzu, is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters “U”, a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.
Chizu co-founder Yuichiro Saito is producer on the animated film,...
Belle tells a fantastical, heartfelt story about the experience of growing up in the age of social media. Its protagonist, Suzu, is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters “U”, a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.
Chizu co-founder Yuichiro Saito is producer on the animated film,...
- 10/12/2021
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The world premiere of “Belle”, the latest animated feature film from award-winning director Mamoru Hosoda, was met with cheers and a fourteen-minute standing ovation following its world premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival on Thursday July 15th – the seventh longest in the festival’s history. Critics responded with enthusiasm on Twitter following the premiere, with Phil de Semlyen calling it “a dazzling cyber fairy-tale”, and Robbie Collin adding that “there is usually one film per Cannes that emotionally bulldozes me, and this year Belle was it.”
Anime Limited, Europe’s premiere distributor for Japanese animation, will be releasing “Belle” in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France.
“Belle”, the journey of a shy and self-conscious teenager finding herself through the avatar of a world famous virtual singer, is a film that reaches beyond borders both on and off the screen with a creative team showcasing the calibre of global talent in modern animation.
Anime Limited, Europe’s premiere distributor for Japanese animation, will be releasing “Belle” in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France.
“Belle”, the journey of a shy and self-conscious teenager finding herself through the avatar of a world famous virtual singer, is a film that reaches beyond borders both on and off the screen with a creative team showcasing the calibre of global talent in modern animation.
- 7/20/2021
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Animated fantasy “Belle” will receive its World Premiere at the 74th Cannes Film Festival on Thursday July 15th in the Cannes Premiere section, joining an exciting line-up which includes new films from Andrea Arnold, Gaspar Noé, Mathieu Amalric and Oliver Stone. This is the first official selection for a film by Hosoda at the festival. Anime Limited, Europe’s premiere distributor for Japanese animation, will be releasing “Belle” in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The film is written, directed, and produced by the celebrated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda whose previous works include “Mirai”, “The Boy and the Beast”, “Wolf Children”, “Summer Wars”, “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”, among other classics.
Anime Limited previously distributed “Mirai,” the previous film from Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, in the UK, France, and Ireland. After debuting at the Director’s Fortnight in Cannes, “Mirai” went on to receive a nomination for “Best Animated Feature...
The film is written, directed, and produced by the celebrated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda whose previous works include “Mirai”, “The Boy and the Beast”, “Wolf Children”, “Summer Wars”, “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”, among other classics.
Anime Limited previously distributed “Mirai,” the previous film from Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, in the UK, France, and Ireland. After debuting at the Director’s Fortnight in Cannes, “Mirai” went on to receive a nomination for “Best Animated Feature...
- 7/6/2021
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Gkids’ latest acquisition Belle, from acclaimed filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda and his company Studio Chizu, is an Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival and will make its world debut in the Cannes Premiere section on Thursday, July 15. This marks the Hosoda’s second invitation to Cannes. His first, Mirai, made its debut at Director’s Fortnight in 2018 before going on to receive an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature. Gkids will release Belle theatrically in North America in both its original Japanese language and a new English dubbed version this winter, and will qualify the film for 2021 awards consideration. “Following the selection of my previous film ‘Mirai’ for the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, I am honored that ‘Belle’ has been selected for the Première section of the Official Selection. It is extremely rare for an animated film to be selected for the Festival de Cannes, and...
- 7/6/2021
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
One of our most-anticipated animations of the year comes from Mamoru Hosoda, the acclaimed auteur behind The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Wolf Children, The Boy and the Beast, and most recently, the Oscar-nominated Mirai. He’s now returning with Belle, which is set for a July release in Japan and now the first full trailer has debuted.
Belle follows Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters “U,” a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature. Together, they embark on a journey of adventures, challenges and love, in their quest of becoming who they truly are.
“Belle is the movie that I have always wanted to create and I am...
Belle follows Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters “U,” a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature. Together, they embark on a journey of adventures, challenges and love, in their quest of becoming who they truly are.
“Belle is the movie that I have always wanted to create and I am...
- 6/2/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Studio Chizu has unveiled the full international trailer for “Belle,” Mamoru Hosoda’s highly anticipated animated feature. The anticipated movie will be released in Japan on July 16 by Toho. Paris-based sales company Charades is representing the film in international markets. Nippon Television handles sales for Asia.
“Belle” marks Hosoda’s ninth project and follows the 2018 Oscar-nominated “Mirai,” which world premiered at Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight and received the Annie Award for best animated feature. The new film has been described as a touching coming of age story with a philosophical edge and a fantasy-filled visual style.
The film follows Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters “Lj,” a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature.
“Belle” marks Hosoda’s ninth project and follows the 2018 Oscar-nominated “Mirai,” which world premiered at Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight and received the Annie Award for best animated feature. The new film has been described as a touching coming of age story with a philosophical edge and a fantasy-filled visual style.
The film follows Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters “Lj,” a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature.
- 6/2/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Dwayne Johnson, Awkwafina, director Bong Joon Ho, Hadestown actress Eva Noblezada, and Deadline associate editor Dino-Ray Ramos are on this year’s list 100 most esteemed and impactful Asians in entertainment and media, fashion and lifestyle, technology, business, and social activism, as chosen by The Asian American and Pacific Islander (Aapi) collective Gold House.
The annual A100 List was announced today by Aapi, in partnership with the 2020 Census. Also included on the 3rd annual list are Keanu Reeves, Ken Jeong, Lilly Singh and Los Angeles Times film critic Justin Chang.
More from DeadlineHasan Minhaj, Sen. Kamala Harris, Dave Chapelle And More Board All Americans Movement To Support Marginalized Communities Impacted By Covid-19'Nora From Queens' Season Finale: Ep Teresa Hsiao On How Awkwafina Comedy Brings Fresh Perspective On Asian Identity And Plans For Season 2'Godfather Of Harlem' Producer Nina Yang Bongiovi Teams With Twitch's Kevin Lin, Gold House's Bing Chen...
The annual A100 List was announced today by Aapi, in partnership with the 2020 Census. Also included on the 3rd annual list are Keanu Reeves, Ken Jeong, Lilly Singh and Los Angeles Times film critic Justin Chang.
More from DeadlineHasan Minhaj, Sen. Kamala Harris, Dave Chapelle And More Board All Americans Movement To Support Marginalized Communities Impacted By Covid-19'Nora From Queens' Season Finale: Ep Teresa Hsiao On How Awkwafina Comedy Brings Fresh Perspective On Asian Identity And Plans For Season 2'Godfather Of Harlem' Producer Nina Yang Bongiovi Teams With Twitch's Kevin Lin, Gold House's Bing Chen...
- 5/1/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Eric Wong has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO), Island Records, it was announced today by label president Darcus Beese. Wong, who is based in New York, will run operations for the entire label.
“Eric’s long and successful background in the recording industry make him truly deserving of this new post as COO of Island,” said Beese, who took the helm of the label in July following David Massey’s exit for Sony Music. “He brings a world of experience to every endeavor and has nurtured strong relationships with our artists and their management teams. I’ve never worked with someone who has such passion, drive and care for artists.”
“I am extremely proud of the confidence that Darcus Beese has shown in me,” said Wong. “Island has been my heart and home for the better part of two decades now, and I am excited to step into...
“Eric’s long and successful background in the recording industry make him truly deserving of this new post as COO of Island,” said Beese, who took the helm of the label in July following David Massey’s exit for Sony Music. “He brings a world of experience to every endeavor and has nurtured strong relationships with our artists and their management teams. I’ve never worked with someone who has such passion, drive and care for artists.”
“I am extremely proud of the confidence that Darcus Beese has shown in me,” said Wong. “Island has been my heart and home for the better part of two decades now, and I am excited to step into...
- 8/20/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Island recording artist Jessie Reyez has been named the first featured performer in YouTube’s expanded “Artist on the Rise,” which was launched last year as a feature on the platform’s Trending tab but is now expanded into a larger program that includes promotion and programming within the site, advertising, social and fan events at YouTube Spaces.
Reyez is an outspoken 26-year-old Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter who received the Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the year (Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys) and partnered with Calvin Harris on the track “Hard to Love”; she’s already clocked 22.6 million views for her hit “Figures.”
She also last week publicly accused producer Noel “Detail” Fisher (who worked with Beyonce and Jay-z in the past) of sexual misconduct after two female singers said he’d assaulted them. She said he’s the music-industry figure mentioned in her harrowing song “Gatekeeper.” However, YouTube’s...
Reyez is an outspoken 26-year-old Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter who received the Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the year (Canada’s equivalent of the Grammys) and partnered with Calvin Harris on the track “Hard to Love”; she’s already clocked 22.6 million views for her hit “Figures.”
She also last week publicly accused producer Noel “Detail” Fisher (who worked with Beyonce and Jay-z in the past) of sexual misconduct after two female singers said he’d assaulted them. She said he’s the music-industry figure mentioned in her harrowing song “Gatekeeper.” However, YouTube’s...
- 5/18/2018
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
David Massey, president and CEO of Island Records, will step down from the company in June, three sources have confirmed to Variety, although Massey and a rep for the label declined requests for comment.
While the news was first reported in Hits earlier this week, sources say that Massey actually gave notice to Lucian Grainge, chairman/CEO of Island parent Universal Music Group, several months ago and did not really leave open the option for a counter-offer. Massey’s contract is said to be up in June. An insider told Variety that a succession plan is in place at Island, which has a highly capable Gm in Eric Wong; further details were not forthcoming.
Although sources say that Massey has secured independent funding for his new operation, there has been some speculation about him returning to Sony, where he spent some 16 years of his career, and where his daughter Clio...
While the news was first reported in Hits earlier this week, sources say that Massey actually gave notice to Lucian Grainge, chairman/CEO of Island parent Universal Music Group, several months ago and did not really leave open the option for a counter-offer. Massey’s contract is said to be up in June. An insider told Variety that a succession plan is in place at Island, which has a highly capable Gm in Eric Wong; further details were not forthcoming.
Although sources say that Massey has secured independent funding for his new operation, there has been some speculation about him returning to Sony, where he spent some 16 years of his career, and where his daughter Clio...
- 4/13/2018
- by Jem Aswad and Shirley Halperin
- Variety Film + TV
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